No Two Shades Of Red Hair Are Alike & These Celebrities Prove It

Whether you’re born with it or rely on a salon professional, what’s more evocative than red hair? For thousands of years, royals, civilians, and stars have all sought the color out, prized for its massive shade spectrum and attention-grabbing tones. There’s a reason why the start of every season brings a fresh wave of A-listers dyeing their hair, why every runway features at least one redhead, and why it dominates street style trends. If you’re considering committing to the color, explore some celebrity red hair ideas to get a sense of just how many different versions of the look are possible with just some high-quality pigment and a few hours in the chair.

To keep things fair, the roundup below focuses purely on non-natural redheads, meaning their individual colors are technically accessible by anyone. They range from subtle variations on red, like Issa Rae’s cinnamon-ginger bob to delightfully cartoonish takes like Megan Fox’s neon cherry cut. But no matter what shade you choose, just know that becoming a redhead means instant main character energy.

Just ahead, get to know some of the most sought-after shades of red in Hollywood over the past few years, with a color idea for every taste and hair type.

Keke Palmer

Palmer is always changing up her hairstyle and color, but who wants to start a petition for her to bring back the red? The subtle shade shows off all the shape and dimension in her curls and looks stunning against her skin tone.

Gigi Hadid

Hadid’s red era was so powerful, she kept it for months after debuting the color at Versace’s Fall/Winter 2021 show. She opted for a brighter shade with a summery orange tone — some have even described it (pretty aptly, you must admit) as “Aperol spritz hair.”

Taraji P. Henson

A fun-loving blend of classic cherry and vibrant magenta, Henson’s red wedge bob remains one of her coolest-ever looks. She’s often a redhead, transforming both her natural curls and protective styles with the standout color, but her short hair moments are always top-tier.

Blake Lively

Lively is another star who keeps red in the rotation with surprising frequency — most recently for her role in the upcoming adaptation of It Ends With Us — but her first go-round with the look might still be her best. She chose a golden-toned ginger that looked so natural with her coloring.

Dua Lipa

What better way to kick off an entirely new musical era than with a fresh, transformative hair color? Lipa’s dark, cool-toned red hair set the tone for her Radical Optimist album cycle, and cemented her status as a pop culture icon in the process.

Sydney Sweeney

Though she originally went strawberry blonde for a film role, Sweeney loved the color so much that she kept it around for a full summer. Her take on red is in the same tonal family as her usual blonde, which made for a seamless transition back and forth.

Kerry Washington

You don’t need to go red all over to enjoy the color. Washington wove just a few pops of summery ginger into her locs last summer, letting some of them flow free and others blend in with her brunette to make an ombré, gradient look.

Emma Stone

By now, you know Stone isn’t actually a natural redhead — but her muted hair color sure makes it look that way. She’s occasionally experimented with more vibrant shades, but this particular look, just a few degrees north of pale brunette, is the key to making her look born with it.

Megan Fox

It’s impossible to be a wallflower with Fox’s favorite shade of red, a near-neon with a deep brunette root shadow. It’s a little manga and a little punk, perfect for the always-edgy star.

Issa Rae

Another prime example of how to make red feel so natural, Rae’s immaculate bob is warmed by the faintest hint of red. It’s more noticeable in the sunlight, illuminating her famous features and adding a fun element to her endlessly creative hairstyles.