21 GORGEOUS RED HAIR COLOR IDEAS TO TRY RIGHT NOW

Discover the hottest and most trendy red hair color ideas in this article, with options carefully chosen to suit every hair length and skin tone. Whether you’re looking for a subtle change or a bold new look, you’ll find a perfect shade among these 21 stunning styles.

Explore these fabulous red hair transformations to elevate your style!

Rosewood Balayage

This pinkish-brown hue adds a natural yet unique touch to your look. By blending soft pink highlights into auburn hair, you can achieve a subtle, classy style with a hint of warmth and elegance.

Dark Auburn Hair

Channel a million-dollar vibe with the deep, rich, and luminous tones of dark auburn. This blend of wine-inspired hues exudes warmth and a captivating allure. Loose waves enhance the color, creating a stunning, effortless look that highlights the depth and shine of your hair.

Balayaged Hair

Take a look at this stunning reddish-brown balayage with a rich two-tone effect and voluminous curls. This style exudes elegance, femininity, and a fashionable edge.

Spicy Cinnamon Hair

Add soft-toned highlights to gentle curls for a rich chocolate and cinnamon balayage. This look combines warmth and depth, creating a glamorous, on-trend hairstyle that radiates elegance.

Deep Mahogany with Orangey Highlights

Red is the color of passion, and this deep mahogany paired with fiery orangey highlights brings that passion to life. The rich, dark base contrasted with vibrant balayage highlights creates a bold, fiery look that exudes confidence and energy.

Two-Tone Blend

A delightful mix that evokes the sweetness of your favorite desserts. If you’re drawn to soft, natural-looking, feminine colors, this two-tone blend is the perfect choice. It creates a harmonious, beautiful contrast that’s both sweet and effortlessly stylish.

Dark Copper Shade

A perfect choice for those seeking a natural, understated red, dark copper offers a beautifully refined look with warm undertones. Style it with soft curls to enhance its depth and add a sophisticated twist to your hair.

Haircut with a Fringe

Opt for a deep brown hue to achieve a more natural, grounded tone, and add a chic fringe to glam up the look. This combination creates a stylish and effortless vibe, balancing both elegance and playfulness.

Vivid Copper with Face Framing

Copper is the perfect red hue, striking a beautiful balance between boldness and a natural look. This vivid shade is especially flattering for pale skin tones, and when paired with face-framing highlights, it brings warmth and radiance, accentuating your features beautifully.

Red Brown Hair

Dark brown hair enhanced with warm red highlights adds a touch of spice to a stylish, glamorous long hairstyle. The blend of rich tones creates a captivating depth, making the hair look full of life and elegance.

Cherry Highlights on Brown

Perfect for those who are color-shy but ready for a change, this subtle blend of cherry highlights on brown hair offers a gentle introduction to red tones. The neutral, natural-looking red-brown base keeps it modest and laid-back, while the cherry highlights add a chic, glamorous touch that elevates the entire look.

Light Auburn with Rosy Tips

Try a chic light auburn lob with a hint of rosy tones at the ends. This delicate gradient adds a playful and modern twist to your hair, creating a soft, blended look that’s both subtle and stylish.

Rusty Brown Locks

This rich, rusty brown hue shines beautifully on its own, but for added dimension, copper highlights seamlessly blended into the base color bring out its depth and warmth. The result is a vibrant, multi-dimensional look that’s full of life.

Dark Strawberry and Blonde Highlights

This hair color is all about attitude. The combination of spicy dark strawberry hues with fabulous blonde highlights creates an aura of beauty, boldness, and sophistication. The seamless blend of reddish and blonde tones gives off a sexy, irresistible vibe that’s both fiery and elegant.

Raspberry Tips

For a bold, trendy look, try adding raspberry-toned tips to your hair. This vibrant shade works beautifully on both long and shoulder-length styles, giving you a fresh, modern twist that’s perfect for experimenting with color.

