As my daughter's teacher, Dale, asked me what she could do to give her hair a little more vavoom, I happened to catch a glimpse of a picture of Emma Stone at the Golden Globes. With Valentine's Day around the corner, I was immediately inspired. How about becoming a vibrant redhead? (It's hard to say no to me when I get beauty inspiration so she timidly agreed.) Rather than making a mess of my bathroom and Dale's hair, I consulted Paul Labrecque, owner and chief creative officer of Paul Labrecque Salon and Spa in New York City to help me navigate the world of red. I knew Dale would be the perfect redhead and she was game to change her look. Click here to see her incredible transformation. If you want to do the same, Paul Labreque told me what you need to know.
EK:What skin tone should never be red?
PL: I would advise women with olive and dark skin tones not to go red.
EK:What questions should you ask a colourist before going red?
PL: How much will the entire service cost? What colour red do you think would look best with my skin tone and eye colour? How often will I need to come in for touch ups/maintenance? What types of hair products will I need to use?
EK:Should you go red at home?
PL: Please don't because it's very difficult and tricky! The evenness of the colour depends on how porous your hair is, what colour it currently is and the overall condition it's in. I wouldn't recommend going red at home. It's best to make an appointment with a professional stylist if you plan on becoming a redhead.
EK: If you do go red, how should you maintain it?
PL: Use a shampoo and conditioner that's specifically designed for colour-treated hair. Check the label to see if it's enriched with sunscreen/UVA/UVB filters and enriched with conditioning agents.
EK: After going red, should you change your makeup?
PL: Absolutely. Salome Figueroa, a makeup artist at my salon suggests the following:
Lipstick
For copper, strawberry and violet-based red hues, browns and sheer berries always work well. If you like red lipstick, choose one with an orange undertone. If your hue is more violet, red lipstick should have a blue undertone.
Avoid purple lipsticks or gloss! It looks really harsh and dull. It's best to experiment with a few of your favourite shades once you make the "redhead" change to see what looks good on you.
Eye shadow
You can play up your eyes using gold, brown, copper, khaki/olive, greens and greys. Avoid light blues and oranges.
Mascara options
Black mascara brings out any eye colour and it looks lovely on redheads. Don't use brown mascara because it "flattens" your eyes and won't make them stand out.
**Some Other Makeup Suggestions & Tips**
If you want to play up your eyes, keep you lip colour sheer. If you want your lips to really be emphasized, make them stronger and brighter with a bold colour and go softer with your eyes -- use a black or grey eyeliner to complete the look. Remember, always use black mascara if you're going to use mascara. It frames the face and gives it a warmer look, which is very attractive on redheads.
If you think you could be a redhead, now is the time. Its all the rage and nothing says "be my valentine" like gorgeous red hair!
RELATED: Our Favourite Redheads
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