Red hair comes in many different shades, but one thing’s for sure. It is an eye-catching look that is a crowd favorite. However, dying your hair red is a bold move in more ways than one. There is a lot of commitment and things to consider when giving this look a try.
To make sure you are fully informed and don’t get yourself into a situation that you might regret, I am going to give you a quick list of things to know to answer the question: should I dye my hair red?
Things to Know
Red hair has a lot of things attached to it, so here’s a quick list of the biggest tips for dying red hair and what to expect before, during, and after:
1. Skin Tone and Color
When choosing the best color of red for you, you should make sure that it compliments your skin tone. This is going to be a huge make or break moment for whether your red hair look suits you or not. This is not necessarily a distinction between light and dark skin tones, but rather warm and cool undertones. Once you find out which category you can fit under, light or dark skin tone, then you can pair your hair accordingly.
It’s a pretty simple pairing. Cool toned skin goes with cool toned hair and warm toned skin goes with warm toned hair. This will ensure that your hair looks cohesive with your skin.
2. Be Ready to Commit
Red coloring doesn’t go away easily. Because of the long process and difficulty it takes to apply red to begin with, it is not easy to go back and switch up your look after the fact. That being said, when you do take the leap and decide to go red, you need to stay committed until you are ready for loads of work to change your color again.
When you do decide for a change of color, try a gradual process where you incorporate highlights into the red and work your way up to the color of choice. Others also cover their red with dark brown if you aren’t a fan of going lighter. Whatever you do, do not bleach over your red locks, this is extremely damaging and can result in loads of issues for your hair health.
3. Take your Wardrobe into Consideration
It’s no secret that red hair comes in many shapes and sizes. That being said, it can be easy to forget that your hair is an accessory to the rest of your outfit. Let me explain. Let’s say your classic style is a classy, neutral pallet. Assuming that you plan on sticking to your preferred wardrobe, it might not be a good idea to try out a bright red that is going to contrast with this style.
Vice versa, a neutral red option might be a bit strange for those who typically dress the opposite extreme of casual and colorful. Whichever color you choose, consider that it is going to be something each of your looks need to work well with.
Cons
Now, let’s talk about the reasons not to dye your hair red. Here’s a quick list of cons to help you stay informed and warn you of any reasons you could regret your decision.
1. Shade Matching
When you go in for a touch up, which is crucial to keeping your hair looking good, it can be a hard task even for a gifted salon professional to match your original color perfectly. Like I’ve already said, red comes in many shapes and sizes, so finding that exact shape and size is not an easy task. If you are a perfectionist like myself, this will be a huge downside to choosing red for your next look.
2. Hurt to the Wallet
I already said it. You can expect frequent visits to the salon to ensure you keep your locks looking vibrant. With lots of salon visits comes lots of major hits to your bank account. If you are looking for a financially beneficial color option, red is not the choice for you.
Instead, try an option that doesn’t involve many touch ups or doesn’t fade as fast. This will help your hair as well as your wallet.
3. All Eyes on You
This point is a blessing and a cause. Red is a sure eye catcher. That being said, if you don’t like being the center of attention or have a profession where you need to be able to blend in more often than not, this is a big no.
Also, red draws attention to any problems you have with the health of your hair. Split ends, lack of styling, and the plethora of other issues you can have from unhealthy hair will be on full blast when you opt for red.
Whatever decision you decide, be sure you are prepared for the aftermath. If you still want to give red a try, go for it! It is still a beautiful look.
