best red hair dye long waves

How to Choose the Best Red Hair Dye for Your Skin Tone

Find your perfect match with this guide.

One question we are always asked is: “How do I pick the best red hair dye for my skin tone?” We get why this is tricky. Mainly because we’ve been down this road before and clearly learned from our mistakes. Luckily, since we’re like guinea pigs over here (no complaints, we love it!) we can help you out. When deciding on a new hair color, considering your skin tone is a great way to determine the shade of color you should get. One of our favorite hair colors is red, the options are endless with this hair color. Whether you’re looking to change your entire hair color, or dip into this trend (quite literally) by trying red with streaks, read on to learn more about how you can find the best red hair dye for your skin tone.

Red Hair Dye for Your Skin Tone

Red hair colors are usually classified in two ways. Either warm with orange undertones or cool with violet undertones. An easy way to figure out your skin tone is by taking the old-fashioned vein test. Simply look at the inner part of your wrist and identify the color of your veins. What color do you see? If you have greenish-looking veins, you’re warm. On the other hand, if you have bluish-looking veins, you’re cool. Keep in mind, veins are naturally blue, it appears a different color (green for instance) when cast by the color of your skin.

best red hair dye orange hair
Red-orange hues stand out against cool skin tones. Photo credit: indigitalimages.com

Red Hair Dye For Cool Skin Tones

Red hair dye: orange-y reds, copper tones, cinnamon tones

If your skin is fair to medium, it usually appears with a peach-looking or beige undertone. On deeper skin, you have a blueish undertone. On both, your veins appear to be on the bluer side. Orange reds, and rich cinnamon hues would contrast nicely against your cool skin tone as it brightens up your features. If your skin is on the fairer end of the spectrum stick to medium auburn reds, which doesn’t wash you out. Darker skin tones—whether you’re olive or dark brown— can highlight their complexions with copper reds.

best red hair dye on long waves
Deep red offers a radiant glow against warm skin tones.

Red Hair Dye For Warm Skin Tones

Red hair dye: Deep blue-based reds, violet reds

If your skin is fair to medium, it usually appears with a yellow or golden undertone or a pale with peach undertones. On the deeper skin, you’ll find golden undertones underneath the surface of your skin—whether you’re medium brown to dark brown. For fair to medium skin opt for super red hair dyes to bring out the tone of your skin. If you fall on the deeper end of the warm skin tone spectrum try out a pomegranate red hair dye to give your skin a radiant glow.

One of the biggest misconceptions when it comes to choosing hair colors, is that you have to play by the rules. Let us take a huge weight off your shoulders by letting you know that you don’t. To play it safe abide by these tips, but if you are having fun and want to experiment with different shades of red, go for it!

Pro tip: Coloring your hair permanently is a commitment, unlike other hair colors, red tends to fade quickly. To maintain your vibrant hue you’re either taking more trips to the salon or spending more time on your at home. Either way, the sultry look of this hair color is well worth the maintenance. To keep your hair color looking full with life keep it refreshed with a hair care system like TRESemmé Color Revitalize Shampoo and TRESemmé Color Revitalize Conditioner.

Looking for more ideas for red hair? Check out four ways to style your red hair.

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