[Hai Guide] 3 of the Best Hair Salons for Different Hair Types

Let's be frank, summertime in Shanghai is not for the weak. Heat waves, humidity, uncles with their bellies out- all equally brutal for an unprepared city nomad. But there is a cheat code to aid you in battling sweat and moisture. A good haircut.

However, if you've been living in China for a while, you've probably struggled to find a hair salon that truly understands your hair type. As a Russian beauty, you're quick to understand that there are indeed differences between Slavic and East Asian hair types, and not all local salon's are prepped for this.

Additionally, language barrier might make for challenges. After thorough research, gathering feedback from friends and acquaintances, and visiting salons myself, I've put together a list of the top three salons that offer a wide range of services and expertise. From bleaching platinum blonde to grooming beards, and from fine hair to the most textured curls, these foreigner-run salons are well-equipped to handle your specific needs.

1) WHITE BOX - popular among the Russian model community

Credit: Brandon McGhee

Something I've discovered over my life in different countries, is that no one does bleaching and dying as-good-as a Russian-speaking master. WHITE BOX is a salon that has been operating for more than 10 years, with some of the masters' experience in the field going well over 20 years. When I went to visit, we spoke with the founder and originator of the salon Alyona and her long-time collaborator Alexander. There is also Natalya, a hair stylist, but she wasn't on duty that day.

Alyona first came to China to work in an international trade and as a translator; but stayed to open up her own salon. "I can confidently say that our coloring services, in my humble opinion, are the best in Shanghai when it comes to foreigner-run hair salons. Not including Chinese salons, as most of the time, our type of hair, local masters do not know how to handle, especially when it comes to bleaching. Many European and Slavic hair are fine to medium in diameter, and softer in texture," Alyona says.

She isn't wrong, by the way. I've heard countless horror stories how an expat went for a gorgeous platinum blonde but left with crusty dry noodles for hair. And not to discredit any of the local masters, it just comes from pure supply-demand, as well as localized training and education. In most instances, Asian hair are darker and much thicker, than the hair of someone of a European or Slavic descent. I personally have two friends who only bleach and dye at WB, due to previous scarring experiences.

According to their coloring master Alexander, materials play a huge role when it comes to dying, especially bleaching. Finer hair requires gentler bleaches, plus a careful mix of colors and tones. Alexander studied his craft in Moscow, then came to Shanghai as a tourist in 2016, fell in love with the city and decided to stay. We've never heard that happening before!

WB positions itself as a professional hair salon. They do not offer manicures, beard grooming or facials, instead choosing to focus on hair cutting, coloring, ultra-speedy sugaring and laser hair removal (Alyona's personal expertise). To be specific, sugaring is done for girls, but laser hair removal can be done for both sexes, all the up to a boyzillian.

Located right next to Jiangning Road station exit 3, in a huge business building (that looks like an old timey hotel) right on the 15th floor. The salon has an artsy loft apartment vibe to it, with a huge, almost panoramic window. A good change from loud and crowded hair salons that we usually get in the local malls or the first floor of giant apartment buildings.

If you go...

Address: Apt 1506, Jiangning Rd

Time: 11am-8pm

2) DOC's Barber - making men handsome for over a decade

Credit: Brandon McGhee

Now, I had to deal with my personal childhood trauma with barbershops before going into the DOC's Barber.

But DOC's isn't the type of "masc-bro-ey" type of space you might expect from the Barber shop moniker. Rather it's a gender neutral barber shop run by the lovely Anna (she has a cool story herself). It's a grooming space which has nothing in common with a place I was dragged into back in 2013, Russia, so I felt very at ease. DOC's Barber has been operating for the past 11 years, a very impressive feat in a city like Shanghai. Anna initially moved to China over 14 years ago for her partner's job, she took a risk and it paid off.

Anna got her education back in New York, later worked as a successful barber in Scotland, before finally settling in Shanghai. What I really wanted to know, is what kept her salon in business for that long, what was the special technique or service that they were offering? "I think one thing that is certainly different from many local salons, is our more international way of cutting hair. Especially when it comes to styles like a fade. Many masters in China usually do more of a freehand technique, while we use guards, something common in Europe and the States. Therefore, if customer asks for a number one, a barber knows exactly what they want."

That is something that surprised me quite a lot, I had no idea that the shaving machine guards can be a localised thing. Besides the use of guards, Anna says that they always try to keep appointments in a 30 minutes range, so that people can move on with their lives. In a dynamics of Shanghai, quite a useful perk.

Another service that DOC's are known for is their beard grooming. You can get anything from hot towel shaving to dry grooming, grey coverage (for the beard and hair), and if you get a discount for a hair + beard deal. Moreover, there is a cute little barber shop tradition, when you can get a dad + son appointment discount, creating a bonding moment while saving a bit of cash.

DOC's Barber does hair cuts to all the genders, but they specialize in shorter hair styles, so you won't catch Anna doing an 80s blow out on someone. So if you're looking for a sleek short hairstyle, beard grooming or just a quick trim, I'd say DOC's is the place to go.

If you go...

Located right in between Jing'an and Xuhui area, on a hip street of Julu Road, next to a very tasty and good-looking coffee shop.

Address: 360-7 Julu Road

Time: 12pm-8pm

3) OCD Hair and Nail

OCD Hair and Nail is what I would call a "Jack-of-all-traits" kind of salon, and the owner, Denis, would agree. "We do all: hair, nails, beauty, hair treatments, we even have an acupuncture specialist. What we were trying to achieve with this salon, is to create a sort of communal space, where anyone would feel comfortable coming in." And I must agree with Denis. First of all, the place is unexpectedly big and bright. Another thing I've noticed is how international it feels. There are at least four languages I kept hearing, it comes from a very diverse group of masters.

Denis has been doing hair for almost 20 years, started his professional journey all the way in Australia, while Denis himself is from Honduras. Brought to Shanghai by love, he plans to stay here and run his business long term, simultaneously building a community around it.

While Denis prides himself in being a very versatile master, doing anything from cutting to dying hair, what we want to highlight is his skill when it comes to accommodating textured and curly hair. Personally recommended by an acquaintance of ours, Denis is held in high regards by people with curly, dense hair types. "I worked in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, LA, where people are more used to a diverse group of customers. In China it is not an easy task to find someone who can deal with dense hair, so people come from far and wide to us. We also have an Afro specialist who works with us."

As I've mentioned, OCD is a one-stop kind of place. While I was gathering intel, there was so much going on. Hair cuts, hair washes, manicures, keratin treatments that made my eyes water. So, if you have a service in mind, OCD salon can probably provide it well.

Located on Xiangyang Road in a big business building. At first I struggled to find the correct entrance, but it is the one right on the main road, next the BREAD etc. restaurant. Once you enter, find an elevator and go to the second floor and you'll find it.

If you go...

Address: shop 208, 500 Xiangyang Road S.

Time: 10am-8:30pm