Mid-Length Balayaged Hair

Light-skinned girls can effortlessly rock bright hair colors, and adding a hint of violet can enhance a natural blush in pink-toned complexions. This mid-length balayage creates a fresh, vibrant look that complements your features with a touch of warmth and depth.

Bob with Highlights and Lowlights

Unlike one-color hairstyles that can lack dimension, this cute bob gains depth and vibrancy with a perfect mix of lowlights and copper highlights. The lowlights add richness, while the highlights enhance the hair’s natural shine, creating a stunning, multidimensional look.

Copper Hair Shade

Embrace a stylish, boho-inspired vibe with copper-colored hair. This vibrant yet laid-back shade adds warmth and personality, giving your locks a fresh, effortlessly trendy appeal.

Crimson and Copper Hair

This stunning blend of crimson and copper is pure hair envy material! The vibrant mix of deep red tones, like crimson, cinnamon, or cherry, paired with copper or strawberry blonde highlights creates a bold, eye-catching style. It’s an easy-to-achieve look that’s full of dimension and fiery beauty—perfect for making your own red hair day.

Streaky Hair with Root Melt

Can’t decide on just one shade? Why not embrace multiple hues in a lively balayage! The combination of streaky highlights, lowlights, and a seamless root melt creates stunning depth and dimension, giving your hair a vibrant, multi-tonal look that’s full of movement.

Burgundy Hair

Dark burgundy paired with soft, glamorous curls creates a sophisticated and elegant hairstyle. The rich, deep tone adds depth and drama, making it a stunning choice for a bold yet refined look.

conclusion

In conclusion, these red and copper hair color ideas offer a variety of stunning options to suit any style, skin tone, or personality. From bold and vibrant hues to soft, natural blends, there’s a perfect shade for everyone. Whether you’re looking to add depth with highlights and lowlights, or experiment with fiery balayages, these looks will help you embrace the beauty and confidence that comes with a fresh, striking hair color.

THE HISTORY AND TUTORIAL OF AUTHENTIC 1940S MAKEUP

1940s makeup is one of the most “vintage” looks, and is rather simple to recreate. There was a push for all things natural, unlike the 1930s and 1950s, which favored reshaping eyebrows and contouring the face. 1940s makeup enhanced natural beauty with just a few tools.

During the war, European women dealt with huge cosmetics shortages, since petroleum and alcohol – some of the main ingredients in makeup at the time – were used for the war effort. When makeup ran out, women turned to home remedies to substitute, such as using beetroot juice to stain lips and petroleum jelly to darken lashes and shape eyebrows.

In the United States, cosmetics continued to be manufactured throughout the war and were seen by the government as a morale booster for the busy women on the home front. Women were encouraged to wear makeup all the time to hide sadness and attract men, even while at work. Athletes even wore makeup. Color films had a big impact on the market, as women could now imitate the shades worn by Hollywood starlets. By 1948, between 80 and 90 percent of women wore lipstick, two thirds wore rouge, and a quarter wore eye makeup.

The 1940s makeup look exudes classic sophistication and is surprisingly easy to recreate. The emphasis was on a flawless, fresh-faced appearance—natural, never overly done. Less was definitely more, which worked out well, especially during the war years when many women had to make do with fewer products and resources.

Although the final result seems simple, a woman’s 1940s makeup routine could take some time—quick five-minute makeup wasn’t a thing! The process began with applying and blending thick foundation. Women were encouraged to shape their face with both light and dark shades of foundation—darker tones could be used to contour areas like a large nose, broad forehead, or square jaw, while lighter shades on the cheeks would add a fuller, plumper appearance.

Next, eye shadow was applied, followed by moist rouge. This was often used not only for color but also for subtle shaping, always ensuring the look remained natural. Afterward, a generous application of powder was pressed into the face with a large velour or wool puff. The powder was applied heavily to ensure a matte finish, covering the entire face. Excess powder was then brushed away with a powder brush to reveal a smooth, polished look.

