50 Ways To Wear Red Hair Color

written by

Ashley Rubell, Elinor Block & Kelsey Duchesne

updated Sep 11, 2020

From ginger to strawberry blonde, we believe that anyone can find their perfect red shade. While this hair color has often been maligned (never by us, we may add), it seems like this warm hue is finally getting the celebration it deserves, largely thanks to lots of celebrity fanfare. You don't need to be a born redhead to join in on the fun, because these days, coloring services and dyes are so high tech that getting natural-looking hair has never been easier. So if you're considering adding russet tones to your strawberry-blonde hair, thinking about turning your blonde strands into a shade of copper, or fancy adding a wash of rich auburn to your brunette locks, we've compiled a comprehensive list of red hair looks for you to show your hairdresser.

Choosing a Shade: "Your skin color and eye color need to be the number one thing taken into consideration," says Joico celebrity colorist Jill Buck. "As a stylist I like to look to the flecks of color in my clients eyes as a good indicator to their natural undertones."

Maintenance Level: High. "Red is tricky," says Nicole Tresch, senior colorist at Rita Hazan in NYC. "It’s the first color to fade and needs to be maintained for its vibrancy often with glosses."

Goes Great With: According to Buck, "The warmer and lighter bright reds compliment someone with a fair complexion and more neutral and deeper red shades are good for darker complexions."

Similar Shades: Copper, midlight red, auburn, pumpkin spice, strawberry-blonde, cinnamon

Price: Cost will vary depending on the techniques your stylist will use. "It’s helpful to bring in multiple pictures during the consultation and your stylist can quote you before the service begins," says Buck.

01 of 50

Florence Welch

There's a real brightness to Florence Welch's red hair, which flatters the pinky undertones in her skin. If you want to try this style yourself, find a balm or serum that will add definition to the braid, like Morrocanoil Hydrating Styling Cream ($14).

02 of 50

Shape Shifter

Another cut and color combination for the win. As if his shade of merlot wasn't enough to drool over, her textured mane is shaped to perfection.

03 of 50

Lily Cole

Lily Cole is known for her natural red hair, and in recent years we've seen her experiment with different shades. We're especially delighted by her natural auburn hue. According to Tresch, red looks especially great with freckled complexions.

04 of 50

Natural Texture

This natural, subdued shade of auburn pairs perfectly with embraced natural texture. An all around natural beauty.

05 of 50

Red Orange

We love the way this color is beautifully blended into a more vibrant red-orange as it moves towards her ends.

06 of 50

Zendaya

Here you'll find Zendaya sporting the red ombré of our dreams. Her wine-colored locks elegantly turn into copper down to the tips of her hair, creating a warm, rich color story. "Ask your colorist to keep the base richer/ deeper than the ends," suggests Buck. "This will keep it natural looking and avoid what we call in the biz a 'hot root.'"

07 of 50

Blake Lively

This dark strawberry blonde looks so incredible on the classically dirty-blonde Blake Lively. To get her mega-watt shine, try misting on Ouai Hair Oil($28).

08 of 50

Grown Out

Even with visibly darker roots against this beautiful shade of red, a touch-up just doesn't seem necessary.

09 of 50

Auburn to Ginger

The color gradient from auburn roots to ginger ends makes for an effortlessly natural looking red on hair expert Kristin Ess.

10 of 50

Reclaimed Strands

We love the way this red color transformation brought her strands back to life. If you're experiencing breakage or other damage from bleaching and over processing, consider adding a single color deposit like your favorite shade of red.

11 of 50

FKA Twigs

FKA Twigs has always been a trendsetter, and the way she uses this bright-red hue to frame her face has us, once again, taking notes. She keeps her roots raven except for a few strands shaping her face, which are a gorgeous rust shade, matching the rest of her beautiful ombré.

12 of 50

Scarlett Johansson

Was this look inspired by her very own name? Scarlett Johansson's unfussy up-do is an elegant (you guessed it) scarlet shade.

"Using permanent [dye] will give you the richest reds, however it comes with a grow out maintenance as well," says Buck. "A Demi permanent will give you a rich tone, however rinses within 6-8 weeks."

