Thinking of dying your hair red?
L’Oréal says there are 3 questions you should ask yourself before you go all in.
- Does your skin have pinkish undertones?
- Do you like attention?
- Are you ready to make a colour commitment?
Your skin doesn’t need to have pinkish undertones to dye your hair red but according to the hair giant, it helps.
Good news is there are so many shades of red from burgundy and cherry to copper, ginger and fire that you’re bound to find one that suits.
What all red hair colours have in common is the upkeep. Red hair takes as much (if not more) work than blonde, and the further your natural colour is from red the more frequent those touch ups will need to be.
But don’t let that put you off because red hair makes a powerful statement and can be just the ticket if you’re ready to show your true colours and be seen.
From brown to red
Sophie Turner certainly turned heads as Sansa Stark in Game of Thrones.
Currently sporting a more natural brown shade, Turner has gone through a range of red hair colours from deep auburn to dark ginger which works well for her skin tone and green eyes.
“If you love the idea of going red but want to stick close to your dark brunette roots, dark auburn will do the trick,” says L’Oreal.
“A golden red and warm brown combo blends perfectly for a hair colour that suits all skin tones and eye colours.”
Natural-looking auburn
With hazel eyes and naturally brown hair, Lana Del Ray pulls off this deep auburn thanks to her cool-toned skin.
People with warm toned skin such as olive look best with reds that have a blue tint. Think: mahogany, burgundy and dark auburn.
Del Ray is lucky because her skin can probably handle most of the shades from light auburn to cinnamon and even rose gold.
Red hair for pale skin
Nicole Kidman is known for her porcelain pale skin. Although she’s more blonde nowadays Kidman is a natural redhead and rocks the ginger look.
When your skin is as pale as Kidman’s the trick is to not go too dark otherwise it’ll wash you out. You might also try tinting your eyebrows to keep them in the same shade as your hair.
“While light auburn hair tends to look best on cool skin, medium auburn hair can go either way, making it the perfect neutral shade,” advises L’Oréal.
High maintenance
Julia Roberts has what you’d call a cool skin tone; her skin is slightly pinkish but she does tan lightly.
Roberts has worn a variety of red shades from copper to auburn, all of which compliment her brown eyes and add warmth to her face. According to L’Oreal, brown eyes work well with dark cherry reds as it brings out the warmth in the eyes.
If you are thinking of dying your hair red, know this: red hair requires a lot of maintenance. “Once you’ve completed the dyeing process, it’s important to take care of your red hair properly,” says L’Oreal.
“If you dyed your hair red at home, keep an at-home hair colour kit stocked so that you can touch things up when your roots start growing in.”
Orange is the new black
Isla Fisher is the queen of red head celebs. She sticks to an orangey shade which suits her pale skin and brown eyes really well.
Red hair and red lippy is also great combo that Fisher rocks and it works pretty much every time.
You don’t need to be pale to pull off red hair. It also compliments Asian skin but the shade needs to be at the cooler end.
L’Oréal advises people with a warm skin tone skin to opt for a chestnut base and add dark red lowlights to accentuate a warm toned complexion.
Red hair for darker skin
Dark, olive and Asian skin can hold bright colours really well, including red. The biggest issue is how to lighten black or dark brown hair without it turning orange.
“Red hair is super pretty—but in general, it’s not the lowest maintenance colour out there.”
“For starters, if you’re opting for a lighter shade you’ll need to bleach your hair first. And if you have a very dark base colour, it may take multiple sessions to achieve your desired level of red.”
No matter what your skin tone, red hair makes a bold statement so be prepared for daily compliments and regular upkeep.
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