He’s taught you innumerable (and likely invaluable) lessons— whether it’s how to ride a bicycle or tackle math problems. Our fathers (and father figures) are always our first mentors who we turn to for quick, practical solutions or sage advice. However, when it comes to beauty and grooming, their contribution generally tends to take a backseat as compared to the pearls of wisdom our mothers so generously bestow upon us. This Father’s Day, it’s time to take note of all the precious grooming and beauty lessons our father figures have taught us and how they’ve shaped us as individuals. Team Tira shares their fondest beauty memories with their fathers and the tips they follow even today.
1. Yvonne Monteiro, Stylist
“While my dad did not influence my beauty routine as much as my mom, there are things that I observed growing up. One of them was that he had thick, lush hair and would be sporting different hairstyles. He would invest a lot of time and effort into caring for his hair which is something I have picked up.”
2. Stuti Periwal, Strategy
“The first thing that comes to mind is my dad’s elaborate Sunday champis. For as long as I can remember, his Sunday mornings are spent out in our verandah, soaking in the sunlight while he indulges in a deep-oiling head and back massage.
He’s also very particular about grooming and hygiene and really enjoys his regular manicures and pedicures. So much so that, for decades, he’s had a now 80-year-old pedicurist coming to our home with all his paraphernalia for my dad’s monthly appointments. He’s taught my siblings and me the importance of always having neat and trimmed nails.”
3. Venu Ravindranath, Design Head
“There was a particular after-shave that my father would always use; I still remember its fragrance. He was very disciplined with following a proper shaving regimen— he started with a pre-shave oil followed by foam and ended with an after-shave. I remember being so fascinated by this whole ritual as a child, and now I follow the same for myself. He also taught me to be consistent with my hair care and grooming products and not to change them repeatedly if I wanted to gain any benefits from them. Consistency is key, after all.”
4. Shraddha Waingankar, Designer
“I have naturally curly hair, which has always been super tough to manage. Like most other kids, I disliked my curls growing up, and it was my dad who taught me to embrace the natural texture of my hair and be confident in my own skin. He also taught me how to take care of my hair, and his top tips were to avoid using heat and ditching chemical-based products. He was an ardent believer in Ayurveda and insisted on using natural plant-based remedies to improve skin, hair, and scalp health. I remember I went through a bout of hair fall when I was a child, and he always came up with different herbs and oils to treat my strands. He insisted that deep-oiling can nourish your hair health like nothing else, which is a tip I’ve followed all my life to keep my curls looking healthy and hydrated.”
5. Vedika Sharma, Beauty Assistant
“It’s funny you ask that question since it’s very much been the other way around for me and my dad. In fact, it was I who introduced beauty to my dad. Being a skincare enthusiast, I showed him how to use the ice roller and gua sha and taught him all about the wonders it can do for your skin! Now, not only does he use these tools regularly, but he also enjoys this little unwinding ritual every night.
There’s a fun beauty hack that I’ve picked up from my dad, although you can’t quite say he taught it to me. I always observed him using shaving foam for a smoother shave, and I started using it, too, while shaving my legs. Guess what? It actually works! It gives me smooth, hydrated skin and prevents cuts. Win-win!
He is also very particular about using SPF in his daily routine, which is a healthy-skin habit all of us should follow.”
6. Priyanka Ghura, Content Marketing
“I think the most important lesson I learnt from my dad is to be confident in my own skin. He's always been unapologetically himself and carries himself with poise, yes, even on a bad hair day, and I think that's really helped shape my outlook on beauty. I feel just as good in a full face of makeup as I do on bare skin days, and I wouldn't have it any other way.”
7. Avanti Dalal, Editorial
“One of the first memories I have with my dad is when I went on a trip with him to Bangalore; it was the first time I was travelling with just him. I distinctly remember him trying to figure out how to tie my hair using a hairbrush. When I spoke to him about this memory later, he told me that I was absolutely insisting on tying my hair in that particular way, only because my mom used to do my hair that way.
Throughout my life, grooming was key for my dad. He was the first person to get his nails manicured; he would go to the same salon where he would always request for his regular guy to do his nails and hair. He would also make sure to align his social calendar perfectly with haircut days (a fresh cut was so important exactly a day and a half prior to the said event). Now I try my best to be as efficient as him with my beauty and grooming.
At this stage, the roles have reversed a little bit, and it’s me who is teaching him so much about beauty– he takes products from my mum and tries them on. He also has made it a point to be disciplined with sunscreen application, especially since I’ve badgered him about it for years now. In fact, he also sends me a picture every time he uses sunscreen. I feel like now we're bonding over things differently, and it is cool to see how the relationship is changing.”
