Best redhead hair dyes for red and ginger hair 2024

My earlier post about how to dye hair red or ginger was really popular and I’m often asked which are the best red hair dyes for dying your hair red at home so I’ve scoured the high street to create a list of the dyes available.

Choosing a shade of red hair dye is as simple as a) deciding if you want to go red or ginger / orange and b) working out your base hair colour.

Which shade of red hair dye should I choose?

1. You need to work out your base hair colour shade. This is your natural colour before you dye it:

shades 10-7 = blonde
shades 8-6 = ginger / redhead
shades 6-3 = brunette / brown hair
shades 2-1 = black hair

For example, my natural red hair has lots of brown so my base colour is 7.

Should I dye my hair red or ginger?

You have two choices – either add copper tones (to dye it ginger) or red tones (to dye it red).

Please note I am NOT a hairdresser so please read the instructions and check with a professional before using any dyes if you’re unsure, this is just to help see what shades are available across different brands.

You can also then choose your hair colour by picking a shade according to your base colour. I’ve listed them by base colours below to help you choose the right shade of red hair dye for you.

Choosing a hair dye for ginger hair / redhead

Your natural hair colour is bleached, light blonde or strawberry blonde (shade 10-9) and you want to dye your hair bright orange / ginger

Proper Copper  – Bleach London: semi permanent, lasts 2-10 washes
Fluorescent Orange – La Riche Directions: Semi-Perm Hair Colour
085 Vibrant Orange – Schwarzkopf Live Ultra Brights
030 Mango Twist – Schwarzkopf Live Ultra Brights

Dye bleached, light blonde or strawberry blonde (shade 10-9) hair bright red

043 Red Passion – Schwarzkopf LIVE Intense Colour
044 Berry Red – Schwarzkopf LIVE Intense Colour
035 Real Red.- Schwarzkopf LIVE Intense Colour
08 Cranberry Bliss – Schwarzkopf LIVE Intense Colour
092 Pillar Box Red – Schwarzkopf LIVE Ultra Brights
8.624 Bright Red – L’Oreal Preference

Dye blonde, strawberry blonde or light ginger (shade 9-8) hair red / ginger / copper

8.34 Rich Copper Gold – Superdrug Radiance
8.45 Fire Red – Superdrug Radiance
8 Born Red – Nice ‘n Easy

Dye dark blonde or ginger (shade 7) hair ginger or red

7.64 Intense Copper – Garnier Nutrisse Ultra Colour
7.5 Ravishing Red – Superdrug Colour Vibrance
7.4 Intense Red – Superdrug Colour Vibrance
7.40 Intense Copper – Garnier Olia
7.432 Mango Intense Copper – L’Oreal Preference Meta Vivids
7.4 Mango Copper – L’Oreal Preference
7.4 Mango Copper Burst – Superdrug Colour Vibrance

Your natural colour is dark ginger or brunette (shade 6) and you want a deep red or ginger shade:

6.88 Intense Red – L’Oreal Color Expert
6.7 Scarlett Power – L’Oreal Preference Infinia
6.6 Fiery Red – Garnier Nutrisse
6.66 Vivid Garnet Red – Garnier Olia (Perm)
6.60 Intense Red – Garnier Olia
6.46 Light Copper Red – L’Oreal Excellence Creme
6.45 Amber – L’Oreal Casting Creme Gloss
6.45 Intense Copper Auburn – L’Oreal Preference
6.403 Copper – L’Oreal Preference Meta Vivids 
6 Born Red – Nice ‘n Easy

Your natural hair colour is dark brunette / brown (shade 5) and you want to add red or ginger tones.

5.65 Berry Red – L’Oreal Casting Creme Gloss
5.62 Vibrant Red- Garnier Nutrisse

Your natural colour is dark brown or black (shade 4,3,2) and you want to add a deep red or ginger tone.

L75 Deep Red – Schwarzkopf Colour and Lift
L74 Tangerine Twist – Schwarzkopf Colour and Lift

4.62 Dark Garnet Red – Garnier Olia
4.5 Auburn – Garnier Nutrisse

3.6 Deep Reddish Brown – Garnier Nutrisse Creme

2.6 Dark Cherry – Garnier Nutrisse Ultra Color

Have you tried any of these? Let me know!  Any favourites?

Best hair dyes for red and ginger hair

My earlier post about how to dye hair red or ginger was really popular and I’m often asked which are the best red hair dyes for dying your hair red at home so I’ve scoured the high street to create a list of the dyes available.

Choosing a shade of red hair dye is as simple as a) deciding if you want to go red or ginger / orange and b) working out your base hair colour.

Which shade of red hair dye should I choose?

