The Indian Ritual of Champi 

By Camille Lopez

Indian culture has celebrated the beauty and spirituality of hair for centuries and is known for being thick, lustrous, and long. HAVAH honours the ancestral knowledge and traditional Indian rituals by offering three different hair oils, born out of the time-tested wisdom of Ayurveda. Ayurveda is a 5000-year-old holistic healing system based on the belief that health & wellness depend on a delicate balance between the mind, body, and spirit and has been incorporated into the Indian beauty tradition of hair-oiling, passed down from generation to generation.

The brand believes scalp-care is the new skincare and happy heads are grounded in nature. Their organic hair oils are formulated from ethically sourced, pure plant extracts and resins which are naturally derived, cruelty-free and sustainably packaged to bring you high-performance hair care you can feel good about.

Words from Shikha Kasal, Co-Founder, HAVAH

“Champi is the traditional Indian art of head massage that is at the core of Ayurvedic hair care, and HAVAH! The Ayurvedic massage technique that has been practiced for thousands of years uses herbal oils that are massaged into the head starting at the crown, working your way through the roots of the hair in a rhythmic motion using your fingertips to create friction with the scalp.  Regular practice stimulates blood circulation and healthy hair growth, as well as drains away accumulated toxins and heals irritation.  The Champi using oils infused with Ayurvedic herbs also allows you to harness their effects, including supporting sound sleep and promoting feelings of well-being and happiness.     

A simple Champi can be done in a short 10 minute session pre-shampoo or a longer 30 to 40 minute experience.  The longer the massage, the deeper the oil is able to penetrate the scalp tissue and transform it from a beauty routine to a self-care ritual that relaxes the face, body and mind.  It is a powerful practice!”