Kids Corner

Fashion

Grooming Chic

AASHMITA NAYAR

 

 

 

 

 

A few months ago, Charanjeev Singh, a Mumbai-based Sardar, decided to revisit the limited array of beard grooming materials available to Sikhs today.

Unhappy with Fixo, a gluey substance that has been around since his grandfather’s time, he decided it was time for a change.

"It (Fixo) makes the beard hard, and I started losing hair," said Charanjeev who came across several Sikh men who had the same complaint.

After six months of research and experiments (mostly on himself), the 33-year-old launched SinghStyled. This grooming brand offers beard oils, brushes, shampoos, salaees (turban needles), turbans and other little accoutrements that allows Sikh men to maintain their facial hair and indulge their stylish side.

“I wanted to help the community, and maintain my identity,” says Charanjeev. “Today, the most popular ways to establish your identity are through food and fashion. I chose the latter,” he said.

He joined hands with a friend who was in the business of manufacturing cosmetics, and experimented with different products to find the perfect formula.

“I have sensitive skin, but that only encouraged me to try several combinations on myself till I got it right,” he said.

His products contain natural mixes of jojoba, wheatgerm (for Vitamin-E that will keep your beard soft), citrus and honeydrop that keep the beard soft and clean.

His eclectic turbans are supplied from different states across the country – Mumbai, Chennai, Gujarat and Amritsar, while his grooming products are manufactured in Mumbai, where he lives.

SinghStyled offers two types of carefully curated boxes: a SinghStyled Basic Kit that features a turban, and a beard wash and oil (Rs 999 -1,500 depending on the length of the turban), and a SingleStyled Lifestyle Kit (Rs 1,899 – Rs 2,500) that contains a few more accessories.

Charanjeev said the brand creates a new theme every month to offer men advice on pairing different accessories such as ties, socks and pocket squares. This also allows them to have some fun, planning their own style statements.

“We are also trying to move away from traditional black and blue turbans, by introducing quirkier shades such as chocolate brown and marsala, a robust earthy colour that has been named colour of the year,” he said.

Although SinghStyled is but a few weeks old, Charanjeev is already delighted with the response the brand has elicited.

"We’ve just crossed 100 clients, and what’s surprising to note is that 68 per cent of our buyers are from the non-Sikh community,” he revealed.

The custom salaees that SinghStyled also offers are made of brass. Charanjeev, who is experimenting with alloys to create his next batch, has lovingly christened them Montblanc salaees, because they look as sharp, and carry the same air of class as the designer pen.

“Recently a woman who purchased the kit for her father - she calls him her superhero - said she loved the salaee, and wanted to know when they would be individually available,” shared the young entrepreneur.

Initially a broker, Charanjeev left his job out of boredom, and invested in a startup, before SinghStyled came along. The brand was eventually formed because he wanted to do something that didn’t just aid his community, but also supported a rich part of his culture.

“A Sikh’s beard, moustache and turban should be worn proudly, not neglected through casual maintenance,” he concluded.


[Courtesy: The Huffington Post. Edited for sikhchic.com]
November 19, 2015
 

Conversation about this article

1: Chintan Singh (San Jose, California, USA), November 19, 2015, 10:28 AM.

Wow ... a much needed initiative. I can't thank SinghStyled enough and can't wait to try their products. Where can we order them? Sikhs need to feel proud of their external identity and confident while working with their non-Sikh peers in the corporate world. In India where fashion and materialistic success are becoming essentials for a good life for the youth due to increased peer pressure and the craze for nice things, I have noticed several Sikh youth shed their kesh because they can't keep up "in looks" and professional success with their peers in their Sikh bana. Hopefully these tools from SinghStyled will address those needs of Sikhs.

2: Bicky Singh (Ontario, Canada), November 19, 2015, 12:30 PM.

That's great to hear! Just speaking from experience, for those in Canada who are looking to get away from "Fixo", check out "Dippity Do" Hair Gel - #10 with a bit of hairdrying. This holds my beard for the day!

3: Ravinder Singh Taneja (United States), November 19, 2015, 6:53 PM.

This is fantastic. How does one place an order?

4: Sarvjit Singh (Millis, Massachusetts, USA), November 20, 2015, 9:20 AM.

I have been trying Giovanni Gel from Wholefood Markets. It is good but does not stay for a long period. Let me try Dippity Do. Thanks.

5: Harman Singh (California, USA), November 20, 2015, 3:01 PM.

Long overdue. I use DEP #10. Works great. Non-flaky and humidity resistant.

6: Amrinder Singh (Patiala, Punjab), November 21, 2015, 11:15 AM.

Wow, very good, but how to get it ...

7: Sangat Singh (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), November 22, 2015, 3:06 PM.

Wonder why we haven't had any hukamnamas from the jathdars on this topic. Perhaps they are busy managing their own beards, which I should say are now in some disarray. No disrespect intended.

8: Charanjeev Singh (India), December 05, 2015, 2:54 PM.

Thank you, all. These words help the 'Singh Styled' team to tick and innovate solutions. We have started global shipments and have already delivered orders to the U.S, Canada, Australia, Singapore and Dubai. You can visit www.singhstyled.com and place your order. If you need information on the products, payment and shipping, please do send us a mail on support@singhstyled.com - Gurfateh!

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