13 of 50

Be the Change

Your hair color is a form of expression, and sometimes we need to be the change we want to see. Hot red curls may just be a signifier for the fire that's being carried within. Never underestimate the power of story your hair color can tell.

14 of 50

Joséphine de La Baume

Red hair: Josephine de la Baume — Kevork Djansezian /Getty Images

Want to give your light blonde locks a bit of a red hue? Take your inspiration from Joséphine de La Baume. If you try this look on your own, keep the curls intact with Joico JoiMist Firm Finishing Spray 09 ($17). It will get the job done, without any crunchy stiffness.

15 of 50

Hani

Kpop star and actress Hani is known to experiment with different hair colors, but this is one of our absolute favorites. Her long, silky waves and blunt bangs look absolutely lovely in this dark copper shade.

16 of 50

Blood Orange

We love a good transformation. This blood orange red is a fun deposit color to add to any grown out blonde. Lightened strands are the perfect canvas for bold and bright colors. Before you go back to touch up your roots on your bleach-and-tone, you might want to consider using that lightened hair to your advantage.

17 of 50

Keke Palmer

How gorgeous are Keke Palmer's maroon braids? Whether she wears them down or in a high ponytail, as pictured here, this regal hue brings a flair to any of her excellent looks.

18 of 50

Maroon Melt

Dark purple velvet-y roots melted into a maroon-red? Yes please.

19 of 50

Jessica Chastain

As one of the biggest Hollywood stars with red hair, Jessica Chastain always looks totally chic and polished. The slicked-back, tucked-behind-the-ears look gives an opportunity for her fair skin and strawberry strands to shine.

20 of 50

Rihanna

While Rihanna has worn many different styles and hair colors over the years, this bold Merlot hue still sticks out in our minds. This shade is so rich and intoxicating, and was the perfect match for Rihanna's bouncy curls.

21 of 50

Jolly Rancher Red

Look for color inspiration everywhere to find the most unique shades for your colorist to blend together. We like to think this one was inspired by a Watermelon Jolly Rancher.

22 of 50

Emma Stone

Emma Stone has always been one of our favorite redheads, despite the fact that she's a natural blonde! This short hairstyle held away from the face with an Alice in Wonderland-style headband complements her face shape, while the ginger shade brings out the natural flush in her cheeks.

23 of 50

Curly Reds

Dip-dyeing your curls at the tips is a super chic color statement. It's also very convenient for the day you get over red and are ready to switch it up to some other shade -- just go in for a trim and kiss those ends goodbye.

24 of 50

Amy Adams

While Amy Adams is known for her long, red locks, we like seeing them up in a sophisticated ponytail. Her shade here is a toned-down, very natural shade of auburn.

25 of 50

Curly Ginger Hair

If you want to try out red for nothing more than a brief moment, consider using temporary tints or colored conditioners, like this shade of Ginger coloring conditioner from oVertone.

26 of 50

Christina Hendricks

Want a true ginger color? Then this hue sported by actress Christina Hendricks should be your guide. We love her soft waves and bangs, and she proves that bright red hair goes perfectly with an even brighter red lipstick.

27 of 50

Sophie Turner

Game of Thrones actress Sophie Turner famously had fiery hair when playing Sansa Stark, so it's exciting to see her sporting a lighter hue. This gorgeous strawberry-blonde pairs nicely with her pale blue eyes.

28 of 50

Amandla Stenberg

Amandla Stenberg is no stranger to a pop of color in her hair, from seafoam blues to deep purples to shimmering silvers. While we could go on and on, we want to highlight this stunning amber shade with architectural curls.

29 of 50

A Bold Buzz

If this color isn't bold enough on its own, try pairing it with a buzz-worthy clipper cut.

30 of 50

Connie Britton

It's not hyperbole to say that Connie Britton's golden, strawberry-blonde hair is famous (seriously, Google it), so adding her to the list was a must. While mimicking her exact mane may be impossible without genetics, we can share what products she uses to maintain it.

31 of 50

Michelle Williams

Michelle Williams has become known for her chic pixie cut. We usually see her sporting this cut as a platinum blonde, so it's fun to see her switch things up for this apricot shade. She's even dyed her eyebrows the same warm hue—now that's commitment!

