Let's all be Little Mermaids! Part 2: Choosing the right shade of red for you.

Still sure you want red hair? Are you REALLY sure? 

OK then!!!

Congratulations with decision of joining the team of red hot Little Mermaids!

The right shade of red hair will perk up a lackluster complexion, brighten light eyes, warm up pale skin and add drama to your overall look. Redheads are the ones turningthe most heads this season: the color connotes a little bit of a bad girl streak and a willingness to stand out from the pack.  Paired with full, billowing waves, this look rates high on the foxy meter.

The problem is that  from strawberry blonde to auburn, crimson to copper, there are so many ravishing reds available that it's difficult to know which is right for you.

 Say you've finally spotted the perfect hair color on the poster of a model at your hair salon. You make an appointment with your hairdresser for that fabulous perfect color only to discover after the damage has been done, that perfect color isn't so perfect on you. What we don't realize is that the color of one's skin tone can affect that perfect hair color. Evenyour eye and natural hair color can also play a factor in determining which category you fall under and of course your best hair color.
There are two shade categories and they are cool and warm.

Cool
Men and women who fall in the cool shade category are often found with blue, gray-blue, hazel, or dark brown eyes followed by deep chocolate browns, blue-blacks, medium ash and golden browns, dark blondes, salt and pepper grays or white in hair coloring. Their skin tones are most often pale to pale with pink undertones, Medium with pink to medium with golden undertones, olive, bronze brown and dark brown in color. Usually when you have more than one of the mentioned colors then you will be a part of the cool category. For those with light skin tones and coloring, you will probably want to steer clear of any dark red hair color. If you already have naturally blond or light hair color, you could go for a gentle tint of strawberry blond for example. That way, the actual shade of the red matches your overall complexion as opposed to clashing with it. Other shades that usually match quite well with fairer skins are the brownish terra-cotta shades, as well as the light copper shades.

 This winter i tried out tonning the cherryness of my hair down to orangish auburn, just to match my milky whity complexion. I donn't think i received more compliments in my life.

Brunettes and dark blondes with light skin tones should still try to stick with lighter shades of red. Unless you are trying to make a statement, you would probably be better off avoiding the brilliant red shades, such as violet red for example. If you are not sure how well a specific red hair color would suit, one idea is to streak your hair with the dye or the cream. That will give you a good indication of how your natural hair will react with the dye and you will be able to see whether or not you like that particular color.
Of course, if you are having your hair dyed professionally, you should be able to get good advice from the hairdresser. But if you are dyeing your own hair at home, you do need to be extra careful to ensure that you make the correct choice.

Warm
Men and women who fall into the warm category can be found with warm golden brown, hazel with brown or blue green to green eyes followed by golden blondes, strawberry blondes, reds, dark browns with red or golden highlights and gray with a golden cast. Their skin tones are often pale with peach or golden undertones, women with freckled complexions and brown with pink or golden undertones in color.
If you have more than one color from above then you would fall into the warm category. You should stick with the medium range of red hair colors, such as red brown hair color for example. Auburn is another great choice of hair color, although try not to get too dark an auburn color, but a more medium auburn.
As far as which reds to avoid, probably you should stay away from the bright reds and violets, and also the bright copper and orange reds. As I suggested for those with fair coloring, if you are not sure what shade of red would best suit, try it out by highlighting your hair with the color you are thinking of using first. That will give you some indication of how well it suits.

For those with dark or olive skin, the choices are a little more exciting when it comes to choosing which shade of hair color red would look good on you. You can feel comfortable using the deep burgundy or violet red hair colors, as they will match your complexion very well. Unfortunately, the lighter strawberry blonds or light or bright auburns will not be very flattering for you.


Generally, the idea is to match the basic shade or tone of red with your skin tone and color. The darker the skin tone and complexion, the deeper red can be used.  If you really are not sure what shade of red you would like your hair to be, just take some time to look at different photos and pictures of women with red hair online. You should be able to determine their basic skin tone just by looking at the photos, and from there you can see which look or style you would like to emulate. If you are not familiar with the different shades of red color hair dye, you could always show someone at a hairdressing shop and ask them to recommend what hair dye would best match the look you are trying for.

I keep varying the redness in my hair depending on paleness of my complexion basically, but in time i found out which shades does not suit me at all, no matter how tan i am etc. So just do your research, consult with your hairdresser and be willing to experiment a bit. Or a lot! Have fun!

Next post in the series: Maintaining the Little Mermaid hair.