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“You have to lift the hair to get this color, but you don’t have to lift the hair to white depending on the base color," explains Bodt. “The undertone of brunette for most is red and orange, so you just lift the hair until you get to that orange color and then you work with that. It’s better to start with that orange tone to go red anyway, rather than a blonde.” Those already in the red hair color family can go in for a color glaze or try color depositing conditioners to shift the color to a more vibrant hue like Overtone Extreme Red Daily Conditioner, $18.
Red is the hardest hair color to maintain, so be ready to dedicate yourself to regimented use of color-depositing products like an intensive hair mask used once a week to keep color bold. “You can make your own color conditioner for maintenance,” she advises. “You can get a good nourishing deep conditioner and then mix in a hue like Manic Panic Electric Tiger Lily, $13.99, until you get the right tone. Test the mixture on a little piece of your hair (somewhere in the back where no one will see it) and keep mixing until you get the right hue. That’s your color mask: super easy.”
Image via Imaxtree
Bodt recommends going to a professional but if you’re going to do it at home, do it right. “Look, in a pinch if you needed to paint a few pieces around your face, absolutely go for it. Section off areas you want to paint, base your hairline so you don’t get bleach in your eye, and be really careful. If you’re just adding some face-framing highlights, just rinse it as it’s done: don’t get too experimental.” She likes the Madison Reed Light Works Balayage Highlights Kit, $44.95.