This spring, hair color trend setters will be going red. But with so many different hues, which should you choose? Here’s your guide to the best reds for spring.
The basics of red hair color
While there are numerous shades of red, they can all be put into two main categories: warm and cool. To narrow your search, stick to a color tone that has the same undertones as your skin. If your skin is lighter or has a blue undertone, avoid any red that is deep. If you have yellow skin undertones, warm colors will be your best fit. How do you determine cool from warm? If you’re coloring at home, pay attention to the names used to describe the outcome. For example, Elsa Rhodes, co-owner of Platform Color Style Salon, suggests looking for words like “auburn,” “copper” and “copper-brown,” or finding colors with hints of sienna and rust when you’re looking for warm color. Deep colors are usually called names like “burgundy” or “cabernet.”
The key to your best spring red is to find warmth and softness that will work with your skin and eye color to complement your features. If you’re completely new to red hair color (and you’re feeling brave), Adrienne Vendetti, a natural redhead and co-founder of How To Be A Redhead, says this spring is the time to take the plunge and go bright — but remember to match the undertones to your skin for a fresh look that won’t wash you out.
Tip
“It’s a new season and a new you, so try something new! Make sure you change up your makeup routine to go with your new look.” — Adrienne Vendetti, co-founder of How To Be A Redhead
Get a redhead refresh
If you’re a natural redhead, Vendetti says spring 2012 is the season to let your true colors show through. If you’re a color-treated redhead all year long, update your look for spring by lightening a bit. Vendetti suggests moving toward a subtle strawberry-blonde hue, versus the heavier reds that the winter fashion scene featured.
Trendsetting reds
Alex Safar, owner of Salon Acote in Boston, Massachusetts, says that cooler, violet-based reds (also called silver reds), will dominate spring 2012 trends. “They are stronger and more seductive than copper-based reds, and look great with darker or more olive skin tones.” Pastel versions of red are also a way to turn heads this spring if you’re ready to make a statement.
Go red with highlights
If you’re a highlight-loving gal, you can still be on trend with spring’s red hair color. Colette Hagiwara of the Yoshi Hair Studio in Beverly Hills, California, says that “rose gold” highlights will be a popular trend for subtly sporting red hair color. The look is achieved by including a mix of gold with strawberry blonde to create a dimensional “rose gold effect” with highlights (think Julia Roberts). The technique is a great way to wear a spring red without going too far in the red direction, and can be a softer color transition that will gear up for a bright summer.
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