With celebrities like Florence Welch (left), Christina Hendricks, Karen Elson, Hayley Williams and Emma Stone choosing—and totally pulling off—shades of red over their natural color, it’s tempting to hop on the redhead bandwagon. But making red hair work isn’t as easy as these stars make it look.
When going red, it’s important to consider your eye color and skin tone, which will indicate which shade of red is right for you. Warm reds tend to look best on complexions with golden undertones, while cool reds complement ivory and olive complexions.
Natural redheads vary in color ranging from auburns and gingers to deep reds and coppers. In addition to freckles and light eyes, most natural redheads have fair but warm skin tones can have golden-orange or orange-brown hair color. When those who aren’t natural redheads decide to go red, it can be very easy to spot an impostor when they don’t successfully mimic these characteristics.
If you suffer from acne, rosacea or a ruddy complexion, you may want to avoid coloring your hair red since the hue can make your skin condition appear worse.
Because it’s a major transition, chemically-created red hair should always be done by a professional. And remember, the aforementioned celebrities have the budget for frequent upkeep appointments, so if you’re not in a position to make regular trips to the salon to make your roots match the rest of your hair, whole-head red may not be the best choice.