1. You need to work out your base hair colour shade. This is your natural colour before you dye it:

shades 10-7 = blonde
shades 8-6 = ginger / redhead
shades 6-3 = brunette / brown hair
shades 2-1 = black hair

For example, my natural red hair has lots of brown so my base colour is 7.

Should I dye my hair red or ginger?

You have two choices – either add copper tones (to dye it ginger) or red tones (to dye it red).

Please note I am NOT a hairdresser so please read the instructions and check with a professional before using any dyes if you’re unsure, this is just to help see what shades are available across different brands.

You can also then choose your hair colour by picking a shade according to your base colour. I’ve listed them by base colours below to help you choose the right shade of red hair dye for you.

Choosing a hair dye for ginger hair / redhead

Your natural hair colour is bleached, light blonde or strawberry blonde (shade 10-9) and you want to dye your hair bright orange / ginger

Proper Copper  – Bleach London: semi permanent, lasts 2-10 washes
Orangehair – Colorista Washout semi-permanent

Your natural hair colour is bleached, light blonde or strawberry blonde (shade 10-9)  and you want to dye your hair bright red

9.2 Pillarbox Red – Live Ultra Brights
Real Red – Schwarzkopf Live Intense Colour
Ronde – Colorista Paint Copper
Red – Pick and Mix Colour Semi Permanent

Your natural hair colour is blonde, strawberry blonde or light ginger (shade 9-8) and you want to dye your hair red or ginger

8.34 Rich Copper Gold – Superdrug Radiance
8.45 Fire Red – Superdrug Radiance
8 Born Red – Nice ‘n Easy

Your natural hair colour is a dark blonde or ginger (shade 7) and you want to dye your hair ginger or red

7.8 Paprika Power – L’Oreal Preference Infinia

7.64 Intense Copper – Garnier Nutrisse Ultra Colour
7.6 Spice Power – L’Oreal Preference Infinia

7.5 Ravishing Red – Superdrug Colour Vibrance

7.4 Intense Red – Superdrug Colour Vibrance
7.40 Intense Copper – Garnier Olia
7.4 Mango Intense Copper – L’Oreal Preference Infinia
7.4 Mango Copper Burst – Superdrug Colour Vibrance

Your natural colour is dark ginger or brunette (shade 6) and you want a deep red or ginger shade:

6.88 Intense Red – L’Oreal Color Expert

6.7 Scarlett Power – L’Oreal Preference Infinia

6.6 Fiery Red – Garnier Nutrisse
6.6 Intense Red – Garnier Olia (Perm)
6.6 Intense Red – Garnier Nutrisse

6.46 Light Copper Red – L’Oreal Excellence Creme
6.45 Amber – L’Oreal Casting Creme Gloss
6.45 Intense Copper Auburn – L’Oreal Preference

6 Born Red – Nice ‘n Easy

Your natural hair colour is dark brunette / brown (shade 5) and you want to add red or ginger tones.

5.65 Berry Red – L’Oreal Casting Creme Gloss
5.62 Vibrant Red– Garnier Nutrisse
5.6 Hot Chilli Red – L’Oreal Preference Infinia

Your natural colour is dark brown or black (shade 4,3,2) and you want to add a deep red or ginger tone.

4.6 Deep Red – Garnier Olia
4.6 Deep Red – Garnier Nutrisse
4.6 Pure Ruby Power – L’Oreal Preference Infinia

3.6 Deep Reddish Brown – Garnier Nutrisse Creme

2.6 Dark Cherry – Garnier Nutrisse Ultra Color

Have you tried any of these? Let me know!  Any favourites?

Get the Look: Sheridan Smith in Cilla

Have you been watching Cilla, the new three-part biopic about sixties redhead Cilla Black? Sheridan Smith looks AMAZING as a redhead. I loved her style before when she played a redhead in Mrs Biggs, so couldn’t wait when I heard she was returning to our screens as Cilla.  The sixties dresses and hair are to die for.

 

Get the Look: Sixties Tartan Dress

Tartan often makes an autumn comeback, and it’s big for autumn/winter 2014. Its practical colour combinations and no-nonsense print means you can go for more subtle version for the office or punk it up for weekend coffees with the girls. Here’s how to get wear your tartan dress, Cilla-style.

 

LONG-SLEEVES, DON’T CARE

Indi check dress*,£12, Boohoo.com

At only £12, this dress is an absolute steal. The long sleeves and high neckline are great for the colder months but the mid calf length stops it from being too frumpy. Team it up with tights and boots.

GOING OUR SEPARATE WAYS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check Top*, £16 and Check Pencil Skirt*, £25 both Miss Selfridge

The thing I like about these coordinated separates is that you get several outfits for the price of one. Wear together as a dress, the skirt with a top or shirt and the top with trousers and bingo, three outfits! Plus if you want to go crazy, you can even buy matching leggings!

