What Your Hair Color Says About You

Ok Which is the natural color? lol I still think the natural color looks best.

clairol.com try it on studio

lifescipts.com

Blondes are sexy, redheads are hot-headed and brunettes are good girls. Is this the message your hair color sends?

Red
The impression: Redheads are perceived as feisty, opinionated and seductive, much like Kate Walsh in Private Practice.

“The word associated with red is hot – hot-headed and hot-tempered, but also sexy,” says master colorist Jon Patrick (JonPatrickColor.com), who has worked with Morgan Fairchild and Elizabeth Banks.

On the flipside, ladies in red also can be seen as homely – with freckles, frizzy orange hair and pale lashes. “There’s the stereotype that redheads are either drop-dead gorgeous or unattractive,” Patrick says.

Must have: A good colorist. “The right red can really pretty up your skin,” Patrick says. “But there’s a fine line between red and orange, and gold and brass.”

Another essential for this fiery hue is confidence. Only 2 - 5% of the population is born with red hair, and because of its rarity, “red is a great standout color,” says David Ingham (UberStylist.com), who has worked with Christy Turlington and Cindy Crawford.

Play it up: Request a vibrant red shade, suggests colorist Angela Berk of the Joseph Cozza salon at San Francisco’s Four Seasons Hotel. “The prettiest bright red hair has highlights and lowlights,” she says. After adding these, she recommends a bright glaze. Don’t worry – your highlights and lowlights will still shine through. “If you put streaks on top of the glaze, they look faded,” she explains.

Au naturel: Red is the hardest color for your hair to absorb, and can look washed out as it fades. Patrick weaves in gold tones to hold the color in place. “This will afford a nice, burnt undertone, even when the red fades,” he says.

Our favorite redhead: Marcia Cross. “The red flatters her porcelain skin, giving her an otherworldly beauty,” Patrick says. “It sets her apart from the other Housewives.”

Black
The impression: “Exotic, sultry, tough and mysterious,” Ingham says. Think sexy starlet Megan Fox.

Must have: Great skin. Consider this: When you go to a diamond shop, the jeweler places the diamond against a black cloth to showcase its assets… and flaws.

“If a woman dyes her hair black, it will show every imperfection on her face,” Patrick says.

Because dark black hair can look dull, a shine-booster is essential. Berk recommends Kérastase Nutritive Serum Oleo Relax, a bestseller at the Joseph Cozza salon.

Play it up: “Try highlights in a strong contrast color, like red or blond,” Ingham suggests.

Another way to grab attention? “Ask your stylist for a blue-black or violet-black shade,” Berk says.

Au naturel : For a softer look, “add medium brown color throughout your hair,” says Berk. Ingham recommends placing brown underneath the hair, rather than on the surface.

Our favorite black-haired celeb: Christina Ricci. “When a woman has dark hair and pale skin, the high contrast creates a Snow White effect,” Patrick says.

Brown
The impression: “Brunettes are perceived as responsible, as the good girl,” Patrick says. Think Kristin Davis in Sex and The City: The Movie.

Must have: Different shades running through your locks. Brunettes can be ho-hum when their hair is monochromatic, says Patrick. “It’s not the brown color itself that’s boring, but the sameness of it.”

Play it up: “Sex up your hair with lowlights,” Patrick suggests. “They add a sexy quality and a whole new dimension of depth.”

To buck the boring stereotype, you can also try an extreme haircut, like long bangs or an edgy shag.

If you’re scissor-shy, play around with styling tools, like a curling iron or Velcro rollers, to make your look more interesting.

Au naturel: “The more colors that are in your hair, the more natural it will look,” Berk says. “The trick is to make sure these colors complement, not clash with, your hair.”

Our favorite brunette: Jennifer Aniston. Berk is a fan of the subtle copper color running through her strands.

Blond
The impression: “Blondes are often thought of as the sex bomb,” Ingham says. The ultimate blonde bombshell: Marilyn Monroe.

This shade can be hard to maintain, so golden gals can also be stereotyped as high-maintenance and vain. “Blondes are often not taken seriously in their profession,” he says.

The party-loving and flirty rep has advantages in the dating world. One of Ingham’s clients, for example, asked for blond hair after a breakup because she wanted a sexier look now that she was back on the market.

Must have: Confidence. “Wearing blond hair is like wearing high heels,” Patrick says. “It’s a statement and an attitude.”

The eye is drawn to lighter shades, he says. “You’ll certainly get more attention as a blonde.”

And do they really have more fun? Well, they have more opportunity to have fun because of the attention they get, Patrick says.

Play it up: Light shades, like honey blond, turn heads. Or go even lighter. “Platinum blond always stands out,” Berk says.

Au naturel: Add lowlights to tone down blond hair that’s gone too light, Berk suggests.

Our favorite blonde: Gwen Stefani. “Platinum blond is an extremely hard color to maintain, but her hair always looks beautiful and healthy,” she says.