The young hair and make-up artist, Adil Akhtar is experiencing the best time of his career, but reaching this far hasn’t been a cake walk. In an exclusive with Salon India, the rising star talks about the initial challenges, lifetime learnings and more
Early voyage
I started my career 10 years ago as a helper in Bodycare Salon and Spa in Gurgaon. There I met Yatan (Ahluwalia) and while cutting his hair, I requested him if I could join him as his assistant. And the rest is history! Now it’s been over a decade that I’m working with Yatan and Jojo – they are my mentors. I have learnt the tricks of the trade from them – be it hair, make-up or fashion styling.
Family support
My family was not at all on my side initially. As my father is a doctor, he wanted me to pursue the same profession, but when my mother passed away, I lost direction in life. Today he is happy with my job profile and professional growth.
Industry growth
Gone are the days when people never believed that they can look better with the right kind of hair and make-up. I think the Indian audience likes to experiment and wear make-up even on a daily basis – be it their office or parties. I also believe that one needs to be groomed to wear make-up, so healthy skin is a must for every season.
Trends 2015
Retro is coming back in a major way. Heavy coated make-up is completely out – healthy, flawless skin is the way to go, irrespective of the season.
The pro tip
Apart from being committed and dedicated to their job, one needs to keep on researching and educating themselves via different media, especially the Internet. We are blessed to be born in the digital world – we have so much information available on YouTube, Pintrest and others. Be extremely professional and loyal to your clients. Never use wrong and cheap products as it won’t help you in the long run.
Young professionals
There is a huge potential in this industry as it’s on an expansion route. I would definitely like to advise this line to all the youngsters, provided they are serious about this business. It’s all about their hard work and professionalism.
Celebs and more
I have worked with numerous Bollywood celebrities, such as, Zeenat Aman, Sonakshi Sinha, Kangana Ranaut, Kim Sharma, and so on. One personality I would like to style is Rekha. She is a true diva for me.