THE OFFICE VIXEN

Check Pencil Dress* £25, Dorothy Perkins

You can’t go wrong with a pencil dress. This fitted, cap sleeved dress from Dorothy Perkins is the perfect way to wear the trend in the office.

TARTAN WITH A TWIST

Cindy Turtle Neck Dress, £38, Motel

Ok, so not quite 1960s, but there’s something about this plaid print dress that I just love. Wear it on its own for a night out, or slip it on over some warm woolly tights and a nice sensible coat and you’re good to go.

In case you missed the first episode, here’s a preview! Let me know if you’d like to see more of Cilla’s style!

Dainty Doll Make up Sale

I’m a big fan of fellow redhead Nicola Roberts’ Dainty Doll range, but it’s normally too expensive to indulge in many items. But fear not, because you can now get your hands on it from just 99p!  It’s designed especially for pale skins and red or ginger hair so you’re bound to find something you like. 

**Updated September 2014 – most of the items have now gone**

View all the Dainty Doll Sale Make Up

Dainty Doll Eyeshadow

Eyeshadow, 99p, Dainty Doll
Available in shades: 002 Treat her like a lady 004 Copacabana, 006 Kingston Town,  008 Jungle

 

False Eyelashes

Fling Short Length Brown Lashes, £1.99, Dainty Doll

Let me know what you bought! – tweet me a picture @IntotheRedblog or find me on Facebook 

Where have all the famous redheads gone?

It seems a lot of famous redheads have gone blonde lately.  Blonde is one of the few colours that natural redheads and gingers can carry off well, as long as you get the right shade for your skin tone.  Here are the red hot blondes, and the red nots who should stay ginger.

Nicola Roberts

Girls Aloud’s Nicola has gone blonde, and I rather like it. She’s always been a hair colour chameleon but this blonde works really well with her super pale skin. Her look just gets better and better. Verdict: RED HOT

Lily Cole

Hmm.  Ginger roots with blonde – this looks like a home hair dye job gone badly wrong. I love Lily as a redhead and this blonde just doesn’t work. Verdict: RED NOT.

Gillian Anderson

Scully’s nineties-tastic ginger bob is a distant memory now that Gillian’s gone blonde. Here she is at a recent event. I think the blonde really suits her. Verdict: RED HOT

Cynthia Nixon

Cynthia is a natural blonde but will forever be redheaded Miranda Hobbes in my mind. I can forgive her the cut (as she shaved her

head for a recent role) but the colour is really bad. Come back into the red! Verdict: RED NOT

Get the look: Jessica Chastain’s laidback style

Jessica Chastain looks stunning on the set of her latest film ‘The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby in a comfy, yet chic blue playsuit. The colour contrasts perfectly with her cropped ginger hair and the look is rounded off with simple suede pumps.

Photo: jessica-chastain.com

Get the look…

This George at Asda playsuit, £14 is a pretty good match for Jessica’s. It’s available in a pretty bright blue with straps that are thick enough to cover your bra straps but still show some flesh. The tie waist will pull you in perfectly and give you a lovely feminine shape.

Playsuit: George at Asda 

Another option is this Urban Outfitters Kimchi blue button front playsuit £10 (reduced from £48) in the sale. It’s a bit more revealing and cleavagy but the slinky fabric looks tres chic. And for £10, it’s a total steal.

Button front playsuit: Urban Outfitters

Complete the look with these Office black suede slip ons for £48. There are lots of cheaper flats out there but I like that these are real suede.

Suede pumps: Office 

To get Jessica’s natural make up, apply a hint of peach blush, a soft grey eyeshadow and a berry lipstick.

Superdrug Colour Effects Wash in Wash Out in Warm Copper Gold

This is my favourite hair discovery of the year, and it’s only £1.29 from Superdrug! It’s a wash in, wash out colour boost conditioner in a warm copper tone.

The shade is warm copper gold 7.34, which is a perfect colour for natural redheads and ginger haired girls who want to brighten up their red hair. If you want longer lasting results you’ll need to use a semi or permanent dye, this won’t dye your hair, it just boosts the colour – see How to dye hair red/ginger – but to brightening up your colour this is ideal.

It’s basically like those colour shampoo and conditioners you get, but rather than the usual blonde, brown or red this one’s for GINGERS! You just apply it after you’ve washed your hair, leave it for a while (I leave it on longer than the 5 minutes it suggests) then rinse out. Warning: the water will run orange!

I use it when my permanent tint starts to fade but I don’t have long enough roots to get it re-dyed. It comes in a travel-friendly 75ml size which makes it ideal for holidays and weekends away and it lasts way longer than the 3 washes suggested on the label too.

