South Korean Celeb Hairstylist Chahong (below) shares tips on cuts and colours for a soft, pretty look.

South Korean Celeb Hairstylist Chahongs Tips On Cuts And Colours For A Soft Pretty Look.
Hairstylist Chahong could be mistaken for a model herself, but she’s much more comfortable backstage, turning hair into minor works of art. In South Korea, she’s best known as the founder of eponymous salon Chahong Ardor – though it was set up just four years ago, it’s fast become the go-to for South Korean celebs such as Park Shin Hye. It was also the official salon of Seoul Fashion Week last year.

We caught up with her when she was here for the L’Oreal Professionel Hair Show two weeks ago during Singapore Fashion Week and asked her for tips that would turn us into more Shin-Hye-ish versions of ourselves – please, don’t pretend you’re above wanting this.

Go for a hairstyle that doesn’t look “done”.
Natural-looking hairstyles make you look friendlier and more approachable, says Chahong. “The natural style does not go out of fashion and it matches with everything. When you match a bold hairstyle with your clothes, accessories and shoes, it does not look chic.”

To colour your hair, mix a warm colour with a cool colour.
“Natural looking colours are popular in South Korea now because they make women look younger and friendlier. I suggest mixing a warm and a cool colour as it complements the Asian skin tone. Mahogany brown with a gold undertone can help to soften the look, and adding a cool colour like ash can help to lessen redness on the skin.”
South Korean Celeb Hairstylist Chahongs Tips On Cuts And Colours For A Soft Pretty Look 2.

Combine mahogany with ash tones for a colour that complements Asian skin tones.

To create the illusion of a slimmer, narrower face, get bangs and layers, and use hair colour to create shading effects.
“In Korea, saying a women’s face is small, is a huge compliment! To make your face look smaller with a hairstyle, you can have a see-through fringe that can gently hide your forehead, and pair it with layers at the side of your face to hide the jawline and frame your face nicely.
There are also some colour techniques to help you achieve a slimmer, narrower face. For example, using a lighter shade at the crown to optically lengthen the face, and using a darker shade around the face to add shadow and slim the face.”
South Korean Celeb Hairstylist Chahongs Tips On Cuts And Colours For A Soft Pretty Look 3

Layers around the face will slim it down.

Add texture with a perm.
“The medium hair length is very popular in South Korea, and it is usually accompanied with a perm. There’s the Bold Perm which gives you more volume, or the Cushion Perm (below), which is more subtle but also gives your hair some texture.” 

South Korean Celeb Hairstylist Chahongs Tips On Cuts And Colours For A Soft Pretty Look 4.

A Cushion Perm adds subtle texture to hair.

South Korean Celeb Hairstylist Chahongs Tips On Cuts And Colours For A Soft Pretty Look 5

Chahong backstage at Singapore Fashion Week 2015.

Like this? Here’s a veteran hairstylist on how to get the best out of your salon visits