The Great Indian Bridal Season 2022

Move over virtual weddings, the big fat Indian wedding is back! We all know how much Indians enjoy weddings. With the easing of the pandemic protocols, weddings are back to being fun, loud and larger-than-life. The focus has shifted onto the bride once again, and we see the beauty industry gearing up to ride the high on the bridal season this year. While beauty professionals, salons and freelancers alike, suffered a heavy blow in the last two years as the bridal market recorded less activity, this year things are looking promising. Destination weddings and elaborate pre-wedding events are underway, which means the bride is looking at multiple looks throughout the shenanigans. For the beauty professionals, the bridal season is as much about creativity as it is about business. Kanishka Ramchandani draws out bridal and business trends that will rule the charts this season along with advice from seasoned experts. Here’s wishing the Indian beauty industry a rocking bridal season!

• Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for bridal wear estimated at US$61.1 billion in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$69.9 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 3.9 per cent over the analysis period, said the ‘Bridal Wear -Global Market Trajectory & Analytics’ report by ResearchAndMarkets.com.

• The global jewellery market size was valued at US$ 249.02 billion in 2021 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.5 per cent from 2022 to 2030, as per a report by Grand View Research.

• Roughly 2.5 million weddings are expected to happen this year in the US, the most since 1984, according to the Wedding Report, a trade group that gathered its data through a survey of vendors and consumers, said a report in the New York Times.

These global updates about different aspects of wedding trends around the world indicate the upward trajectory the big bridal industry is taking. After being severely hit during the pandemic, the wedding industry is recovering and how. Hair and beauty sectors are an important part of this growth.

Panning down to the Indian scenario, while wedding planners are still cautious about extravagant weddings, the fact that the year 2022 has ushered in a revival of the industry cannot be denied. Business is picking up and salons are likely to recover during the bridal season. As festivities are already underway, footfall at salons have rapidly increased, and bridal bookings are underway, too, as weddings are being planned for December 2022 and January and February 2023.

We get Dr Blossom Kochhar, Chairperson, Blossom Kochhar Group of Companies, to share her take on the upcoming bridal trends. Given her experience and expertise, her recommendations will help hair professionals sail through the bridal season with style and flourish.

What’s trending?

“Some of the trending bridal hairstyles are chignon, long braids, half up styles, loose curls, half up braids, traditional bridal buns, floral buns and braids, half-tie with curls, voluminous buns with flowers such as lavender, carnation, roses, rose petals, gajra and other hair accessories.”

Bridal consultations

“During your bridal consultation, make sure you ask all your queries to the hairstylist. Ask them about the products that will be used on your hair and types of hair accessories. You may definitely seek a trial just to know how well the hairstyle suits your face, your personality, and of course your outfit.”

FOR BR IDES, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS PROPER HAIR CARE.

Styling products

“The hairstylist should be aware of the haircare products while providing any hair service to brides. Always use a shampoo and conditioner that suits your client’s hair and requirements. Always use the mask when it comes to treated hair. Remember to use a hair serum when creating hairstyles or using heat tools as it forms a protective layer on the hair.”

Colouration techniques

#1. Highlights

#2. Ombre

#3. Balayage

#4. Sombre 

#5. Lowlights

Hair care

“For brides, the most important thing is proper hair care. Oil your hair, take hair spas, use natural or organic products on your hair and try some DIY homemade masks for your hair.”

Which trends are passé?

“These are a few hairstyles, which I don’t see quite often any more -Blunt bob, perm, shoulder length blunt bob, shovel-looking fringe and contrasting highlights.”

Shailesh More, Owner, Jean Claude Olivier Salon, sheds light on how to curate skin services especially designed for brides.
Salons can add skin services to their repertoire of hair and make-up to give your bridal customers a complete package under one roof.

Bridal skincare

“Our USP is that we have our in-house brand called Postquam, which is present in over 60 countries and has been in existence for 40 years. We have a wide range of Spanish skincare for all skin types and needs. With all the other Spanish skin care FirSt and the laSt ranges, we also have hydra facial. We always suggest the best for the bride. Along with that, we have a range of hair care and scalp treatments like multivitamin vegetable placenta to help the bride relax and relieve her pre or post stress. Once you are a JCO Bride, you will only get the best.” brideS will a lway S have the

Customised packages

“The packages are and they should always be according to the client’s needs. They should not pay for anything that they don’t want. So, we customise the packages according to the needs.”

Bridal consultations

“Brides will always have the first and the last say. They are the main characters for their special day, after all.

