Most salons are betting on their hair styling and treatment packages to be a hit with the men. Sujit Bhagat, in-charge of Habibs, Kolkata says, “Men, like women want to look their best during the biggest bash of the year. And they are waking up to the importance of grooming, specially because it’s winter and people face several problems with skin and hair.” So, Habibs has several hair styling packages lined up with discounts. A festive package would include a hair checking session by experts, styling suggestions according to the face structure, a hair cut, shampoo and conditioning. There are more elaborate packages, like hair spas, that men are opting for, adds Bhagat. These include a holistic treatment that takes care of dandruff, dryness, that are typical winter problems. “The high pint in the pressure-point massage. It’s very important to de-stress to look good at any party. The massage is the solution,” says Bhagat.

Anjali Sambtani, director of the up-market Juice, says that loud and funky styling have caught on with men this year. Straightening has come out as quite a hit. “The party season means people want to look wacky, not their usual self. We are using a lot of styling gel and mousse to give men interesting new looks. Hair cuts are cumbersome, but it’s easy to don a completely different personality with a different styling with a snip here and there,” offers Sambtani. Therefore, curls are out, straight hair with streaks are in. So is the blonde colour for men this year, says the director of Juice.

However Sharmila Singh Flora, of Flora’s Beauty Parlour has a different story to tell. “Wild streaks might do well with the teenyboppers. But with the little older lot, long straight hair is on the way out. It’s more a nice crew cut with some interesting highlights in dark colours that men are asking for,” says Flora. Om Shanti Om will probably be all over year-end parties with experts like Flora all for a slimmer version of the 70s sideburn. Jayshree Killa of Headturners salon has something similar to say, “Kolkata still opts for conventional hair styling when it comes to a party. So it’s the suave look with hair setting that she finds going with men in Kolkata.

But men in the city leave no stone unturned anymore when it comes to the face. Jatinder Baweja, director of Citrus, says, “Facials and under eye treatments are very popular, specially with the party season coming on.” Citrus bets on its mineral facial for men, which has mineral-rich extracts from the sea-bed to replenish the face cells. Overnight face gels and under eye creams are also moving fast from the shelves this party season. Flora, like Baweja, finds more men coming in for manicures especially in the past couple of days. “The hands are the most neglected but suffer the most during work. And for a dance you have to offer your hand to the lady,” laughs Flora.

Grooming and beauty experts across the city agree on the fact that men are more for quick fix solutions. They want to devote very little time but still look dapper. This is where facials like alkaline wash comes in. “It is comprises of vegetable extracts and herbs. It cleanses pores and removes tan. Then one can apply an instant glow pack which has milk, carrot juice and a hint of saffron in it,” explains Flora. Habibs and Juice too offers tan-clean-up treatments, and glow enhancing facials like White Secret and Chocolate facials which seems to have become popular with men in the city in the countdown to the New Year. While Sambtani of Juice says that make-up is yet to become a man’s thing in Kolkata, Baweja of Citrus says that light make-up packages which start at Rs 1,100 are not languishing for attention. A spokesperson for Headturners adds that men in Kolkata have not many qualms in asking for a light base or a little concealer before a night out. Lipgloss and clear mascara too seem to have conquered prejudices.