subject: Do You Have What It Takes To Be A Redhead? [print this page] Redheads are famous in western folklore for having naturally fiery dispositions. Plus, because natural carrot tops can be rare among women worldwide, it's no wonder that auburn tones have an undeniable appeal for girls that want to go for a new look.
Unfortunately, however, some girls that try to turn the flame on their luscious locks go all wrong with the look for a variety of reasons. Either they have the wrong skin tone, the wrong texture, or take the wrong path to achieve their color. So if you're thinking of going the red route, you need to make sure you've got what it takes.
Just like any other hair color, red comes with varying levels of highlights and lowlights, along with a range of light and dark shades. If your hair is naturally very dark, it can be difficult to override black or dark brown tones without the right approach.
Sometimes color stripping is necessary--especially if you have previously dyed your hair black--but this in turn makes it more difficult for your hair to maintain any color for awhile, meaning that even when you do go red, the color will fade or wash out much faster than it would otherwise.
Skin tone is often the largest influencing factor when it comes to how the color looks on you. If you want to make the leap, then it is best if you have fair skin. If you're not sure which shade of auburn would correlate best with your skin--or if any of them would--then have a chat with a skilled stylist. S/he will be able to give you the best advice, along with a top-quality dye job.
You will definitely want to avoid using a box color from the drugstore when you go red. Why? Even in the best of conditions, auburn fades quickly, and over-the-counter color is heavy in damaging chemicals, including ammonia, which causes breakage and split ends, so every time you perform a touchup, your hair will not be thanking you.
So you should make sure you have it professionally done. Use a salon-approved color-safe shampoo and conditioner. Talk to your stylist before buying a deep conditioning treatment or going through such a service at your hair salon, as deep conditioners tend to fade color faster.
The color of your eyebrows is relatively important when it comes to making the transition. Most natural redheads have blonde eyebrows, but you shouldn't feel compelled to dye yours. It is better to use an eyebrow pencil to lighten or darken them, but if you want to make a more dramatic change, don't dye them on your own--go to the salon!
