Jennifer Lopez swear by it! Paris Hilton won't use anything else! Hollywood stars insist on Indian hair extensions, claiming that they are the best.
Oomph icons such as Jennifer Lopez drive a new tress-extension trend.
LONDON: Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Lopez, and Gwyneth Paltrow all swear by it! Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie won't use anything else! Several Hollywood stars insist on Indian hair extensions, claiming that they are the best.
Hair extensions — the practice of bonding fake or human hair to one's scalp to make tresses instantly look longer and thicker — are the latest fad among the 'beautiful people' of the West.
"Indian hair is really the best quality," said a spokesman for Tyrone and Company, a top London saloon. "It is strong and durable and can be treated like your own. It can also be heated and curled, coloured and blow-dried, and unlike acrylic looks natural."
Exclusive saloons in London charge a minimum of £500 for hair extensions which need replacement every six weeks, and people such as Victoria Beckham spend £2,000 a month to keep their hair looking long and lustrous.
Much of the Indian hair exports comes from temples such as the one dedicated to Lord Balaji in Tirupati, where devotees have their heads shaved. Around 4,000 women take part in the tonsuring ceremony every day, and most of this hair finds its way into Western saloons.
'Temple hair', as it has been nicknamed, is preferred by the stars not only for its quality, but also because of its spiritual connotations. "Spirituality is very in at the moment, so it adds to the whole experience of getting temple hair," said the spokesman. There are 50 saloons in London alone providing Indian 'temple hair' and business is booming.
Of course stars who are into 'spirituality' are also worried about how ethical the business is. Has poverty forced some Indian women to sell their crowning glory for a pittance?
But appeasing their conscience is also not difficult, with saloons promising them that no exploitation has taken place in getting their hair extensions. "We make sure that our benefactors are giving their hair through choice," said a spokesperson for Connect Hair Systems, which provides Victoria Beckham with her designer locks. But when asked how they make sure, he could not elaborate.
Apart from the legal trade in hair, a black market has mushroomed for temple hair. It is believed that up to 80 out of 100 locks of human hair comes from the black market.
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