If the moist rouge needed extra reinforcement, a powdered version was applied on top of the powder. The final steps included defining the eyebrows with an eyebrow pencil, applying mascara for fuller lashes, and finishing with the signature bold lipstick.

What You’ll Need:

  • Foundation: Choose a shade that closely matches your skin tone.
  • Powder: Loose powder that matches your skin tone to set the foundation.
  • Cream Rouge: Go for a rose-pink cream rouge (avoid powder if possible, unless that’s all you have).
  • Eyebrow Pencil: Choose a pencil that matches your natural brow color, or one shade darker than your hair.
  • Eye Shadow: (Optional, for evening wear) Use matte shadows that match your eye color—avoid shimmer.
  • Mascara: Dark brown or black mascara, or you can even use petroleum jelly (like Vaseline) for a more subtle lash effect.
  • Lipstick: A classic, matte red lipstick for that bold, vintage look.

1940s Foundation and Powder

Foundations in the 1940s were quite different from today’s lightweight options. There were fewer shades available, and most foundations had a pinkish tint, which worked well for white women, but wasn’t always suitable for women of color. Many Black women, for instance, either mixed their own makeup or often went without powder.

Foundations during this time were much thicker and creamier compared to today’s formulations. Liquid foundations as we know them didn’t exist, and the creamier formulas helped provide a fuller coverage. Face powder, which was essential, was used to set the foundation and keep the face matte throughout the day. It matched the skin tone but was also used to help the foundation adhere better to the face—foundation alone would often cause powder to slip off.

The foundation and powder were extended down the neck and onto the blouse or dress line, as it was common for the foundation shade to not perfectly match the skin on the rest of the body. This helped create a seamless, blended look.

Tip: For a smooth application, lightly coat your face with baby oil (or mineral oil) before applying foundation. This helps create a smooth base and allows the foundation to blend more easily.

1940S FACE POWDER

Powders should match your natural skin tone as much as possible. Light shades kept a woman looking fresh and youthful, while a slightly bronzed shade added a sun kissed glow, popular with movie stars. Almost all makeup lines carried a sun kissed color or two.

If you are over 40, your skin is prone to yellowing, in which case a powder with a pink tinge will work better for you.  To apply, use a puff to dust your face all over and then brush from the neck up to the forehead. Only brush down once to finish and smooth out face fuzz.

Tip: A fluffy face puff makes a difference. Don’t use compressed powder with a flat pad for early 1940s looks. Pan-cake compressed makeup came out in the mid 1940s with big success. To women who could afford it, it provided more coverage applied in less time. Just remember to always brush up, never down.

1940s Blush

In the 1940s, blush (referred to as rouge) was applied sparingly to create a natural, rosy glow. The shades of rouge were limited, typically ranging from peach and coral to raspberry tones, with darker shades for those with bronze or deeper skin tones. Cream rouge (moist rouge) was the preferred choice, giving a more natural look, and was often blended directly into the foundation. Powdered rouges were also used lightly over the cheeks to give a soft flush.

Although rouge was an important part of the look, it wasn’t strictly necessary for achieving the 1940s style. You could still achieve the desired effect without it.

Tip: If you can’t find cream rouge, a light matte lipstick in a pink or peach shade works well. Simply apply it with your fingers, dab it on the cheeks, and blend it in until it seamlessly matches your skin tone.

Cream or liquid rouges were sometimes found in theatrical costume makeup stores and, in modern times, can be found in some makeup brands on platforms like Amazon.

1940s Eyebrows

The 1940s eyebrows were a continuation of the 1930s style, with thin, beautifully arched brows being the key feature. Eyebrows were kept natural-looking, with only stray hairs removed to maintain a soft, even arch. The arch itself was well-groomed but not overly thin—most women didn’t over-pluck.

Eyebrows were often defined with a pencil that was slightly darker than the hair color, or some women simply applied a bit of petroleum jelly to keep the brows in place and enhance their natural shape. For daywear, this softer look was more common, while in the evening, brows might be more defined.

