Celebs with the best light to medium brown highlights:
Kate Beckinsale
Lily Aldridge
Sandra Bullock
Why it works:
"The highlights add dimension, warmth and softness to their dark hair," says John. This hair color draws out their eyes, adds Cunningham, "the rich browns in the highlights match incredibly with the shine and sparkle of their brown eyes."
Will light to medium brown highlights work for you?
This highlighted brown hair works best if you already have dark or medium brown hair, says John. "The best skin tone match is a nicely bronzed or not too pale color," says Cunningham. "If you are too pale, the brown highlights will look unnatural and wash you out.
How to get the best light to medium brown highlights:
"Ask for highlights that are not too light and have rich, golden copper tones [in them]," says John. For more natural-looking highlights, "I weave the color through the hair, starting in front and working back through the head," says Cunningham. "Don�t let the highlights get too stripe-y or chunky -- it makes [them] look unnatural and amateur[ish]. To add a different flare, use a somewhat lighter color towards the front of the face to give a little lighter frame."
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Celebs with the best red hair:
Emma Stone
Amy Adams
Julianne Moore
Why it works:
"It is dramatic and fiery which matches their strong personalities," says John. Plus, it looks "real," says Cunningham (regardless if it is or not). For example, Stone is a natural blonde, Adams is a strawberry blonde who goes for a richer red and Moore is the only real redhead of the bunch.
"Red can be worn by almost anyone if it is the right shade," says John, but "ideally it is best worn on someone with pale and/or freckly skin." Cunningham agrees that red hair is best for people who have "believable redhead" skin tones.
How to get the best red hair:
Cunningham says to ask for a more monochromatic red. "Choose the right shade of red for your skin and eye color. It's best to hold swatches up to your face," says John. While you can get red from a box, the quality won't be as good since red loses its vibrancy and fades faster than any other hair color, he says.
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Celebs with the best brown hair:
Halle Berry
Marisa Tomei
Katie Holmes
Why it works:
It is a solid strong color that works with their style, says John. The darker brown base is especially stunning because the rich brown plays off their skin tone so well, says Cunningham. "It's important not to get too close to [your] skin color, but rather find a complement that pulls the undertones of the pigment to the surface to create a nice blend," she says.
Let's face it, we look to the stars (not the celestial objects) to find out what the "it" haircut is, what hairstyles are in vogue and what hair colors we must try. And though we may not have the funds or the resources celebs do, we can (and do) use them as our well of hair inspiration.
So say you covet Gwyneth Paltrow's blonde lob or Kate Beckinsale's brunette waves or Julianne Moore's red, straight hair, how can you translate their gorgeous color into a hue that looks great on your head? And how do you know if you can pull off their color? Lucky for you, celebrity hair colorists David John and Tracey Cunningham are here to tell us who they think are the best blondes, brunettes, redheads and raven-haired ladies in Hollywood, why it works on them, and if their shade would look right on your skin tone. Plus, they share advice on how to ask your colorist for the celeb hair color you covet, or how you can re-create it using an at-home formula.
If you decide to get your gorgeous color from a box, check out these key at-home hair coloring tips:
Tip 1: When choosing a color from a box, go for a hue one shade lighter than you think, but don't go more than two shades lighter or darker than your current tone. Tip 2: If you still need help finding the right shade, most hair color companies offer online guides. L'Oreal Paris has a tool that walks you through the decision-making process and Clairol has a "try it on" feature that allows you to see yourself in a variety of different hair colors. Tip 3: Semi-permanent hair color is a great option for color commitment-phobes, but just know that you can only go darker or blend grays -- you can't lift or go lighter with it.
Tip 4: To keep hair healthy, apply color to unwashed hair. The natural oils work to protect your hair from any damaging product. Tip 5: There is a specified time for leaving the dye on your hair for a reason. Obey it or you could end up with two-toned strands. Tips 6: Captain obvious here: use color-safe hair care products to protect your freshly-dyed hair color. Don't have one you like? Check out these top-rated color-protecting shampoos
and color-protecting conditioners.
