The Top 5 Spring Hair Trends To Take L.A.

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Photo: Courtesy of Margaux Brooke.

Spring is the perfect time for transformation. We’ll spare you the caterpillar-to-butterfly analogy, although there is something to be said for casting off your old look (or ‘do) and trying something new as the season changes. Given L.A.’s lack of seasons, it’s no surprise the city got a head start.

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In fact, over the past few months, more and more of L.A.’s top stylists and raddest locals have been trading in their sun-kissed lobs for a few fresh, new styles. Translation: Spring trends have officially arrived.

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First, let’s talk about the top two cuts. Bangs are encroaching upon lob-status popularity, but the best part is that they come in all lengths and styles, making them just as easy to wear. (Think: every version imaginable, from baby bangs to cheekbone-grazing fringe to curly face-framers.) Short, choppy cuts (both shag and bob versions) are also en vogue, but heed the advice ahead to ensure you come out with something modern that works for your texture.

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And color? Icy-blond tones, ranging from a platinum bleach-and-tone to cool, nearly white babylights, are taking hold, while shades of red are being updated with copper highlights and deep, one-color tones. Fret not if you aren’t ready for commitment, because a softer version of babylights is also popping up, and it’s everything you want: universally flattering and super-easy to grow out.

Alright, let’s get into it. The top five L.A. hair trends to consider for spring, plus all the tips and tricks to get them at your local salon, ahead.

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Photo: Courtesy of Liz Sustaita.

Bangs

Stylist: Liz Sustaita
Salon: Ramirez|Tran

What To Ask For: A classic bob with long layers and bangs

Sustaita knows what hair trends are coming next. Take one peek at her Instagram and it’s clear she has something big on the brain: bangs. For this look, she married a bob with long layers with blunt, medium-weight bangs, which she calls a “futuristic silhouette with contemporary texture.“

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Luckily, this is a cut that any stylist should be able to pull off; just be sure the layers are kept long and tailored to your texture, or you’ll end up with a shag. Heed Sustaita’s advice for styling: Curl, define, or flatten (depending on your texture) random pieces with a 1.25-inch iron to create a bend-y look, but avoid the ends, then flip your head over and spray with texture spray suited for your hair type. To finish, flip your head back over and "piece it back down to a more sensible shape.”

Upkeep: Plan for a cut every two to three months, Sustaita says, and trim the bangs whenever they need it.

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Photo: Courtesy of Shai Amiel.

Bangs

Stylist: Shai Amiel
Salon: Capella Salon

What To Ask For:
A square shag with short bangs

Another option that taps into two of L.A.’s biggest trends — a shaggy bob and bangs. Amiel describes this cut as a curly shag and notes that the shorter layers are the key to getting a voluminous look. “We added extra short pieces on the crown to maximize volume and the feel of randomness,” he tells us, then added in short bangs for “added drama."

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To style the look, he suggests drying hair upside-down and angled forward, which will promote body and keep the bangs and shorter pieces going in a forward direction. "Once dry, use fingers to separate random curls and stretch out a few pieces,” he says. (Obviously, if you have straight or wavy hair you’ll get a different result, although drying upside-down will add volume to any texture.)

Upkeep: Amiel believes that all curly hair should be cut every 100 days to maintain the health of the ends, and this cut is no exception.

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Photo: Courtesy of Margaux Brooke.

Bangs

Stylist: Anh Co Tran
Salon: Ramirez|Tran

What To Ask For: Baby bangs and an A-line lob

To be totally transparent, we did not see the baby-bangs trend being resurrected, but it’s versions like this that are so undeniably fresh and cool you can see why it’s taking off in a big way in L.A. Tran — who proves again and again that he’s one of the most influential stylists in L.A. — is the man behind this cut, which you can get by asking for baby bangs and his signature soft lob.

Upkeep: Trim the bangs every few weeks if you want to keep the length, or let them (beautifully) grow through every bang type and only trim them with the rest of your hair (about every three months).

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Photo: Courtesy of Maria Margarita.

Bangs

Stylist: Mateo Lara
Salon: Hairroin Salon

What To Ask For: A long, textured cut with side-swept bangs

“I would describe this look as a foxy, long, layered texture haircut with a sassy fringe,” Lara says. It’s also one of the easiest ways to dip your toes into the bangs trend, as this version is light and long enough to push to the side. However, Lara makes a good point when he instructs anyone who wants this cut to bring in a photo, or the bangs you ask for might not be the ones you get. “Having a photo to reference is my ideal way of knowing exactly what my client is asking for,” he says.

This cut can be easily styled a variety of ways, but the tricky part are the bangs. “Blowdry your fringe in every direction, besides up, of course, and you neutralize the root,” Lara tells us. “Then finish it off with a texture spray at the roots only to add body and separation.”

Upkeep: You should trim the bangs monthly.

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Photo: Courtesy of Sal Salcedo

The Choppy Bob

Stylist: Sal Salcedo
Salon: Ramirez|Tran

What To Ask For: Soft fringe and an A-line shag that hits your collarbone

Does going shoulder-length leave you feeling uneasy? You can cheat this trend a bit and go a tad longer. Salcedo has become a breakout star in the L.A. hair world thanks to modern cuts like this. He calls this an “angled, modern shag.” To get the look, be sure to ask for an A-line shape (longer in the front than back), to keep the shag cut modern; and textured layers and soft bangs, to keep it looking cool, but don’t get crazy with layers. “Less is more,” he says. “You can always add more texture if you wish to, but start with a little.”

Wrap-dry the bangs (push left against the scalp and dry a little, then pull right and dry a little more; repeat), and create waves or define your natural texture with an iron on the rest.

Upkeep: “The grow-out on this haircut is very natural; you shouldn’t have to see your stylist unless you want to keep the length,” Salcedo says, but notes that you should trim the fringe monthly.

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Photo: Courtesy of Shai Amiel.

The Choppy Bob

Stylist: Shai Amiel
Salon: Capella Salon

What To Ask For: Rounded layers with side-swept bangs

“Nathalie loves her big, round-curly look,” Amiel says. “She plays a slave on Game of Thrones, so we had to maintain her look [so it was] consistent [for filming].” Her character’s continuity is inspiration to our ears; to get a similar style, ask for a round shape that hits the jawline when dry and has light layering. “There are lots of random bits all over to give her volume and movement,” Amiel says. To style the cut, Amiel suggests you “shake hair as hard as possible to create movement beforeyou dry it,” then stretch out the dry curls to create even more bounce.

Upkeep: A trim every 100 days will keep curls bouncy and healthy, Amiel says.

For the rest of our ‘dos, visit Refinery29.

By: Lexy Lesback