Best colors for redheads

Why these shades suit redheads

If your hair is naturally red, your skin most likely has a warm undertone. That's the subtle golden or pink tint sitting just beneath the skin's surface. It doesn't change, whether you're pale in winter or tanned in summer.

Camel, terracotta and soft peach echo that golden warmth. Worn together with your hair, they look like a matched set, and in daylight your skin appears smooth and even.

Greens suit red hair for another reason. Sage, olive and emerald sit far from red, so they deepen and enrich copper. Teal and turquoise blend blue into a warm base, which works far better on golden skin than a straight, cold blue would.

These are the shades that suit most redheads:

• Ivory, a light and creamy neutral
• Camel, a gentle warm neutral
• Soft peach, best for lighter features
• Coral, a warm pink-orange with a fresh feel
• Terracotta, an earthy and rich red-brown
• Sage, a muted green with a touch of gray
• Olive, a deep and earthy green
• Emerald, a clear green with jewel brightness
• Teal, a deep shade of blue-green
• Turquoise, a bright shade of blue-green

Does undertone matter here?

Yes, it does. Red hair alone doesn't settle your season: your own skin and level of contrast count as well. Contrast means how far apart your skin, hair and eyes are in lightness.

Most natural redheads fit into 1 of 4 seasons, and each draws on a different slice of the list.

Red dye over cool skin is another story. Warm shades can pull against your skin in that case, so teal and emerald are the safer bets. Both sit somewhere between warm and cool, and they connect your hair to your face.

Shades to pass over with red hair

Black and pure white both run too harsh for most redheads. Black sits heavily near the face and tends to deepen the hollows under your eyes and chin. Stark white strips the warmth from your cheeks, which can leave fair skin looking gray.

Cool and icy shades bring their own trouble:

• Fuchsia starts from a heavy blue base, which fights copper and orange tones.
• Bright cobalt can drown out soft features, so the shirt draws the eye before your face does.
• Icy lilac is so frosty that warm skin can turn sallow and tired-looking.

You don't need to cut these out completely. They simply work best farther from your face: in pants, skirts or shoes.

How to place your best shades near the face

The shades that matter most are the ones close to your chin, because light reflects off them up onto your skin. That's why tops, collars, scarves and jackets are the best place to begin.

A few simple swaps go a long way:

• Go for creamy ivory rather than stark white on T-shirts and blouses.
• Swap a black coat for one in camel or olive.
• If you like a dark top, layer an emerald or teal scarf over it.

Makeup follows the same warm idea. Soft peach or coral dabbed on the lips and cheeks creates a natural flush. Terracotta suits an evening look with more depth, and brown mascara is gentler beside red lashes and brows than black would be.

Testing your colors at home

A selfie won't tell you much, since phone cameras and indoor bulbs both distort skin color. A mirror beside a window in daylight shows you something closer to the truth.

Draping is an easy way to compare shades. You hold a piece of fabric just under your chin and keep your eyes on your face rather than the fabric.

1. Stand at a window in daylight, bare-faced, so you're seeing your true skin.
2. Hold camel or another warm shade under your chin and study your skin for a few seconds.
3. Trade it for a cool shade such as icy lilac and compare.
4. See which one keeps your skin looking even and fresh, and which one brings out shadows or grayness.

To narrow your season down, the site's quiz walks you through 3 questions, one to a screen. It asks about gold versus silver, whether your features are light, medium or deep, and whether bright or soft shades suit you near your face. No photo, no upload and no account are needed, and nothing you enter leaves your device. It names one of the 12 seasons and links you to that season's palette of 60 named shades. A quiz gives you a first step; mirror checks in daylight or a draping session in person can confirm the result.