Content creator and beauty enthusiast Rida Tharana is embracing her natural curls and encouraging others to do the same. The Traitors Season 2 co-winner, known for her candid take on beauty, lifestyle and self-care, has come a long way from frequently straightening her hair and experimenting with treatments such as keratin and hair Botox to learning how to care for her natural curls. Her journey has taught her the importance of understanding her hair’s needs, prioritising scalp health and finding the right balance between styling and nourishment.
A long-time fan of indē wild, Rida is now the face of the brand’s latest Clarifying Shampoo campaign, a collaboration that reflects her evolving hair-care journey. From managing product buildup caused by styling products, hard water and pollution to maintaining hydration and curl definition, she shares how clarifying shampoos fit into her routine. In this conversation with HT Shop Now, Rida opens up about embracing her natural texture, her go-to hair-care rituals, the mistakes she has learnt from and why she believes healthy hair is as much about accepting its natural state as it is about using the right products.
Q. You are the face of indē wild’s latest Clarifying Shampoo campaign. What made you connect with the brand and this particular product?
Rida Tharana: I’m an indē wild girl through and through. If you’ve followed my content, you know I’ve been using their products, especially their lip balms, for the longest time. It’s such a cool girl brand, but what I love most is that the products actually work. From the ingredients to the campaigns and the way Diipa has built the brand, I’ve always been a fan.
So obviously, I would’ve said yes to any indē wild campaign. But this one made me especially happy because it was for a clarifying shampoo.
Ever since I started my curly hair journey, I’ve been constantly learning how to maintain my curls. One thing I recently realised is how much product buildup we curly girls deal with. Between leave-ins, curl creams, refreshing products, pollution and scalp oils, our hair goes through a lot.
I remember wondering why my curls were suddenly losing volume and definition despite using the same routine. That’s when I realised I needed a clarifying shampoo to properly remove all that buildup. But finding one that cleanses well without leaving my hair feeling stripped has been a struggle.
That’s exactly why this campaign felt like such a perfect fit. The shampoo left my hair feeling clean and hydrated, and my curls had their volume and bounce back.
Getting to work with a brand I already loved, on a product that genuinely made sense for my curly hair journey, was so special.
Q. What does healthy hair mean to you, beyond just looking shiny and styled? And how do you take care of your scalp?
Rida Tharana: As a curly girl, I don’t think you can define healthy hair by how it looks on a particular day. Curls have a mood of their own, and if there’s one thing they teach you, it’s patience and learning to love them regardless.
Some days, my curls are beautifully defined, nourished, shiny and full of volume. Other days, they’re just frizzy. And that’s okay.
I’ve come a long way from being someone who hated her curls and constantly straightened her hair. I’ve done Botox, keratin, pretty much every treatment you can think of. Going from that to growing out my natural curls, eating better, reducing heat and figuring out what actually works for my hair has been a journey.
For me, a healthy scalp is one that doesn’t feel too oily or have that grainy buildup when I touch it. And living in a city with so much dust and pollution, keeping it clean is something I really focus on.
But overall, healthy hair for me is simply letting my curls be themselves. Some days they’re defined, some days they’re frizzy, some days they have a mind of their own. And I’ve learnt to love them in every form.
Q. Clarifying shampoos are becoming increasingly popular. What do you think people often misunderstand about them?
Rida Tharana: I think one thing people misunderstand is that when we talk about sulfate-free shampoos and avoiding harsh ingredients, we start believing that every shampoo needs to be extremely mild.
And yes, mild shampoos are great. I use them too. But when you live in a city with hard water, pollution and dust, and you’re constantly using leave-ins, curl creams, serums and styling products, you also need something that properly removes all that buildup.
That’s where a good clarifying shampoo comes in.
I feel like we’ve become so scared of shampoos being labelled harsh that we forget different products serve different purposes. Of course, using a strong cleanser too frequently can dry out your hair, but that doesn’t mean clarifying shampoos are bad.
For me, using one every couple of weeks or once a month, depending on how much buildup I have, makes such a difference. I love giving my scalp a good massage, cleansing it properly, and following up with hydration when my curls need it.
Q. How does a clarifying shampoo fit into your own hair-care routine?
Rida Tharana: I use a clarifying shampoo once every two weeks, so basically twice a month. But if I’ve been out a lot, exposed to dust and pollution, or used too many styling products for shoots, I know there’s going to be a lot of buildup on my hair and scalp.
And since I also oil my hair before washing it, I need something that properly removes all that oil, dirt and product buildup. That’s when a clarifying shampoo really helps me get that deep cleanse.
