While we all love going darker during the colder months, this season, the allure of brunette color isn’t quite as strong as years past. These days, reds have been stealing the spotlight with fiery, eye-catching shades like cowboy copper and cinnamon cookie butter rising in popularity.
If you haven’t already seen the bold color popping up all over your social media feeds (or IRL), you can definitely expect to see it everywhere really soon. As it stands, red hair has already gotten the celebrity seal of approval. Even though shades of red have been trending for a while now (remember the copper hair trend from two years ago?), over the last few months, the sizzling hue has quickly become the standout hair color among the celebrity and model set. Actress Megan Fox recently debuted a fresh red velvet bob while singer Billie Eilish swapped her signature neon green roots for a bright cherry red color, back in August. Not to mention, actress Marsai Martin also briefly experimented with a rich, burgundy-red hue that we couldn’t help but obsess over.
So why is everyone suddenly entering into their redhead era? It might have something to do with the fact that red is not only a great color direction for the fall, but it is also a shade that can be fully embraced by absolutely anyone.
“Red hair, especially those gorgeous shades like cowgirl copper and cinnamon cookie butter, are all about warmth, drama, and versatility. Red hair gives off those cozy autumn vibes, making it the perfect seasonal switch-up,” says celebrity colorist and #Mydentity founder Guy Tang. “Red can be tailored to anyone’s style, whether you want to go bold and fiery or keep it subtle and chic. It’s all about expressing your unique flair, and red hair is the ultimate canvas for that.” He adds, “With so many celebs making the transformation, it’s giving everyone the inspiration that they can pull it off. It’s great because there are so many celeb examples to show your colorists pictures of exactly what you have in mind.”
To help prepare you for all those incoming red hair color requests you’ll likely receive at your next salon appointment, The Tease tapped Tang to share his expert insights about the growing trend—including how to achieve it with your clients. Keep scrolling for his top tips and recommendations.
Finding Your Client’s Perfect Shade of Red
While the idea of going red may be a bit intimidating, the good news is that there is truly a shade of red for every skin tone and personality. “These iterations of red give so much variety that you can really choose the shades that are right for you,” says Tang. “You could go deeper for a more classic burgundy color, or play into the trendy copper tones with a lighter hue. It’s all about the warm tones that have a brown/caramel reflection vs. vivid, fiery red.”
According to Tang, when it comes to choosing the right shade of red for your clients, it’s important for colorists to consider the undertones of their skin. “If a client has cooler undertones, I’d go for a cooler copper color that has a violet/blue reflection,” he advises. “If they have warmer undertones, go with a more bold red tone with a red/orange reflection. For clients with neutral undertones in their skin, they can go either way. But ultimately, anyone can rock the red color!”
However, skin undertone is not the only factor that colorists should take into account. Tang notes that a client’s starting hair color can also influence their ideal shade of red and stresses the importance of talking to your clients about their red hair inspo. “Their current hair color will impact the vibrancy and red tone you end up with,” he explains. “The best thing about red tones though, is they are one of the more flexible shades to work with on the hair. It all depends on how light or dark you desire your end result to be and how much dimension you want throughout your hair.”
If your clients are feeling a bit nervous about the hair transformation, Tang recommends starting with a more natural red or copper rather than going for a dramatic red right away. “Stay at the same level of tone they are currently at, so you ultimately are just adjusting the reflection the hair gives versus making a dramatic change that is substantially lighter or darker than their current hair color,” he says. Another option would be to suggest a demi-permanent service. “This way the commitment is much less in case they decide the copper/red trend isn’t for them,” says Tang.
Maintaining Your Client’s Red Hair Color
As far as hair colors go, red hair tends to need a lot more maintenance in order to keep its vibrancy and shine. That’s why colorists will want to be sure to communicate a few key aftercare tips to their clients about preserving their new red hue. “Red tones are extremely fragile tones,” says Tang. “They will need to ensure they are not washing with extremely hot water and always turning down the heat on their stylings tools. Also, the sun can mute and quickly impact red tones—take the shady seat at the brunch table!”
Tang also noted that your clients will want to arm themselves with the right products at home. “It’s so important that clients maintain their color at home using color-safe products like the #MyHero Nourishing Shampoo and Conditioner,” he says. “If you have more dry or damaged hair, you need to nourish the hair with a post-color treatment like the #MyHero Collagen Repair X2, so you can preserve the color and shine of these fall shades.”
Guy Tang’s Favorite Trending Reds
Among all the different hues of red that are trending this season—copper, pumpkin spice red, cherry coke red, and strawberry blonde—there are a few specific shades that Tang is especially loving right now. The best part? It’s totally easy to achieve them on your clients using the permanent hair colors from his professional hair color line, #Mydentity. “All of the permanent color cremes are made with an exclusive Keratin and Argan Seed Oil Blend, so they will help maintain your hair health when going for a color transformation like this one,” he says.
Below, Tang shares a few of his red hair color picks along with his product recommendations to get the look with #Mydentity.
Ruby Red
“For a more ruby red color, I’d recommend the Permanent Color Creme in Midnight Love 6,” he says.
Cowboy Copper
“For the trendy cowboy copper shade, mix Permanent Red 7 Copper Red Copper with Permanent Twilight Dream 7,” he says.
For more of Guy Tang’s hair tips and tricks, be sure to follow @guy_tang and @guytang_mydentity on Instagram.
