Trendy hair, an ever-glowing face, a good make-up and an overall snazzy look, what more would you expect in a beautiful girl. Visiting beauty parlours is now not a splurge, but a part of one’s life style, particularly in the urban areas. Time has changed now and so have the attitude of women towards their outlook. It’s not just ‘putting on make up’ but rather ‘grooming’ your personality.Women of all age groups and classes not only rushes to parlours during special occasions, but on regular basis. Sheela Koirala, a bank employee and a regular visitor of a parlour says, “it’s to groom myself.” “You cannot ignore outward personality, either in home or office. Work today is not just diligence, our outward appearance speaks a lot about us,” she says with an air of confidence.This dramatically changed attitude was however, not prevalent among Nepali women some two and half decades ago when the first-ever beauty parlour was opened. “Then women had no knowledge about any kind of beauty treatments,” says Beena Vaidya of the Veena’s Hair and Beauty Clinic, one of the oldest beauty parlours. “Major customers then were foreigners and only a few Nepalis of the high-class Rana family,” she says. But with time, there has been a sea change in the attitude towards beauty parlours among the Nepali women.Kamala Shrestha, proprietor of Sayam Beauty Parlour at Kupondole, says she used to have a hard time convincing the Nepalis about the benefits of beauty treatment. “I first started with four clients and my first month’s earning was only Rs 80,” she recalls. “Others were reluctant to come up to parlours as grooming oneself was not taken as a good thing by the society then.””But now it is the client who tell us how they want to be groomed,” adds Shrestha. Facial and hair styling is the most sought after service by the clients, say beauticians. “Teenagers focus more on hair styling and middle age women on facials,” they say. In parlours like Veena’s and Sayam, the charge for a simple haircut is Rs 250 and Rs 200 respectively, and the charge for facial is Rs 400. The rate 25 years ago was mere Rs 10 for hair and Rs 25 for facial. However, the rate in these parlours is high against some others that are set in every nook and corner of the Valley these days.The reason behind the disparity? “We provide quality service plus there is our 25 year old expertise. And hence, our work deserve extra charge,” revealed both Vaidya and Shrestha. According to a data made available by the Industry Department, there are 80 registered beauty parlours in the Kathmandu district alone. The market is surely expanding. And this can be realised with the opening of Shaznaz Hussain Herbal Skin Care and Hair Care, an internationally acclaimed beauty treatment house, four years ago. “People are becoming more aware about their looks and this has led in the increase of the market,” says Sunita Sabharwal, chairperson of the salon. “Women should not only spend on ornaments and clothes but also on skin and hair care,’ she adds.
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