Q. What is your go-to hair-care routine on a regular day, and how does it change when you have shoots or events?
Rida Tharana: My go-to hair care routine is pretty simple. I start by oiling my hair, either with indē wild Champi Hair Oil or the oil my mom makes, which is slightly thicker. I give myself a nice champi, leave it on for 30 minutes to an hour, and then wash my hair.
Since we have hard water, I use a water softener and always wash my hair with lukewarm water. I shampoo, rinse it out, and follow up with either a hair mask if my hair feels dry or a conditioner.
After that, I use a leave-in conditioner, a little curl cream and a curl brush to define my curls. I either let them air-dry or diffuse them if I’m getting ready for an event.
The next day, my curls usually lose some definition, so I spray a little water, section my hair, brush through the curls, and let them air-dry for 20-30 minutes before scrunching them back into shape.
For shoots, it depends on the hairstyle. Sometimes I wear my curls open; sometimes I do curly buns or other hairstyles. And if my curls need a proper refresh, I either wash them again or use water and a diffuser to bring them back to life.
Q. Your hair goes through frequent styling for work. How do you keep it healthy despite heat styling, products and long shoot days?
Rida Tharana: A lot of it has to do with food for me. I’ve made quite a few changes to my diet. I try to eat healthier, include more vegetables, fruits and protein, eat at proper times, and cut down on junk food as much as possible. And I’ve genuinely noticed a difference.
Apart from that, I try to minimise heat as much as possible when I’m washing or styling my own hair. Of course, with work and shoots, I don’t always have that option.
But overall, I think improving my diet, taking better care of my hair and reducing heat have made the biggest difference for me.
Q. Is there one hair-care product or ingredient you simply cannot do without?
Rida Tharana: Hair oil is an absolute must for me. I don’t know if it’s because I grew up oiling my hair, but I genuinely cannot imagine washing it without oiling it first. Every time I skip it, I feel like I’m stripping my hair of all its moisture, and it ends up feeling really dry. So yes, oiling my hair is something I absolutely cannot skip.
Q. What is one hair-care mistake you have made in the past that you would never repeat?
Rida Tharana: The biggest hair care mistake I’ve made is constantly straightening my hair, getting keratin and Botox treatments, and using way too much heat. I used to have really thick, voluminous hair, and I feel like I damaged it so much over the years that I lost a lot of that volume.
Of course, moving to a city with hard water didn’t help either, but that wasn’t something I could control.
If there’s one thing I could go back and change, it would be to stop all those treatments and embrace my natural curls much earlier.
Q. Beauty trends change constantly. Which recent hair or beauty trend have you genuinely enjoyed trying?
Rida Tharana: I think one of the biggest trends, if you can even call it a trend, is people embracing their natural curls again. And I absolutely love that. Seeing more curly hair products, people learning how to care for their curls, and just embracing their natural hair instead of trying to change it is so beautiful. It’s definitely one of my favourite trends, and I hope it’s here to stay.
Q. Are you someone who likes experimenting with your look, or do you have a signature style you prefer sticking to?
Rida Tharana: With curly hair, you can’t always wear your curls open, so you naturally end up experimenting with different hairstyles. And I actually enjoy doing that! I love trying new styles and seeing what works for me.
Although I do have a big forehead, I feel like not every hairstyle suits me. But I still love experimenting.
For now, I mostly stick to hairstyles that complement my natural curls without having to straighten them. Maybe occasionally I wouldn’t mind switching things up, but right now, I’m really enjoying finding new ways to style my curls while keeping their natural texture.
Q. What does your hair-care routine look like when you have no shoots, events or styling appointments, just a regular day?
Rida Tharana: There are also days when I don’t style my hair at all. No curl creams, no leave-ins, nothing. I just let my hair be frizzy, shapeless, whatever it wants to be.
I think that’s something I’ve learnt throughout my curly hair journey. You don’t have to constantly style your hair or be afraid of every ingredient. It’s about understanding what your scalp and hair actually need and finding that balance.
Q. With so many hair products promising smoothness and shine, what do you actually look for before adding one to your routine?
Rida Tharana: Hydration. I absolutely love products that promise hydration.
Q. How do you balance frequent hair styling with giving your scalp and hair time to recover?
Rida Tharana: As of now, I don’t think I’ve cracked that code yet. I’m just going with the flow, trying to eat better and hoping that what I eat helps nourish my hair. I also try to avoid heat and too many styling products, especially for a week or so after a shoot where my hair has been styled a lot. But I’m still figuring things out, and I don’t think I’ve found that perfect balance just yet.
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