Brides will always have the first and the last say

We understand their thoughts and concerns first and give our consultations. It can be overwhelming for brides and it’s our duty to give them a happy and fulfilling environment. If a bride has breakage in hair, our hair experts will have hair treatments as one of the prime focuses. During the consultation, we as experts keep in mind what the bride desires and what we have to do to achieve that desirable result.”

We have one of the best beauty and hair ranges. Along with our USP PostQuam, we have the leading brands available best in the industry.

Advice for the brides

We advise them to understand the bride’s needs completely and as a priority. Sometimes they do have acne prone skin or very dry skin, we ask them to understand the skin type before taking any next step. We also do a patch test to see if the product suits the skin. For expert advice, we have dermatologist Dr Shruti Barde.

We are a one stop shop for all your beauty needs. Once the client undergoes the consultation, she will be convinced and when she steps in the salon, we guarantee she will leave feeling satisfied.

Competition

Competition is always going to be there, and honestly it’s healthy to have a little competition. But we have hundred percent confidence in ourselves and our services. We know that we will provide the best to all our clients.

Avleen Bansal, Head of Trainings, Make-Up Studio, takes us through key bridal make-up trends that artists need to be aware of. Today, customers are wellversed in trends, thanks to social media, so the artist who is catering to their needs has to be knowledgeable, too.

What’s trending?

Bridal make-up is ever-evolving, and every bride wants to look nothing less than a diva. Today’s brides don’t want to get plastered in layers of make-up. They are looking for a natural skin-like finish, a delicate sheen on the face, wholly matte or shimmerladen smoky eyes, flattering rosy hues on the cheeks and preferably some neutral-toned glossy lips.

NEVER JUDGE A MAKE-UP ARTIST WITH THEIR INSTAGR AM PROFILE ONLY

Bridal consultations

The wedding season and festivities are reviving at a significant level. This allows make-up artists to build a strong connection with their clients and deliver their best services. Bridal consultations help you plan and customise the desired look of your bride. During the consultation process, always keep a good attitude as it is contagious! Take into account even the smallest detail. Create a mood board by referencing garments, jewellery, accessories and latest make-up trends. Keep a note of any skin allergies the client has. Listen to your client with utmost attention and make a checklist of their requirements.

New products

A new wedding season requires a make-up bag refresh. Invest in products with smarter textures and a real-skin finish. Some of the products you can include are liquid eye shadows, tinted lip oils, neutralising face balms, precision brow definer, cream blushers, serum foundations, etc.

New techniques

Every make-up artist has their own distinct style and techniques, which they build through their experiences or by following the trends. Some methods work wonders and some are a total fail. The smudgy liners using pencils, foxy eyes, and fingers to apply foundation for sheer coverage are a few trending techniques that make-up artists can learn in case they do not know about them.

Which trends are passé

Some make-up trends are classics that never go out of style. Some of these are- bold blush, eyeshadow as eyeliner, the no-make-up makeup look, and red and nude lips. make-up artists should undoubtedly avoid making their clients look way too fairer than they actually are and avoid mistakes like heavy winged liner for every client, excess highlighter and experimenting with new products without testing them adequately beforehand.

Selecting the right make-up artist

Never judge a make-up artist with their Instagram profile only. Most of the images you see on social media are either retouched or have some beauty filter. Brides-to-be, beware, please! My advice would be to remain very clear about your taste and preferences. Choose an artist that reflects your style. Share details about your skin type and any other concerns. Avoid any experimenting on the wedding day. instead, run a trial of the look well in advance.

Business trends

Here are the key business trends that we foresee for the upcoming bridal season:

1. Focus more on the bride and groom: With a spate of Bollywood weddings happening in recent times, wedding trends are focussing more on the bride and groom as they sail through pre-wedding events. Their looks, especially hairdos and make-up, will constantly be the centre of attention, especially on social media.

2. Social media savvy: Weddings today need to be social media-centric. From pre-wedding videos being posted on YouTube to behind the scenes of the green room updated on Instagram stories, social media is a huge deciding factor. Ergo, beauty professionals who are more active on social media are preferred.

3. Customised packages: From their wedding outfits to honeymoon travel and from their hairstyles to make-up, everything that the bride does is customised and tailormade for her.

4. The groom brigade: Men are being more attentive about their grooming needs and taking special care in following hair and skincare routines before the D-day.

5. Destination weddings: They are here to stay! This trend is going strong this season, too. The style of outfits, hairstyles and make-up looks are designed keeping in mind the venue for the wedding.

6. Value for money: People are ready to spend on weddings but conservatively. Therefore it is important to provide value for money in all your products and services. 

PBHJ