A question for the red heads...

[zombi]

I can't wait to see your results; I hope it comes out beautifully for you! It looks like everyone has had great suggestions for you. I think you'll look absolutely lovely with a brighter copper colour.

 

[kymeratale]

My husband's a red head so that's the only thing giving me pause. Though that may sound silly.
But his mother thinks I'm crazy wanting to have red hair too. Ha!

I also colour my hair red and my husband is a natural red head. Every now and then I thought that might be silly, but since he shaves his head so the only red is his beard, I figure we're okay.

 

[Grant Fan]

Adele and Kymeratale, this is how I see it occasionally I go back to my natural color which like I said is just shy of black (you can only tell in the sun that it isn't) anyway. Being that my boyfriend and I are both Cuban our hair is pretty much the same color. I doesn't keep me from going natural, couples have similarly colored hair all the time. And if you pick a different red then it really won't be an issue.

 

[kamikat]

Christi, I think my skin is similar to your, maybe a little more pink. My natural color is a medium ashy brown. I've done every color red from dark to light. The only thing I'd stay away from is really light reds. The contrast between the eyebrow and color is much more obvious. If you have strong pink undertones, stick with blue-based reds, which tend toward the darker end. If your skin has more blue undertones, an orangey red will work great.
Current color, which is about 3ins of natural color growing out, the rest is blue black, so you can see my coloring.

dark copper

a bright "fashion" color, IMHO too red for my pink skin

a dark, cool red, IMHO best for me, makes my skin look less pink

 

[Clabbergirl]

Christi, I think my skin is similar to your, maybe a little more pink. My natural color is a medium ashy brown. I've done every color red from dark to light. The only thing I'd stay away from is really light reds. The contrast between the eyebrow and color is much more obvious. If you have strong pink undertones, stick with blue-based reds, which tend toward the darker end. If your skin has more blue undertones, an orangey red will work great.
Current color, which is about 3ins of natural color growing out, the rest is blue black, so you can see my coloring.

dark copper

a bright "fashion" color, IMHO too red for my pink skin

a dark, cool red, IMHO best for me, makes my skin look less pink

I agree with pretty much everything you've said here - my skin is similar to yours. The burgundy reds always look best on me as well, although I yearn for the bright 'fashion reds' all the time, and the oranges when I want a natural shade. That's my hesitation with burgundy reds - I've never seen anyone born with those gorgeous colors. I flip/flop on this.

 

[fortworthgal]

I have warm/golden undertones. I typically try to wear warmer reds like brownish auburns or something with more orange in it. I don't know if that's what I am "supposed" to be wearing, though. I'm not good with the whole colors thing. My hair is naturally a light auburn-red, and I have dark brown eyes & freckles. I've always been told I have golden undertones, and I tend to look better in warmer colors and yellow gold jewelry... but my face flushes pink/red when I get warm, and my veins (which are insanely visible - I look like a road map) are blue and not green. Most of the "are you warm or cool" sites say that's a good indicator that you're cool-toned. So, I'm so confused it isn't funny. Maybe I'm just neutral. lol

I typically don't care for haircolors that don't look natural, but I do like burgundy reds sometimes. I have seen some ladies wearing them and it looks really good. Dita's hair never looks natural either, nobody has that stark blue-black color in real life, but it still looks amazing on her. One of my coworkers is extremely fair-skinned and has blue eyes, and she wears a dark burgundy red. It looks really nice.

 

[C-dot]

I typically don't care for haircolors that don't look natural, but I do like burgundy reds sometimes. I have seen some ladies wearing them and it looks really good. Dita's hair never looks natural either, nobody has that stark blue-black color in real life, but it still looks amazing on her. One of my coworkers is extremely fair-skinned and has blue eyes, and she wears a dark burgundy red. It looks really nice.

I'm weird - I have cool porcelain skin, and cool green eyes, but naturally strawberry hair. Burgundy red is my favourite of all reds (nay, colours) that I've tried, because it enhances the cool tones. Just like with kamikat, it can also give pink and warm toned skin and eyes the appearance of cool tones, which is lovely.