Best face sunscreen for redheads

Facial sunscreen is an absolute essential part of a redhead’s beauty regime. I loathe wearing thick greasy suncreams – especially as I have to reapply them so often – so it’s really important to have a nice and light cream with a high SPF.

The SPF (Sun protection factor) shows how well a sunscreen protects you from UVB rays, the harmful rays that cause burning.  You also need to look at the UVA rating of a sunscreen too, as these are the rays that cause unseen skin damage, ageing and wrinkles.

What SPF should I use on my face as a redhead with pale skin and freckles?
Experts suggest wearing a minimum of SPF 15. Redheads with fair skin who burn easily and rarely or never tan are at higher risk of skin cancer, so you should wear a minimum SPF of 30 in the summer, with high UVA protection. There are really high SPFs available  – up to SPF110 – but some dermatologists say anything over SPF45 won’t make much difference. An SPF110 sunscreen only blocks less than 1% more UV radiation than an SPF55. But there’s no harm in having a higher SPF – for my face I never use less than SPF40 all year round, and for my body I always use SPF50.

Can I just use a moisturiser or foundation with an SPF?
It’s always a bonus if you use a product with suncreen in it, but these are often too low for bright sunshine (e.g. SPF 15) and won’t offer protection for the whole day.  Experts say you should reapply sunscreen at least every two hours (more if you’re in the sun, sweating etc) so even if I’m wearing products with an SPF I always wear a separate sunscreen and top it up during the day.

What’s the difference between chemical and barrier / mineral sunscreen?
Chemical sunscreens are absorbed into your skin and absorb UV radiation (which is why you should apply these sunscreens well before you go out into the sun) whereas barrier sunblocks made from zinc or titanium oxide sit on your skin and reflect the rays so they work instantly.

Mineral sunscreen is better for sensitive skin and kinder to the environment than chemical sunscreens, and zinc and titanium oxide don’t break down when exposed to the sun, unlike some chemicals in chemical sunscreens. The downside is that mineral sunscreens can make you look ghostly white and feel less pleasant on your skin. I’ve tried Liz Earle Mineral Sun Cream SPF20 and hated how it just sat on top of my skin and made me look ghostly white. RoC Minesol SPF 40 is a better option if you want to use a mineral sunscreen but I much prefer chemical sunscreens.

Protect your face and body
Don’t forget to put sunscreen on your hair parting, backs of your hands and on your neck and decolletage as these areas are exposed to the sun lots too. Stave off those wrinkles!

Best daily face sunscreen for redheads:

Clinique Super City Block SPF40, £16

I love City Block and have been wearing it for years. It comes in a 40ml tube, perfect for popping in your handbag so you can reapply during the day, and you don’t need much so it lasts for ages.  Unlike traditional gloopy white sunscreens it’s got a light tint so it feels like a tinted moisturiser, and it protects against UVA and UVB.

The main reason I love it is because it’s such a nice consistency that I don’t feel like I’m applying sunscreen and that I can wear it alone or under my usual makeup.The downsides are that it makes your face look a little greasy when you first apply it but I find this goes quickly. If you’re wearing moisturiser underneath let it sink in first before applying City Block.

Best face sunscreen for on holiday for redheads:

Vichy Capital Soleil Mattifying Face Fluid Dry Touch SPF 50 (combination to oily) £12.35

This is another great sunscreen. I’ve suggested this one for holidays because it’s got a higher SPF, the downside is it’s much thicker when you first put it on.

Leave it a moment and your skin will mattify and won’t feel greasy at all! I’ve never found this in shops so I always buy it online. It protects against UVA and UVB.

 

 

 

 
Which sunscreens do you use, and what SPF? Any recommendations for other redheads?

Tilda Swinton – ginger style queen

Tilda Swinton is barely recognisable on the cover of Candy magazine. Channelling her inner Florence, she’s sporting a long ginger wig, matching heavy eye make up and a huge golden dress by Antony Price for the special limited edition ‘extra extravagance’ issue of the transversal style magazine.

The styling by Jerry Stafford is a big departure from Tilda’s usual red carpet style of slicked back hair and suits and I like it! Plus she looks far younger than 51.

Photos: Xevi Muntane/Candy

Princess Beatrice looks peachy

She often gets it wrong when it comes to fashion (remember THAT royal wedding hat?) but Princess Beatrice looks surprisingly good in this peach dress by Roksanda Ilincic.

The blue cuffs and blue platforms make the outfit for me. As a redhead, without these she could look washed out. I think the neckline is a little high – it could do with being lower or adding some jewellery to break up the block shape.  The Anya Hindmarch sparkly pink clutch also perks up the outfit.

Source: Daily Mail

What do you think? Would you wear peach?