Today we’d like to introduce you to Kakoli Sengupta.
Hi Kakoli, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My journey began when I was barely five. My parents would take me to Prince Salon in Gariahat, Kolkata, and I would peep into the ladies’ section, fascinated by the rapid movement of thread in the beauticians’ hands. I didn’t even know it was called threading, but I had already decided that one day I wanted to do what those women were doing.
That fascination stayed with me. As a schoolgirl, I secretly cut my own hair, experimented with my mother’s and aunt’s makeup, and by fourteen or fifteen I was already doing hair and makeup for relatives.
While completing my graduation in Science, I enrolled in Beauty Therapy at Women’s World International, Kolkata, in 1991. After working briefly as a salon helper and learning the fundamentals of the profession, I opened my own salon at 23.
But I soon realised that if I wanted to grow, I had to keep learning. I travelled repeatedly to Delhi for advanced education, later studied independently for my City & Guilds qualifications and earned a Merit in Level 3 Hairdressing. My education eventually took me internationally — to Vidal Sassoon in London for Teachers Training and Salon Creatives, and later to Malaysia and Colombo, Sri Lanka, where I continued studying under renowned hair educators including Emma Ekman and hair legend Joakim Roos. I also pursued advanced professional makeup education in London.
Over the years I progressed to a City & Guilds Level 4 Licentiateship in Hairdressing, worked as a session hair and makeup artist with many well-known personalities in Kolkata, and built my own salon and academy.
Today, however, teaching is one of the most fulfilling parts of my professional life. I have students across India, and I strongly believe that teaching gives us the extraordinary opportunity to remain students ourselves.
After more than three decades in this profession, one belief remains unchanged: there is no end to learning.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, it was certainly not a smooth road.
In the early years, this profession did not always receive the respect it does today. When I worked as an assistant in a salon, I was even told that people close to me felt embarrassed to say what I did.
At the same time, I was a young mother going through a divorce and fighting for my daughter’s custody while continuing my professional training. Circumstances also forced me to shut down my salon more than once, and each time I had to start again from scratch.
I remember my father once telling me, without intending to hurt me, that people spent much less becoming doctors or engineers than he had spent on my education to become a hairdresser and makeup artist. Years later, the same father would proudly introduce himself by saying, “I am Kakoly’s father.” For me, that was an achievement beyond any certificate.
I have also faced professional politics and competition, and I still do. But over the years I have realised that my true competition is myself — what I was yesterday, what I am today, and what I can become tomorrow.
Every day gives me another opportunity to learn, improve and strive to become better at what I do. And that journey continues.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a professional hairdresser, makeup artist, salon owner and educator, and I have spent more than three decades working hands-on in the beauty industry.
My work spans professional hairdressing, hair colour, makeup and beauty education. What I enjoy most is understanding the science and technique behind what we do rather than simply following trends. Whether I am creating a hair colour, designing a makeup look or teaching a class, I want to understand the “why” behind every decision.
I am particularly proud of my journey as an educator. Over the years, I have trained students from different parts of India, and I try to teach them not merely how to reproduce a technique, but how to think, observe and make professional decisions for themselves.
Perhaps what sets me apart is that even after more than three decades, I still consider myself a student. I continue to study, experiment and update my knowledge because this industry never stops evolving.
For me, artistry is not about proving that I am better than somebody else. It is about becoming better than the artist I was yesterday.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
I have always believed that the right mentor can change the direction of your professional life.
For me, finding mentors was never about approaching the most famous person in the room. I looked for people whose knowledge, work ethic and philosophy genuinely inspired me, and when I found them, I remained a student with an open mind.
Some of my most important mentors came into my life because I was willing to travel, invest in education, ask questions and sometimes simply begin again as a student, irrespective of how many years of experience I already had.
My advice is: never approach a mentor only because of their fame or position. Look for someone whose knowledge, work ethic and philosophy genuinely inspire you, and approach that relationship with humility and a sincere willingness to learn.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ikakolysengupta?igsi=MnpsdHp6dmEzcG1y
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1CaeCXqnXf/
