Very few haircolors elicit the kind of gut-level reaction that redheads do. When they see ginger-colored hair, some people literally 'see
red', while others feel a 'warm glow'. It seems to be an extreme reaction - whether it's positive or negative. I, personally,
am passionately disposed in favor of ginger hair, having known some very remarkable people throughout my life, all of whom had
varying shades of ginger hair.
And perhaps my feelings are genetically inherited. You see, while I consider myself to be your typical
American mutt, I have strong Scots-Irish ancestry from both parents. My mother's grandfather was a first-generation Irish-American born
to immigrant parents, while my father's family was predominantly Scottish and Irish mixed. And this mix of genes did bless me with that
certain shade of 'light brown hair' that goes ginger-red in the sun.
Redheads come in many, many shades - from the palest strawberry blondes to the darkest, ruby-tinted
auburns. Red hair can be of any texture - coarse, normal, or fine - and can have any wave and growth pattern found in any other
haircolor. Redheads do tend to have more dense hair, second only to blondes, but otherwise red hair is very like other colors.
There are some exceptions, and here are some tips for people with red hair:
Sun Sensitivity:
Redheads have good reason to be extremely cautious in the sun. The red pigment of their hair is an
inadequate filter to sunlight, and the skin of natural redheads tends to be highly susceptible to sunburn, freckling, skin cancers
and wrinkling with age. Parents of children with red hair should be sure to instill the habit of wearing sunscreen, hats and other
protective clothing to ward off the potential damage of the sun.
Older (natural) redheads should be especially diligent in their skin care regimens. Keeping the
skin moisturized and protected from damage by the sun's UVA and UVB rays is a key step in preventing premature aging and potentially
deadly melanoma. Redheads should also be keenly aware of any freckles, moles and spots on the skin and visit a dermatologist regularly
to have them checked for precancerous conditions.
Avoiding Color Clash:
All red hair has either red or orange pigmentation as the base color for their hair. Brighter,
fiery reds and bright strawberry blondes tend to be orange-based, and their owners often have pale skin and freckling. For these
redheads, the eyes can be almost any color, but do tend to be of a lighter shade and bright blues and greens are frequently found.
Orange-based redheads have to be careful of the colors they wear in both clothing and make-up, or else they run the risk of color clash.
The best colors for orange-based redheads are light or pastel shades of green, aqua, blue, and lilac. Oranges, bright reds and bright
yellows should be avoided as they can cause the wearer to appear washed out. Dark shades of green, blue and violet will also make the
orange-based redhead appear pallid and haggard.
