How to Choose the Perfect Red Hair Color

From cinnamon to fiery auburn, red hair can look hot! It's important to choose a shade of red that matches with your style and skin tone.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Find out your skin tone

1. Take a look at the skin on your face and hands. Those with cool skin tones will have undertones to their skin that are pink, olive, dark brown, or bluish. By contrast, those with warm skin tones will have undertones that are peach, gold, yellow, or brown and gold. Ask a friend if you cannot tell your skin tone.
2. Check the color of your eyes. Someone with a cool complexion will often have gray, blue, black, or dark brown eyes. If you have green, hazel, or gold-brown eyes, you likely have a warm complexion.
3. Now that you know whether your skin is warm or cool, you are ready to choose the color of hair dye.

Choosing the perfect red hair color for cool skin tones

4. For cool skin tones, you should go for intense shades of red. You can pull off the more wild hair colors such as bright red and burgundy.
5. Those with cool skin tones should stay away from 'warm' red colors such as bronze or red colors with gold or yellow bases. These can wash out your skin and make you look sallow.
6. Decide if you want 'natural' looking red hair or something a little more fun. Some of the intense, wild colors such as burgundy may not look natural, but they can still look great!

Choosing the perfect red hair color for warm skin tones

7. Someone with warm skin tones will look best with warm shades of red. Try a rich auburn, mahogany, or red colors with a golden base to them.
8. Those with warm skin tones should stay away from bright reds that may wash out your color. Stick with the rich red colors.
9. Decide if you want 'natural' looking red hair or something a little more fun. If you want your red hair to look natural, stick with reds with an orange base.

Tips & Warnings

• If you decide to have a professional color your hair, show them a photograph. Don't assume they know what color "copper" or "mahogany" is!
• Red hair dye fades faster than any other color, so you may want to consider special shampoos that help hold the color longer.