Whether you were born with it or you rely on salon professionals, what’s more evocative than red hair? For thousands of years, royalty, civilians and celebrities have sought out this color, prized for its extensive spectrum of shades and eye-catching hues. There’s a reason why the beginning of each season brings a recent wave of A-listers dyeing their hair, why there’s at least one redhead on every runway, and why they dominate street style trends. If you’re wondering what color to choose, check out some celebrity red hair ideas to see how many different looks you can achieve with just high-quality pigment and a few hours in the chair.
To be fair, the list below focuses solely on unnatural redheads, which means their individual colors are technically available to anyone. They range from subtle variations on red, like Issa Rae’s cinnamon-ginger bob, to adorably cartoony takes like Megan Fox’s neon cherry. But no matter what shade you choose, know that being a redhead means instant energy for the main character.
Just ahead, check out some of the most sought-after shades of red in Hollywood over the past few years, as well as a color idea for every taste and hair type.
Keke Palmer
Palmer keeps changing her hairstyle and color, but who wants to start a petition to bring her back to red? The subtle shade highlights the entire shape and dimension of her curls and looks stunning against her skin tone.
Gigi Hadid
Hadid’s era of red was so powerful that she kept it on for months after the color debuted at Versace’s fall/winter 2021 show. She opted for a lighter shade with a summery, orange undertone – some even described it (quite accurately, it must be said) as “Aperol Spritz hair.”
Taraji P. Henson
A fun-loving mix of classic cherry and spirited magenta, Henson’s red wedge bob remains one of her coolest looks ever. She’s often a redhead, switching up both her natural curls and her protective style with a standout color, but her miniature hair moments are always top notch.
Blake Lively
Lively is another star who turns red with surprising frequency — most recently for her role in the upcoming adaptation It ends with us — but her first look at the look may still be her best. She chose golden ginger that looked so natural with her color scheme.
Dua Lipa
What better way to usher in a brand recent era of music than with a fresh, transformative hair color? Lipa’s shadowy, chilly red hair set her tone Radical optimist series of albums, thus consolidating his status as a pop culture icon.
Sydney Sweeney
Although she originally chose strawberry blonde for the film role, Sweeney liked the color so much that she wore it all summer. Her take on red is in the same tonal family as her regular blonde, which allowed for a seamless transition back and forth.
Kerry Washington
You don’t have to go completely red to enjoy color. Last summer, Washington wove just a few drops of summer ginger into her locks, letting some of them flow freely and others blend with her brunette hair, creating an ombré, gradient look.
Emma Stone
You already know that Stone isn’t actually a natural redhead, but her muted hair color certainly makes her look like one. She experiments with more spirited shades from time to time, but this particular look, just a few degrees north of pale brunette, is the key to making her look born with it.
Megan Fox
It is impossible to be a wall lamp in Fox’s favorite shade of red, almost neon with a deep brown root tone. It’s part manga and part punk, perfect for the always nervous star.
Issa Rae
Another perfect example of how to make red seem so natural is Rae’s flawless bob, warmed by the faintest hint of red. It’s more noticeable in sunlight, illuminating her eminent facial features and adding a fun element to her endlessly original hairstyles.