 

[fortworthgal]

Well, at lunch today I hit Walgreens and picked up the L'Oreal Preference Intense Red Copper. I also snagged a box of L'Oreal Excellence to go in light red auburn, because it was on clearance and after a coupon it was like $2. lol It looks very close in color to the intense red copper.

I also bought John Frieda's Radiant Red shampoo & conditioner to try.

 

[C-dot]

Well, at lunch today I hit Walgreens and picked up the L'Oreal Preference Intense Red Copper. I also snagged a box of L'Oreal Excellence to go in light red auburn, because it was on clearance and after a coupon it was like $2. lol

Fantastic! Big changes are so exciting I guarantee you will love that colour!

 

[fortworthgal]

I know, I'm so excited!

 

[Christi.adell]

Wow lots of replies! Thank you everyone for your input.

I'm not too worried about going lighter because my hair isn't black anymore so I think I can do it okay on my own. My natural color is a dark blonde/light brown and I have dyed it (gray hair is the pits) but I've only dyed it a similar color to my own.

But now Kamikat you've given me pause because I think we are similar in complexion. And I don't look good in the bright fashion reds either. It's like pink overload! But then I don't like the dark burgandy reds so IDK. But thank you for posting those pictures. I actually like the dark copper one you posted quite a bit.

So we'll see, it'll be a week or two for me either way because I need to buy everything and get a minute to do it, but I can't wait to see yours fortworthgal! I'm sure it'll look great.

 

[kamikat]

If you have been coloring, you need to go to a stylist, even if it's the same as your natural color. Hair color will not lift hair color. If you want to go lighter, you need to strip your old color. If you want to color at home, you can either stay the same level but change the shade (medium brown to medium red ), or go darker. I'm a certified Redken and Framesi colorist. Let me know if you have questions.

 

[Christi.adell]

Thank you! I know that color won't lift color (been down that awful road!) and I would definitely lift out the old color first. I honestly don't get too upset whenever my hair doesn't turn out great so I'm not too worried. I mean I want it too look awesome but it's not a big deal if it doesn't. You can always go back to black!

 

[fortworthgal]

Good post, kamikat! Always nice to have advice from a professional.

I've stripped & recolored my hair at home in the past. It can be done, but if you aren't *really* comfortable with home coloring, I wouldn't attempt it. I have been coloring or highlighting my own hair for 20 years and even the couple of times I've done it (usually out of necessity from a bad dye job), I've tread carefully. It is also extremely harsh on your hair, and in a salon you'd be able to get less drying products and a good conditioning treatment after.

 

[kamikat]

Thank you! I know that color won't lift color (been down that awful road!) and I would definitely lift out the old color first. I honestly don't get too upset whenever my hair doesn't turn out great so I'm not too worried. I mean I want it too look awesome but it's not a big deal if it doesn't. You can always go back to black!

Awesome! Sounds like you're just the type to do it at home! Me, too, it's what inspired me to go to school and become a colorist. I love playing with hair color!

 

[fortworthgal]

I'm always of the mindset "it'll grow out" or "I can recolor it later" if it doesn't turn out right.

 

[C-dot]

I'm always of the mindset "it'll grow out" or "I can recolor it later" if it doesn't turn out right.

I'm more of the mindset that it *will* come out right, no matter how many times I have to bleach it lol

 

[fortworthgal]

^ lol

 

[Grant Fan]

I'm more of the mindset that it *will* come out right, no matter how many times I have to bleach it lol

Hahahaha me too

 

[Christi.adell]

Awesome! Sounds like you're just the type to do it at home! Me, too, it's what inspired me to go to school and become a colorist. I love playing with hair color!

That's so cool, I always thought I should to school for hair I love playing around with it so much. I just never want to go back to school though LOL I was in it too long and it's been too long since I've been!