The world's 1st subscription box for redheads is here! See what's in Month #1:
When Adrienne & Stephanie Vendetti, the sisters the co-founders behind How to be a Redhead, originally launched the brand in 2011, they wanted to launch a “red beauty box”. But, they knew they had to build an audience first. Fast forward to 2015 and How to be a Redhead now has over 100,000+ social media followers, and a loyal readership of 500,000 unique views per month.
The website only features products that are ‘Redhead Friendly’ approved. This means all items are always free of heavy chemicals & complement red hair.
H2BAR, the acronym for How to be a Redhead, and is the name of the 1st ever redhead subscription box. The How to be a Redhead team now works meticulously to find products that meet the ‘Redhead Friendly’ seal of approval and is proud to deliver them to the doorstep of every redhead each month.
Take a look inside the 1st month of the H2BAR Box:
1. COVERGIRL Colorlicious Lipstick, $7 Full Size: Redheads looks great with any shade of lipstick, especially those that make the lips (and hair) pop.
2. My Body ‘Calm After The Storm’ Soothing Treatment, $94 Full Size: This brings rest and relaxation to hypersensitive skin. It was developed with an innovative skin-calming complex and is also ideal for use after a chemical peel, laser, microdermabrasion or sunburn.
Benefits:
Helps to alleviate discomfort, mild redness and itchy skin.
Helps boost hydration and natural healing abilities.
Actives provide an instant tightening effect to aging skin.
3. Pureology Reviving Red Illuminating Caring Oil, $32 Full Size: Great for use on damp hair before blow-drying to provide control and shine. The oil is keeps natural or color treated red/copper hair looking fresh. Noticeably increases vibrancy and shine.
4. Sunburn Alert, $6: Sunburn Alert UV Stickers make it fun and easy to remember to reapply sunscreen and when to get out of the sun or cover up. The patented color changing technology detects harmful UVA & UVB rays. The stickers work wet or dry and are ideal for children and adults. Can be used with any sunscreen, whether it is a cream, spray or lotion.
5. Blue Lizard Sunscreen, $12, 4 oz bottle: Immediate broad-spectrum protection for redheads with sensitive skin. The product contains no chemical absorbers.
This biodegradable sheet mask snugly fits the contours of the face, ensuring optimal delivery of vital nutrients to the skin.
7. Organix OGX Moisture + Vitamin B5 Shampoo & Conditioner Sample Set, $5: Nourish red hair with this rich blend of Vitamin B5 that speeds moisture to stressed locks, protects against environmental damage, helps to rebuild damaged lipid structures,and gets your hair back to healthy.
Redheads take such pride in their hair and that’s why it’s important to give life to hair when it feels and looks … well, helpless. There are many easy ways to achieve strong, luxurious locks. Red hair looks best when it’s silky, smooth, and plush.
Here are the top ways I breathe life into my beautiful mane:
It took many years to custom-make the Finally Glossy® formula and we’re so excited for redheads to enjoy it. We’re thrilled to release another clean redhead beauty product. It is paraben-free, cruelty-free, sulfate-free, petroleum-free, mineral-oil, and vegan. It also contains no perfume, is free of gluten and is silicone-free, phthalate-free, formaldehyde-free and cocamidopropyl betaine-free. This clean formula is formulated with Vitamin B3, olive oil, coconut oil and green tea.
When drying your hair opt to use a microfiber towel! Introducing the How to be a Redhead Soft Microfiber Hair Towel for Redheads. Because wet hair is at its most vulnerable, this custom microfiber towel gently and carefully absorbs moisture from your red hair and dries it quickly, all while protecting it from stretching and breakage. This design is uniquely shaped to wrap all of your hair securely (no matter the length), with an elastic strap to comfortably keep things in place. Your hair journey starts here, redheads.
Excessive heat drying can be bad for your hair. Now that it’s summer, give your hair and blow dryer a rest with air dry styling creams. If you must dry your hair, try a product like Bumble and Bumble ‘Don’t Blow It’. It not only assists with drying, but enhances hair’s texture as well.
4. Stop Washing It:
If your hair is oily, this might be tough, but excessive washing leads to drying, with causes breakage. Your hair loves the natural oils it creates because it makes strands stronger. Try a dry shampoo like these to last you between washes.
