Nature was supposed to give me red hair.

[BamaTanya]

My dad had auburn hair. My uncle red. Tons of cousins have red hair in all the different shades. I have/had the red headed complexion -- fair with freckles.

 

Mine? Mine was light brown with reddish tones in the sunlight. Blonde streaks every summer that I tried to maintain with lemon juice. Once a high school friend noted my hair looked like copper when we were outside for an assembly. :D It was the nicest thing anyone had ever said about my looks.

 

Of course, that fair skin drove me to the wisdom of sun-avoidance, hopefully before too much damage was done. :glare: That fair and sensitive skin is plagued by sensitivity to almost everything, and even though I've outgrown acne, it still breaks out in reddish patches of dermatitis similar to rosacea.

 

I got older. I lost the bright color in summer and turned a mousy brown. Flat, like the woods in winter.

 

And then gray. :tongue_smilie:

 

And so I turned to boxes to brighten my head again like the sun once did.

 

Early in this journey I tried a shade called "light reddish brown" and it looked so fake. :confused: I turned to ash shades instead . . . .

 

Last week when we were discussing colors and I was saying something about whether I should choose a darker shade, a relative (not from the red-headed side!) told me, "You'd look so pretty with more red in your hair."

 

I've completely avoided any red tones since that one unfortunate experience, and I was afraid to try because of the skin flare-ups I sometimes have.

 

Could it be I've been wrong? Is there a red shade that would suit me? Can red flatter a middle-aged woman who was always supposed to be a red head?

 

Is there an inexpensive way to find out?

[Sara in AZ]

I say go for it, as long as it is a natural looking shade. I love red hair! The gene is unpredictable, though. We were totally shocked when our oldest DD came out with red hair. Although, on further reflection we realized that My grandmother, an aunt, two cousins, my own sister and DH's grandmother are all redheads. We should have at least suspected it as a possibility, in spite of ourselves being two towheads. :001_smile:

[KungFuPanda]

Why not try one of those sites where you load up your picture and try different colors? My hair is coppery red, and I think it's flattering on a middle age woman. :D As a lifelong redhead who likes to spot the fakes, I'll tell you that complexion is a BIG giveaway. If you have a deep, golden tan, that red hair dye can look off if you're not careful with the shade. Since you have the skin, you can probably pull it off. Black eyelashes and eyebrows are another giveaway. Most natural redheads don't have black lashes or brows.

 

Why don't you take a relative who has skin like yours and match their shade to a hair dye? Uncle Joe might not go for it, but in a family of redheads, SOMEONE should be willing to shop with you.

[Crimson Wife]

I'm fair and a carrier of the red hair gene because my DS has red hair (my grandpa and one of my brothers were/are redheads as well). However, I tried dark strawberry blonde one time and it looked AWFUL on me. My skin tone has pink undertones and I need a cool shade of blonde. :glare:

[jeninok]

My hair is almost red, lots of copper and honey and amber shades. I have the green eyes and freckles but olive undertones which tan easily.

 

I always go for the shades called light golden brown, or light amber. Any shades with red in the name turn my hair a horrible shade of Ronald Mcdonald, but the warm lightest browns will bring out the red that is lurking, and gets rid of that brassy summer ugliness. It isn't RED, but it brings out the warm tones and looks really natural.

[IsabelC]

You could experiment with henna for a more natural reddish color.

[Mom in High Heels]

My dad had auburn hair. My uncle red. Tons of cousins have red hair in all the different shades. I have/had the red headed complexion -- fair with freckles.

 

Are we sisters??? My dad's entire family has red hair. Beautiful red hair! Mine was red when I was born and it was so pretty. When I turned 4 it started going darker and ended up being some sort of dark auburn that only really had any depth if I was standing in the sun, which, having the red head complexion, is not something I would do often. Boo! I do have actual red hairs though, which is weird. They're the thick, wiry red hairs that people with the curly red hair have.

I started dying my hair when I was about 15 and always went for a blond shade, but unless I had it professionally done, always pulled red, so I was a strawberry-blond.

I finally quit fighting it and went red for a long time and it looked good, but I got bored and changed the color again to a blonder shade (again it pulled red). I recently went to a dark auburn, which pulls red, but is quite subtle and looks really good with my complexion. Oh, and I'm staring 40 right in the eyes (6 more months). I am currently using L'oreal Color Expert Express shade 6.1. It's actually an ash brown, but it pulls red for me. This is one of the kit that has the highlight step after the main color step and my highlights really pull it. They have a slightly more red shade that I've used and looks good but I get tired of having the same color hair all the time, so I have to mix it up. :001_smile:

[Mergath]

I'd say save up the cash and hit a good salon for your hair color. I used boxed hair color in college, and even the "good" ones looked terrible. Then I went to a salon to have it done, and wow, was there a difference. My hair looked absolutely gorgeous. It's worth the money.

[freeindeed]

Clairol Natural Instincts or Nice 'n Easy has given me nice color. I use the auburn shades.

[Tap]

If you are going grey, please go to a salon to have it done for at least the first time. The color will take differently on the grey hair that the brown and you can end up with a mess.

 

The salon can give you a good start, help you select a color and give you advice for the future DIY (depends on the stylist--some won't share their secrets). If they give you advice for DIY, tip VERY well!

[Kim in Appalachia]

If you are going grey, please go to a salon to have it done for at least the first time. The color will take differently on the grey hair that the brown and you can end up with a mess.

 

The salon can give you a good start, help you select a color and give you advice for the future DIY (depends on the stylist--some won't share their secrets). If they give you advice for DIY, tip VERY well!

 

:iagree:

 

Plus red is hard to get right.

 

I can sympathize. My sister has red hair, and all of my cousins are red head or blond. I am the lone brunette (my mom is a brunette, like her dad). I've always wanted red hair, but I really don't have the right complexion. But when I go all grey, I may go for it. :D

[Mommyfaithe]

I'd say save up the cash and hit a good salon for your hair color. I used boxed hair color in college, and even the "good" ones looked terrible. Then I went to a salon to have it done, and wow, was there a difference. My hair looked absolutely gorgeous. It's worth the money.

 

:iagree:

I finally broke down and paid to have it done....oh my goodness, what a difference! It looks gorgeous...and since I am mostly gray now, I can choose the color I want!

 

blondes do have more fun!:D

[Mom-ninja.]

For what it's worth I don't think red hair has anything to do with acne and roscea. I have both and have brown hair and brown eyes and can get very tan if I exposed my skin to the sun.

 

That said, I have a red head ds. Once upon a time I had my hair colored to match his. My dh loved it and said red hair suits me.

 

The only reason I stopped is because the upkeep is expensive. I think the *only* way to get a good red is to go to a talented color expert. It's the only way it won't look fake. No one ever thought my hair color was fake all though having a red headed toddler in tow helps fool people. ;)

[momto2Cs]

You could experiment with henna for a more natural reddish color.

 

:iagree: Here's a henna color chart that might be handy. Hmmm... methinks I should use some!

[jeninok]

My great aunt uses the clear Henna on her hair and it makes it shinier, thicker and just lovely. It also gives her grey just a hint of blonde, quite lovely.