China Upshaw dishes on spring and summer hair trends

By Danielle Canada
May 16, 2014
7:13 am

China Upshaw dishes on hair trends

China Upshaw is preparing for the return of WE tv’s “L.A. Hair” where viewers will see her style and cut Hollywood celebs all while dealing with the drama at Kimble Hair Studio.

Before fans tune in to see this bubbly starlet make what she says is a more subdued debut this season, check out our interview with the coiffure connoisseur.

-danielle canada

What are some summer 2014 hair trends?

Going into summer, a lot of people like to keep their hair off their face so braids, cornrows, [and] really high buns are always good for summer.

What tips can you offer people transitioning from long hair to short?

A lot of people think that short hair is less maintenance but shorter hair is actually more. When your hair is shorter and you have tapered sides, you definitely have to keep that relaxed and straight. You don’t want straight roots at the top and then an Afro on the sides. That’s not hot.

Do you think women will continue being natural or are some women going back to relaxers?

I actually think that natural hair is starting to have its own lane. I’m starting to see a lot more women with natural hair. It used to be a thing like back on the East Coast but I’m starting to see it a lot more in Los Angeles and I’d like to think that I had something to do with it.

What hair colors are on-trend this season?

As much as I’d like to think ombre went [away], I think ombre updated. Instead of it being such a harsh ombre like we were seeing, whereas it was more two-color ombre or three-color ombre, now we’re seeing more highlighted ombre.

How can women keep their color-treated hair healthy?

Being that I’m blonde myself, I know that blonde hair is extremely dry so they need to keep their hair hydrated. You should have a hydrating shampoo with a cream leave-in treatment and a Moroccan oil treatment or even just coconut oil from Trader Joe’s.

How can women pick a hair color that complements their skin tone?

The first thing you need to look at is undertones, some people have reddish, some people have gold-ish undertones, some people have gray-ish or greenish undertones. The reason you go to a professional is because it’s more than just picking out a color and saying, “oh this looks nice on you,” it’s color theory. There’s a real science to it. When girls come in and say “I want my hair to look like Beyoncé,” well if you don’t have Beyoncé’s skin tone it won’t look nice on you.

How do you keep your own hair healthy?

I am an avid believer in hair, skin and nail vitamins. I have a hair, skin and nail vitamin that I take religiously and I notice when I don’t take it I notice that I get brittle nails and my hair starts breaking off. [I use] the hair skin and nail vitamin, the hydrating shampoo, heavy conditioner and cream leave-in.