5. Color Replenishment Products:
First and foremost, keep your red hair looking vibrant. Natural redheads or the those who color their locks, keep it looking great with Paul Mitchell Color Treatment System. It is a great way to protect the vibrancy of your natural or ‘by choice’ color. There are many products to choose from, so you can use as many as you like to keep your color looking its best.
What are your top hair secrets? Comment below.
Treat your hair with love and Rock it like a Redhead!
About 164 million people in the United States have rosacea. While it can affect anyone, this skin condition is most common in women (and can be exacerbated during menopause), people with fair skin (like redheads), and adults between 30-60 years of age.
What Does Rosacea Look Like?
Rosacea has many symptoms, including:
Redness of the face. Commonly, the flushing and/or persistent redness presents in the center of the face: forehead, nose, cheeks, and chin.
There may be a skin burning feeling or swelling of the face.
Small red lines under the skin. These lines show up when blood vessels under the skin get larger.
Bumps on the skin. Sometimes the bumps have pus inside (pimples), but not always – which may help explain why so many rosacea sufferers think they have acne before being diagnosed by a physician!
Inflamed eyes/eyelids. The eyes may become sensitive to light, and, in severe cases, the person may have blurred vision or some other kind of vision problem.
A swollen nose. In some people (mostly men), the nose becomes red, larger, and bumpy.
What Causes Rosacea Flare Ups?
Doctors don’t know the exact cause of rosacea. Some doctors think rosacea happens when blood vessels expand too easily. It is also thought that people inherit the likelihood due to genetics.
Some people with rosacea say that one or more of these factors make their rosacea worse:
Heat (including hot baths)
Sunlight
Very cold temperatures
Hot or spicy foods and drinks
Drinking alcohol
Menopause
Stress
Certain makeups
Can Rosacea Be Cured?
There is no cure for rosacea, but it can be treated! Visit a dermatologist today to ask if any of these treatments may be right for you.
Everyone at some point in life has received a backhanded redhead “compliment”. You might hear it from the cashier at your local coffee shop, or the guy who works downstairs in the accounting department. It typically starts out as a thoughtful, appreciative compliment, but somehow twists in the middle and ends up sounding more like an insult. It leaves you feeling confused and you ask yourself, “Should I feel flattered or offended?”
A great example of a backhanded compliment is:
“You look so wonderful now! I barely recognized you!”
Translation: You previously looked hideous. Thank goodness you changed.
As a redhead, I feel like these remarks happen to me on a weekly basis. Usually it is by a well-intentioned acquaintance, or a stranger in the grocery store. I know they aren’t trying to belittle me, (at least I hope not) but I can’t help but feel a little slighted.
Recently, I was chatting with my redheaded sister about the backhanded compliments we receive, and how we respond. To our delight, we realized we heard some of the exact same “compliments” with precisely the same wording.
Here are my favorite (sarcasm) backhanded “compliments”:
1. “You’re really pretty… for a redhead.”
2. “Wow! Your hair isn’t that ugly red!”
3. “You’re freckles are so cute, and I usually hate freckles.”
4. “Pale skin suits you so well; I’d look terrible with your skin tone.”
I recognize that most of these phrases are not in-depth, cleverly worded insults meant to pick at my confidence, and therefore, deserve to be brushed off. However, if the comment comes from someone I encounter often, and it seems that they are making a conscious effort to say something thinly disguised as a compliment, I will take the time to reply.
In an effort to stick to the positive side of the compliment, my responses are usually witty and graceful:
1. “Thank you. I really love my red hair! I get it from my grandmother.”
2. “It is difficult to be rare and beautiful, but someone has to breakup the dull and boring.”
I try to stay away from a nasty retort. Besides, their tacky backhanded compliment has no effect on my confidence!
Have you ever received any backhanded compliments? How did you handle it? Comment below.
‘Wash-on’ sunscreen is officially a thing. But, does it actually prevent sun damage?
It’s hard not to say, “Why didn’t I think of that?” Everyone, especially redheads, knows how it feels to slater on sunscreen and feel uncomfortable throughout the day. Does anyone else hate it when the sand sticks to their sunscreen, and you so badly want to wash it all off, but you can’t?
