9 Korean celeb-inspired haircuts and colours to get before Chinese New Year

There is no better time to consider a fresh new hair cut or colour than the New Year. But don’t rush off to ring up your hair salon just yet.

If you need ideas to switch up your hair before all of your Chinese New Year gatherings, scroll through the gallery for 9 hairstyle ideas inspired by Korean stars like Suzy and Shin Min Ah.

ALSO READ: 5 WAYS YOU CAN GET CLEAR, GLOWY SKIN BEFORE CHINESE NEW YEAR

When it comes to brightening up dull strands, the possibilities are endless. These subtle highlights seen on former Girls’ Generation member Tiffany Hwang add warmth to darker hair colours like a dark brown.

Also, maintaining this look is easier than it looks. Because the highlights start at mid-length as opposed to the root, you don’t get those unsightly demarcation lines near your roots when your hair starts to grow. If you want to prevent the colour from fading, consider applying a revitalising and restorative hair oil like the Verb Ghost Oil ($12).

Photo: Tiffany/Instagram

ALSO READ: 7 RED LIPPIES FOR CHINESE NEW YEAR THAT FLATTER ASIAN SKIN TONES

Late last year, we saw a bevy of Korean celebrities chopping off their long locks in favour of a shorter and flirtier do. Here are some of the celebrities who swapped their long locks for lobs. This hairstyle trend shows no signs of waning anytime soon.  The fact that it flatters every face shape and a number of hair textures makes it such a popular hairstyle choice.

Whether you wear it straight or wavy like Korean singer Seohyun, you’ve got plenty of styling options when you have a long bob. To recreate Seohyun’s flowy locks, curl the front section of your hair away from your face with a curling iron. With a curling iron or flat iron, curl the ends of the rest of your hair towards your face to create a c-curl.

Photo: Seohyun/Instagram

ALSO READ: 5 WAYS YOU CAN GET CLEAR, GLOWY SKIN BEFORE CHINESE NEW YEAR

Get a fresh start to the year by chopping off split ends with a haircut that has sharp and blunt ends like South Korean singer Hyeri. This look works with both long and short hair and will make your hair look instantly healthier and shiner.

If you’re not ready to part with your hair, slather on a hydrating treatment like the Marc Anthony Repairing Macadamia Oil Treatment ($18.90) to keep your hair strands smooth and silky.

Photo: Hyeri/Instagram

ALSO READ: 7 RED LIPPIES FOR CHINESE NEW YEAR THAT FLATTER ASIAN SKIN TONES

This is the perfect cut for those who are looking for a change but don’t want anything too drastic, the front section of the hair is cut short (slightly above the shoulders) while the hair at the back is kept long.

The two-block haircut adds a romantic and flirty touch when you pull your hair back in a low ponytail as demonstrated by Korean singer Jin Hye-Won. The short sections of your hair will also hang around and frame your face to create an illusion of a slimmer face. What’s there not to like about this hairstyle?

Photo: Jin Hye-Won/Instagram

ALSO READ: 5 WAYS YOU CAN GET CLEAR, GLOWY SKIN BEFORE CHINESE NEW YEAR

This playful look has been seen on many female celebs like model-actress Lee Sung Kyung. If permed correctly, it could this hairstyle can shave years off your age. Recreate this youthful hairdo (without perming your hair) by creating some texture in your hair.

You can do so by alternating between doing a rope braid and ordinary three strand braid before grabbing a diffuser to diffuse the hair to create tousled waves. Alternatively, you could also achieve the same messy waves by crimping your hair with a triple barrel curling iron.

Photo: Lee Sung Kyung/Instagram

ALSO READ: 7 RED LIPPIES FOR CHINESE NEW YEAR THAT FLATTER ASIAN SKIN TONES

According to the co-founder of Evolve Salon, Dylan Tung, the muted pastel pink hairstyle popularised by reality star Kylie Jenner will be making a comeback in 2018.

To get this feminine pastel-hued hairstyle endorsed Girls’ Generation member Hyoyeon, you need to get your hair bleached to create a light base for the pink hue to show up on the hair. That being said, you don’t have to bleach your entire head. If you have darker hair, you can opt for highlights instead and apply pink on top.

Alternatively, you can also bleach the ends of your hair before applying the millennial pink hue on the ends.

Photo: Hyoyeon/Instagram

ALSO READ: 5 WAYS YOU CAN GET CLEAR, GLOWY SKIN BEFORE CHINESE NEW YEAR

Borrow a leaf out of actress Shin Min Ah’s book and sport a choppy airy fringe paired with your natural hair texture.

Contrary to what you might think, the look is extremely wearable for all face shapes including round faces, just make sure your bangs are longer and more airy and wispy instead of blunt so it looks more casual. If you do decide that you don’t want bangs anymore, just tuck it behind your ears.

Photo: Shin Min Ah/Instagram

ALSO READ: 7 RED LIPPIES FOR CHINESE NEW YEAR THAT FLATTER ASIAN SKIN TONES

If you’re thinking about colouring your hair, but want something that looks natural, go with a chestnut brown hue or light brown seen on K-pop singer Suzy.

These shades tend to flatter and help to brighten Asian skin tones and colouring. Also, because it is close to the natural hair colour of most Asians, it doesn’t require as much maintenance and touch-ups at the salon.

Photo: Suzy/Instagram

ALSO READ: 5 WAYS YOU CAN GET CLEAR, GLOWY SKIN BEFORE CHINESE NEW YEAR

Ashy hues, from ash browns to ash blondes, can make any colour look effortlessly cool.  This hairstyle seen on Korean girl group Red Velvet member Irene, requires more work to maintain because it involves dyeing the roots lighter, so touch-ups every few months are necessary.

To prevent your hair colour from fading or turning brassy, try using a purple shampoo like the Joico Colour Balance Shampoo ($32), a protective shampoo that combines the label’s signature hair-adhering pigment technology and proprietary Multi-spectrum Defense Complex to form a shield against yellow (brassy) tones.

Photo: Irene.redvelvet/Instagram

ALSO READ: 7 RED LIPPIES FOR CHINESE NEW YEAR THAT FLATTER ASIAN SKIN TONES