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While experimenting with new hair colors is very common for blondes and brunettes, people with red hair tend to be a little hesitant to introduce color treatment into their beauty routine. After all, with how much she desires her natural color, it is often thought of as a shocking concept to desire anything other than that color.
But if you’re eager to try out your red hair color, but can’t imagine kissing your natural hair goodbye, the good news is that you don’t have to — and that’s where red highlights come in. By incorporating a variety of different colors into your hair, you will be able to embrace a more dimensional hair color without having to do the unthinkable.
Adding highlights to any hair color will add more depth to the final look. And when it comes to redheads, specifically, Rachel Bodet, celebrity colorist and Matrix Brand ambassador, says it boils down to low- and high-impact color goals. According to Baudt, low-impact red hair is in harmony with the tone color in a way that shows just enough dimension and texture in the most natural way possible, while high-impact color is all about bright, vibrant undertones.
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In addition to thinking about how bold you want your red hair to appear when it’s all said and done, celebrity color stylist Rita Hazan says it’s important to book an appointment with a color stylist who specializes in natural redheads. “Natural red hair is more difficult to lift and color,” she explains. “Redheads don’t really need highlights – they are very beautiful on their own – but if you are [want them]I like that they are very subtle and blend well with the base color. “
The best way to ensure seamless blending, according to Madison Reed colorist Shvonne Perkins, is to choose highlights from Balayage. Any type or placement of highlights that is suitable for blondes will work for him [red hair] Highlights,” she says. However, while blondes often fight against yellow and gold tones, redheads should fully embrace these tones. If the base color is red, we really want to use touches of gold and soft copper to make the red look multicolored and soft. “
With that in mind, discover nine distinct ideas to consider if you’re a redhead, in the future.
red copper highlights
For a high-impact red hair color, Bodt recommends a coppery red a la Barbie Ferreira. “We make a red copper piece with plated pieces that are only a level or two lighter than its base to display the red color,” she explains. “This is really cool [color] On neutral skin tones.
When you ask your colorist to recreate the look, repeat what Bodt said above, but also bring in some examples of the copper color you want. “The best thing to do when you want red is to bring in photos—red can be very personal and visuals are the only way to determine the exact shade,” Bodt shares.
Ginger highlights
For a low-impact red hair color, Perkins suggests following in Bryce Dallas Howard’s footsteps.
“Her look is an excellent example of a bright red with a distinct dimension,” she says. “It’s a strawberry blonde, with the ends shaded in a hazel-golden shade. If you’re using this as your inspiration to consult your stylist, I’d recommend describing this as a deep ginger blonde or strawberry blonde with golden baby lights.”
Since this is a lighter red hair color, Perkins says you shouldn’t be surprised if you walk out of the salon looking noticeably darker than the color you want. “Reds usually look bolder and brighter when they’re first tinted, and tend to fade with that beautiful, natural look over time, so don’t panic if the instant shade is a little more vibrant,” she says.
Golden ginger highlights
For a more neutral red hair color, Hazan suggests playing with Emma Stone’s muted red. “If you’re looking for a change, a subtle golden shade that matches your natural color is a great way to make the color look different,” she says. “The highlighting shades are more subtle and natural and can be used on any hair color. I recently did them with Beyoncé for the Oscars, but redheads can also achieve this look. A good example is Emma Stone.”
copper beige highlights
While darker than the usual red, Baudt says a beige and copper hair color, like Joey King’s, is best done by starting with a smooth base and incorporating plenty of hair polish. “A massive hair color is perfect for this because you want it to be airy,” she says. “The undertones are neither orange nor red but more gold/copper. This is great on all skin tones as it strikes a balance in warmth.”
Since it’s a more complex hair color, Bodt recommends bringing in pictures to clearly show what you want because words can leave room for the intended color to get lost in translation.
soft copper face
Do you love high-impact red hair color but want to enjoy its face-framing properties? Perkins says this red hair color from Rihanna is a great example of how to make a vibrant red look sultry and glamorous. “This is a true red base, with a softer red copper cut around the face,” she says. “What this does is soften the effect on her complexion and draw attention to her eyes and lips. It’s a great choice because the lighter pieces add a ‘cool’ moment to the overall color – a true red more than a coppery-golden red [we’re seeing a lot of]. “
When looking to recreate this look, Perkins says to ask for a bold coppery red—not a gorgeous violet red. Plus, she says she asks for the soft copper accent that lives throughout, with brighter coins up front.
Vibrant amber highlights
Strawberry blonde is often thought of as more blonde than red, but Jessica Chastain proves otherwise with this vibrant amber. Red punching with warm blonde, gold, and strawberry accents woven into the hair—versus balayage cut or painted onto the highlights— [will help you transition your] Natural red hair in a trendy red look,” Hazan says, noting that’s what Chastain did at the Oscars.
To recreate the attractive hair color, Hazan says the most important thing is to be clear about the thickness of the highlight. “Big shots will make hair look very loose,” she warns.
baby copper highlights
Who hasn’t seen (and fainted) Kendall Jenner’s semi-pastel copper mane?
“I like to call this baby copper because it has almost the tone of a little strawberry,” Baudt says. “Looks great on cool or warm skin tones.”
When working to achieve the look, Bodt says to order one dull copper procedure. “One thing you have to keep in mind is that you have to light up to get to that level of copper,” she adds. “It is possible that you will need a double process to deepen how dark your hair is.”
red penny highlights
Craving for a darker red hair color? Hazan loves the look of Sophie Turner’s vibrant copper pigment. “For this look, your colorist will put in highlights of traditional metallic foil to elevate some color and deposit a series of deep red and copper shades,” she says. “The rest of the hair will need a bright red toner to blend the look together. I call this look Penny Red Highlights. Personally, I love the vibrant copper of natural redheads with very subtle gold highlights to add dimension.”
copper on copper
For a low-impact look and color-on-tone, Perkins praises Isla Fisher’s Copper over a copper mane.
“This is a great example of using multiple levels of the same color to create dimension and interest in hair,” she says. “It has a medium copper base with a slightly more subdued auburn, and slightly lighter copper highlights. Without getting noticed, the high and low highlights really make the base color pop, without looking striped or disconnected. In the industry we call these kinds of stories Poetry is “triflective,” using multiple tones or levels to create effect and dimension.”
For a red carpet look that’s worthy, Perkins says ask your stylist for a shade that incorporates the same tone on three similar levels.