Well, the ‘wash-on’ SPF skincare technology, new to the market and globally patented, is from the Dr Russo Sun Protective Skincare Collection. It’s the first FDA approved facial cleanser, shower gel and hand soap with SPF 30.
We gotta admit. We’re really excited.
If you’re wondering how it works, it’s surprisingly really simple. You wash with the cleanser and the active SPF ingredients remains on the skin. The brand claims it filters UV rays as normal sunscreen does and prevents sun damage from occurring.
So, no more getting sunburnt accidentally? We can hope. Since redheads commonly have sensitive skin, it’s really important to keep it extra protected. If you’re going to use a new technology like this, always opt for a traditional sunscreen too. You can never be too safe.
During my teenage years my mother began taking my sister (also a redhead) and I to see a dermatologist for annual full body screenings. At the time I found it exceedingly annoying as I wasn’t particularly freckly, nor did I have significant acne. However, as I got further into my 20’s I found I knew multiple women my age and younger having cancerous skin cells removed due to sun damage. It was then I appreciated my mother’s constant nagging about sunscreen. (Don’t tell her I said that).
Now, I know seeing a dermatologist is easy to write off as something unnecessary or even annoying, especially if you don’t have any significant skin concerns. That being said, redheads are more susceptible to sun damage. In fact, according to the National Institutes of Health, natural redheads are 10 to 100 times more vulnerable to developing melanoma. It’s a scary fact, but there is a way to combat skin cancer, besides lathering on the sunscreen, see a dermatologist for a full-body exam.
If you are thinking about making an appointment with a dermatologist for the first time, here are a few tips to make the most out of your visit:
1. Don’t wear any makeup or nail polish
Dermatologists like to look at your natural skin and nail beds. This helps them determine if there are any areas that need further treatment. If you have an appointment on a workday, make sure you bring some makeup remover, or makeup to re-apply if you need to.
Wear something you can easily slip out of as you’ll likely be wearing a medical gown for the examination. Don’t let this deter you. If you come in for an appointment because of acne, your doctor may see something else that may need investigation or treatment.
3. Come with a medical history
If you know any members of your family that have skin-related issues, or other medical problems, bring that information with you. This may seem like irrelevant questioning because what does your dad’s high blood pressure have to do with your skin. The short answer is – some information may be more pertinent and some not as much. Come with as much history as you can.
4. Bring any questions you might have
Before you go to your appointment give yourself a once over in a full-length mirror, if you see something you want to have looked at more closely, write it down or make a mental note to discuss it with your doctor. Don’t be afraid to ask questions! Healthy skin is your first line of defense against illness and disease; it deserves to be treated properly.
5. Relax
A full exam takes about 10 minutes tops. Taking care of you skin is something you’ll be thankful for in the many years to come.
Next stop: Seattle! We’ve received many questions asking what the event is all about, what to wear and what to expect. Thanks to the incredible sketch from Yarden Karako, we were able to bring the event to life before many of you experience it first hand.
1. Adrienne & Stephanie, How to be a Redhead’s co-founders, will be on KING5 New Day Morning Show on the morning of the event. Join the live studio audience!
We’re filling the live audience with redheads. If you’re interested in joining, e-mail newdaytickets@king5.com . Let them know you’re a How to be a Redhead fan and want to sit in on the live studio audience on the morning of August 13, 2015. Give them your name and those who will accompany you. They will confirm your seat(s) and give you more instructions, such as address, parking and exact times.
Enjoy the city, then head on over to 1927 Events from 7-10PM.
So, pretend like you’re dressed up and ready to walk into the venue. Ready, set, go…
2. Upon entering the event, you will walk the red carpet and take a glamorous photo.
Many photographers will be on scene to capture the excitement and expressions of attendees. If you’re wondering what to wear, we encourage our audience to dress in what makes them feel comfortable; but it is a ‘dress to impress’ evening! Have fun with it and let your outfit express your personality.
3. You will then be directed to the sponsored ‘redhead friendly’ beauty bars.
Which to choose first?!
4. In the meantime, there will be complimentary catering.
Enjoy delicious passed hors d’oeuvres.
5. Enjoy makeup touch ups and advice from the experts at Gabriel Cosmetics.
6. Skin consultations will be available from Seattle’s best.
Redheads have so many questions about their skin and the best skin routine for a particular skin type. Experts from Skoah will be demonstating proper skin techniques and more.
