However, there’s no hard rules when it comes to wearing red. Another option is to follow your mood or desired aesthetic. More muted reds can look more natural and timeless. “I love the way people like Emma Stone continue to reinvent copper in such an elegant, timeless way,” notes Matt. “The best red hair never feels like a costume or competes. It complements the person’s skin tone and enhances their natural features,” he says. That said, we love playfulness and stand-out shades that make an impact. “I love the shade I created for Addison Rae during Coachella, blending copper, golden, and soft rose with Paul Mitchell The Color and then refining with a custom gloss using Paul Mitchell The Demi, for a multidimensional finish that changes beautifully depending on the lighting. It has warmth without feeling overly orange and softness without losing impact. It’s the kind of colour that looks effortless in natural daylight but still photographs incredibly well, which is exactly what people are looking for right now,” says Matt.
In terms of how to wear red across the board “subtle techniques such as a brunette base or face-framing highlights can soften red for everyday wear while keeping it modern and luminous,” says Raul.
How to take care of red hair colour?
One of the trickiest parts of being a redhead (unless you’re gifted with the colour naturally), is keeping on top of colour-fade. “Red is one of the fastest-fading hair colour families, so protecting its vibrancy between appointments is key. I always recommend using a colour-safe, sulphate-free shampoo and washing with cooler water whenever possible to help preserve the tone. Between salon visits, a clear gloss is also a great way to minimise fading, boost shine, and keep red looking fresh,” says Matt. Gloss treatments can intensify shine and richness agrees Raul, meanwhile, “use colour-protect shampoos, conditioners, and colour-depositing masks to keep your red vibrant at home,” he says.7
Here’s 6 of our favourite ways to wear red hair right now
We’ve rounded up some of the most beautiful red hair colour ideas below…
One of red’s recent new recruits is Daisy Edgar Jones, she chose one of the subtlest way to introduce the hair colour, opting for a strawberry brunette. The base colour remains a rich brunette, but a sheer veil of strawberry helps to liven up her colour.
We love a statement red and for this, cherry cola is so rich and sassy. It takes brunettes in a slightly brighter and more striking direction, layering purple-red cherry over a deeper base. For inspo, Dua Lipa and Lara from Katseye and Squid Games’ Hoyeon Jung are the girls to go to.
If you want to fully go for it, fiery red is the way forward. The most true red, the daring hi-vis shade can brighten complexions and bring the drama. See Keke Palmer and Chappel Roan.
A classic in its own right, within copper you can dial things up or down to make it more muted or impactful. The shade heads in a more orange, golden direction which can be beautiful for warming up skin tones. Tessa Thompson’s copper curls remain one of our favourite references.
In between copper and red, auburn is a little deeper and richer than copper. It can be the most natural-looking and wearable way to try red (see Kendall Jenner). It’s perfect if you’re aiming for the shade of natural redheads like Sadie Sink and Madelaine Petsch.
In between blonde and red, strawberry blonde is such a pretty way to wear the shade, especially for natural blondes who want to dip their toe into reds. Again this mimics the pretty colour of natural strawberry blondes like Julia Roberts.