As the decade progressed, the full, more defined brows of the late ’40s began to take hold, but they were never as thick as modern-day brows.

1940s Eye Makeup

Eye makeup in the 1940s was quite minimal, especially during the daytime. Most women wore just a light coat of mascara, often in dark brown or black. Some even used petroleum jelly (Vaseline) to achieve a subtle lash definition. Mascara came in different forms—liquid, paste, or cake—often built up by adding a little water or spit to the cake to get the desired consistency. Mascara was applied to both the upper and lower lashes for a fuller look.

For evening looks, eye shadow could be used, but only in neutral tones. The colors were typically chosen to match the eye color—blue-grey for blue eyes, grey for green eyes, and brown for brown or hazel eyes. The eyeshadow was applied in a single color, blended from the lash line up to the brow for an elegant and simple look. No smoky eyes or contouring here—just one shade blended well. For evening looks, sometimes silver or gold was added to create a little extra glamour.

Eyeliner wasn’t commonly used in the early 1940s; it was considered too harsh and “fake-looking.” It didn’t make an appearance until the late ’40s, and even then, it was applied only to the top lash line.

1940s Lipstick

Lips were the focal point of 1940s makeup, especially during the war years, when red lipstick was seen as a mood booster. Lipstick shades varied from bluish reds to orange-toned reds, but they were all red! Bright pinks weren’t worn until the 1950s, so reds were a constant. In the fall, red lipstick tended to get darker, and in the spring, it lightened up a bit.

Most lipsticks of the time were matte, and women were advised to moisturize their lips before applying. After applying lipstick, they would often blot their lips with a tissue to ensure the color stayed put. By 1948, lipstick pencils were introduced, allowing for a more precise application and a perfect outline around the lips.

The ideal lip shape was full and even, with a smooth contour on the top and bottom lips. The “Hunter’s Bow” lip shape, popularized by Joan Crawford, involved slightly over-drawing the lips to make them appear plumper. However, actresses like Lauren Bacall and Ingrid Bergman embraced their naturally thin lips and didn’t over-draw them.

Tip: To achieve a perfectly shaped lip, start with the cupid’s bow and draw the pencil out to the corners of the mouth. Fill in with lipstick and gently rub your lips together to ensure an even finish. Touch up any uneven spots on the bottom lip.

1940s Fingernail Polish

In the 1940s, nails were always neatly trimmed, often filed into a long oval shape. During wartime, nails were kept a bit shorter for safety, but they were still manicured regularly. Cuticles were carefully trimmed and moisturized for a polished look.

Nail polish in the ’40s was almost always red, and matching your nails to your lipstick was the norm. Other shades like pink, coral, rose, and burgundy were also popular. A clear topcoat was always used for durability, and some women embraced the “half-moon” style, where the base of the nail (around the cuticle) was left unpainted.

Tip: To create a half-moon shape on your nails, apply paper reinforcements to the base of each nail, aligning the top of the hole with the cuticle. Paint your nails, then remove the reinforcements before the polish fully dries for a neat, vintage look.

1940s Makeup Products to Buy Today

To create an authentic 1940s look today, you don’t need a complicated routine. A bit of face powder, black mascara, well-defined brows, and red lipstick will give you that classic, vintage style. Modern makeup tends to have more shine and glitter, but for a true 1940s look, opt for matte products—especially for your lips, cheeks, and eyes.

Tip: Many modern makeup lines offer matte formulas, but brands like Revlon and Max Factor (which were popular in the 1940s) still offer products that capture that vintage style. Besame is another brand that specializes in recreating vintage makeup colors and formulas from the ’40s.

For a more subtle daytime look, keep your makeup light—just a dusting of powder, a touch of blush, and a swipe of mascara. For a more dramatic evening or pinup style, go heavier on the lipstick and mascara, and use a little more rouge for that retro glam.