Beauty Roots

Siblings Akash and Nikita Mehtas formulas take haircare to a much deeper level.

And yet, it was in their roots quite literally.

Hes referring to the traditional Indian beauty ritual of hair oiling.

Fable & Mane’s Founders On Family, Hair Oil, & Self-Acceptance

While she massaged, she shared fantastic fables, orpanchatantra,Nikita tells me.

These stories share moral lessons, often through stories featuring talking animals.

What inspired you to put the wheels in motion and start Fable & Mane?

HoliRoots Hair Oil

Nikita:We knew we needed to adapt the textures and fragrances to suit a western audience.

Akash:Those pungent aroma, too.

How has your own relationship with beauty influenced your brand?

Ultimately it was going back to my grandmothers oiling techniques and handmade blends which restored it.

I learnt to make peace with my hair and focused my energies on making it as healthy as possible.

Akash:For me, its about instigating change.

When I was younger, fair skinned models and actors dominated media.

It was soul-destroying and led me to attempt lightening my skin tone.

How did you come up with Fable & Manes identity?

Symbolism and storytelling at the heart of everything we do.

Beyond using great products, whats the best haircare advice youve been given?

The word shampoo comes from the Sanskritchampo, which means massaging your hair with plant oils.

Not only does itsupport hair growth, it soothes tension and stress which makes for agood nights sleep.

Its amazing how centred and confident this practice always leaves me.

And its been integral to my healthy hair journey.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

This article was originally published onNovember 27, 2022