7 Tips for Choosing the Right Shade of Red ...

1. Skin Tone Matters the Most

Choosing the right shade of red has everything to do with your skin type and that’s something you should never ever try to ignore. Tread carefully if you have a yellowish, beige or olive complexion, as finding a perfect red to match might prove to be quite challenging. But wait, maybe you’re a pink-tan girl? Well, that’s one thing to be super happy about, as pink undertones and red hair really are a match made in heaven.

2. Fair-Tanned Ladies Should Keep It Light

If you’re fair skinned you’ll want to keep your choice limited to those vibrant yet light shades such as rich, light copper, strawberry blonde, golden red… You can even experiment with true red, which will look particularly interesting if you have a porcelain hue and green eyes. Look up Marcia Cross and Rose McGowan and note how different they both look with their hair dyed in different shades of red. Coppery red gives them both a glowing fresh tan and a natural appearance while dark burgundy red or, in McGowan’s case, reddish brown, dims that glow, making the fine lines more visible, giving them both a stern look that totally makes me believe that if there were an opening for the role of an evil math teacher, both of them would fit the description perfectly.

3. Match Cool with Cool

If your undertone seems to be more bluish than pink, you should definitely consider choosing the perfect red shade in a slightly different place of the color wheel. Various shades of maroon could turn you into a show-stopping vixen while an egg-plant color accents your blue undertones, turning you into a surreal ice princess that should so have her own fairytale. Blue and violet undertones should look great against your skin, giving you an interesting look not a lot of girls with different undertones can pull off.

4. Medium Tanned Girls Can Take It a Step up

If your skin tone isn’t exactly fair but is still a rosy shade away from pure beige, you’re allowed to “steal” some hair color ideas from fait-tanned ladies and play them up to a shade that will match your skin tone perfectly. Go a bit darker, opting for rich copper instead of its light version, try darker shades of auburn and do experiment with full on true red and golden tones. You’ll want to avoid bluish shades, though, as they may play tricks with that beigy part of your skin tone, making you look unnaturally yellow.

5. Earthy Skin Tones Should Keep It Subtle

If your skin tone is beige, olive or yellowish, your hair is probably brown with a lot of red pigment. If this is the case, you look best if you simply enhance what’s already in there. Use a natural rinse or a tint to make those reddish tones noticeable even when there’s no sunlight, or opt for a reddish to warm caramel ombre like Salma Hayek did. A bold red lip will match the look perfectly, bringing out the reds in your hair and making them pop out.

6. African-American Ladies Should Consider Their Undertone as Well

If you love Rihanna, Eve and Kelis’ take on the red trend, you’ve noticed bold reds and darker skin tones are without a doubt a match made in heaven! You shouldn’t go against your skin tone, of course, and you should choose a warmer color if your skin tone is warm, a cool color if it’s cool or anything you like if your undertone is neutral. Now’s the perfect time to give your skin color an imaginary pat on the back because it will help you pull off rich, deep colors tons of girls could only dream of. You won’t have to bleach to get the look either! How cool is that?

7. Asian Ladies Can Enjoy Red as Well

Some believe Asian ladies should not step into the red-hair territory, but there’s plenty of photos all around the net to prove how big of a nonsense that is! I’ve said it once but I’ll say it again – there is a lovely red shade for each skin tone and you gals are definitely not getting benched! Opt for a fiery, true red, maroon, burgundy or egg plant if you have a very light, porcelain-like tan or consider warm tones if your complexion is more beige or tanned than porcelain. Opt for darker colors if you’re not a fan of coppery hues but do experiment with coral or light ginger too, as there’s plenty of people who think these vibrant colors look amazing against a dark (tan) Asian complexion.

Have you considered going red? Or, perhaps, you have a firsthand experience you’d like to share? Do tell! I’ve never gotten enough courage to go red all the way (just some fool-proof streaks) but I’m sure it would be fun to hear what choosing the perfect red shade had been for you brave girls!