Gina Kirschenheiter Reflects on Her Hair Evolution: "I Finally Figured It Out"

What does Gina Kirschenheiter's hair have in common with Heather Dubrow's collection of fine wine? The answer is simple: The two have gotten better with time. Since Gina first became a cast member on The Real Housewives of Orange County in Season 13, her blonde locks seem to have taken on a storyline of their own, prompting strong opinions from her fellow cast members and fans alike. Gina took it all in stride, and she even humorously warned viewers prior to Season 15 that her hair would only get "worse."

Still, she later realized a deeper truth. “My hair being such a disaster the last few years was very indicative of where I was in my life,” the mom of three, who dealt with both a divorce and DUI in 2019, explained in an exclusive interview with Bravo Insider.

But things were about to shift. In 2020, Gina made a major change to her beauty look: She traded her long, platinum tresses for a blunt bob in a warmer blonde hue. The new 'do was well-received, to say the least. She even got a "crazy amount" of fan requests on Instagram for a tutorial of her pearl-embellished hairstyle from her Season 16 interview look. "I feel great about it," Gina told Bravo Insider. "I see everything that people write."

With Gina's hair evolution also came a new chapter in terms of her self-esteem. "Finally being happy in my life, figuring out my skin, figuring out my hair has just really helped my overall confidence," she explained. “I just really feel like right now I'm more myself and more comfortable in my own skin than I ever have been before, which is a really nice feeling.” 

Now she's dedicated to an established guiding principle: less is more. "I just keep it simple," Gina said. "I think I was overcomplicating things in the past, and that just doesn't work for me.” To pare down her look, the CaraGala skincare founder only colors her hair "every six to eight weeks" and has "individual extensions" that are already highlighted, which she says, keeps her strands healthy by not overprocessing them. “That was a big deal for me," she laughed. "When I finally figured it out, I really figured it out well.” 

Gina's renewed confidence has helped her hone her overall look as well. “There is a difference between fashion and style," she explained. "When you have your own personal style, people can really understand that. It doesn't look like somebody just put something on you. It looks like it came from you. It's like an extension of who you are. . . I feel like I'm finally at a point in my life where I can embrace that.” But that doesn't mean Gina has resigned herself to playing it safe. “I feel like I am younger on the cast, so it's fun to kind of go for more daring, fun, edgier looks,” she said. "It seems to be working."

Want more The Real Housewives of Orange County? New episodes air Wednesdays at 9/8c or catch up on the latest season through the Bravo app.