32 of 50

Red Brows

If you're ready to commit to a permanent red instead of a semi-permanent that will fade with each rinse, consider dyeing your eyebrows as well to lock in a cohesive look that will last.

33 of 50

Isla Fisher

Isla Fisher and red hair go together like Tina Fey and Amy Poehler at the Golden Globes—has there ever been a better pair? While she has sported different hues over the years, this dark ginger is one of our favorites. When paired with a classic emerald colored earring, this look feels totally glamorous.

34 of 50

Julianne Moore

One of the most iconic redheads around, Julianne Moore's iconic style is deep auburn. While it looks to be all one shade at first glance, looking closer you can see a few subtle highlights.

35 of 50

Tyra Banks

Supermodel Tyra Banks is most known for brunette and honey blonde hair, but she's been a redhead several times over. Here, she rocks a caramel base with auburn streaks.

To maintain red hair, Tresch recommends using a gloss about once a week to keep the tone in tact. She likes Rita Hazan True Color Ultimate Shine Gloss in Red ($26).

36 of 50

Twisted Texture

We love how expressive this shade of red looks on her unraveled twists. It's proof of how texture and movement can really bring your hair color to life.

37 of 50

Dark Roots

This soft burgundy ombre has perfect color placement, allowing all that red to flow down from her casually snatched ponytail with its dark natural base color.

38 of 50

Claire Danes

Claire Danes may have popularized wine red hair in the '90s on My So-Called Life, but she's been all about the blonde these past few years. This strawberry bob is the closest she's come to a return to form.

39 of 50

Madelaine Petsch

Riverdale's resident redhead, Madelaine Petsch, demonstrates what we like to think of as "cherry wood" hair—the perfect balance between brunette and auburn.

40 of 50

Riley Keough

Riley Keough pulls off any color she tries, but we're particularly obsessed with this curly copper look. If you're going to make the brunette-to-red switch, be sure to invest in color-saving shampoo. We like Rossano Ferretti Parma Splendido Color Maintenance Shampoo ($35).

41 of 50

Deep Red

Proving Buck's tips to be true, this deep shade of red looks beautiful against her olive complexion.

42 of 50

Rose Leslie

The Game of Thrones star Rose Leslie is known for her rich cinnamon shade of red, pictured here in an elegant swooped up 'do.

43 of 50

Bright Braids

When it comes to braids, you have a lot of flexibility on how to wear your favorite shade of red. You can work in a super saturated punch of ruby red on the ends, or you can weave in varying shades, all without doing any damage to your strands.

44 of 50

Vivid and Vibrant

After going through a major hair color transformation, the way you care for your hair is extremely important. Be sure to use heat protectants before any heat styling. Deep conditioning treatments will also help to strengthen your strands if heat styling is a part of your daily routine.

45 of 50

Red Babylights

Ditch your next round of highlights for some red babylights instead. We love the way this subtle red shade blends into her dark brunette texture.

46 of 50

Added Warmth

Transitioning to red from a darker natural base color will not only provide some added warmth to your complexion, but it will also take a while to get there. Be inquisitive and learn about how your colorist is going to approach the transition. Going with a low developer and using a bonder like Olaplex, are signs that your colorist has your hair's health and integrity at the forefront of their approach.

47 of 50

Red Around the Edges

For darker natural base colors, doing a quick round of highlights at the surface is a minimal commitment that will help you acclimate to the color change.

48 of 50

Mermaid Vibes

A rich red head of hair against fair skin tones and sea green eyes is nothing short of a Little Mermaid dream come true.

49 of 50

Faux for Naturals

Even if you're a natural redhead, you might be tempted to deepen your color with something richer and less orange-y. Bryce Dallas Howard wears this berry colored auburn beautifully.

50 of 50

Fire Hot Red

Getting your color and shape to a good place is really all your hair needs. Having these two things complement one another, like this fire-red-orange textured 'do, will always make you look and feel your best, and can keep your styling efforts down to a minimum.

Calling All Redheads: 7 Expert Tips for Keeping Your Color Bright