7. Gene Juarez will be giving complimentary blow outs, hair touchups and consultations.
Want a fancy braid? Or have questions about your hair type? Ask away.
8. Adrienne and Stephanie will be working closely with Billion Dollar Brows for the eyebrow bar.
As many of you know, How to be a Redhead has released the ‘Red’ Hint of Tint eyebrow gel with the niche eyebrow company, Billion Dollar Brows. Every attendee has the chance to sit with Adrienne & Stephanie to discuss their eyebrows & the product!
9. The How to be a Redhead Beauty Bar will feature new apparel and brand new never-before-seen products.
Get excited!
10. Turn to Joy Lacquer, the Official Nail Sponsor for the Seattle event, to get mini-manicures, polish touchups.. and more.
They have created custom-made nail polishes for redhead attendees too.
11. Enjoy live performances from redhead rockstar, Shayne Leighton.
12. Complimentary cocktails and soft drinks will be provided.
Looks from Coolibar & local Seattle boutiques: The Finerie & Endless Knot will be showcased. This is also the 1st time we will be hosting an additional show.
14. Special performance by Katrina Stone.
We’re excited to have this redhead travel from Los Angeles for our 3rd stop on the tour. Her current album, ‘Never Want to Grow Up’ is a beautiful mix of horns and electric guitars, 50’s mixed with disco, folk instrumentation mixed with big band influence.
15. Leave with $300+ in beauty product.
General Admission attendees will leave with $300+ in beauty products and VIP will leave with $500+! They are our favorite products, handpicked by Adrienne and Stephanie, for each and every attendee.
16. 10% off all ticket proceeds go to The Hope Bag Mission.
Read about why we teamed up for this organization for the 2015 beauty tour here.
17. Big thanks to our hotel sponsor, Pineapple Hospitality & Hotel FIVE.
Rooms are sold out. If you have questions about accommodations, please email info@howtobearedhead.com.
Redheads typically have very fair, sensitive skin and many suffer from unruly skin. Did you know that redness, bumps and pimples on your face aren’t necessarily a sign of acne? They could also be an indication that you are suffering from the common, yet often misunderstood, skin condition rosacea.
We were overjoyed to recently share the Break Up With Your Makeup program with you. It’s an awesome initiative empowering those with rosacea, or those who struggle with redness, bumps and pimples, to share a no makeup selfie and show how you stay confident even on “tough skin days.”
In the meantime, it’s time to take action! Visit a dermatologist today to ask if any of these clinically proven prescription treatments may be right for you:
-SOOLANTRA® (ivermectin) Cream, 1% is a once-daily, prescription topical treatment for the inflammatory lesions of rosacea. Soolantra Cream may start working as quickly as week two, with continuous improvement with long-term use.
-MIRVASO® (brimonidine) topical gel, 0.33%* is the first and only prescription treatment specifically developed and indicated to treat the persistent facial redness of rosacea. Apply Mirvaso Gel to your face once daily and it may start working in as little as 30 minutes. Mirvaso Gel won’t just cover up redness, it may reduce redness for up to 12 hours.
-ORACEA® (doxycycline, USP) 40 mg Capsules* are the one and only pill approved by the FDA for the treatment of the bumps and pimples of rosacea. Oracea Capsules work from within to target and treat the inflammatory lesions of rosacea in adults.
Struggling with redness, bumps and pimples on your face can make you feel uncomfortable in your own skin. Let’s stop layering on thick makeup because it doesn’t make the issue go away; it only covers it up.
Rock it like a Redhead!
Important Safety Information – Soolantra® Cream
Indication: SOOLANTRA (ivermectin) Cream, 1%, is indicated for the treatment of inflammatory lesions of rosacea. Adverse Events: In clinical trials with SOOLANTRA® Cream, the most common adverse reactions (incidence ≥ 1 %) included skin burning sensation and skin irritation. Warnings / Precautions: Not for oral, ophthalmic or intravaginal use.
Important Safety Information – Mirvaso® Gel
Indication: Mirvaso® (brimonidine) topical gel, 0.33% is an alpha-2 adrenergic agonist indicated for the topical treatment of persistent (nontransient) facial erythema of rosacea in adults 18 years of age or older. Adverse Events: In clinical trials, the most common adverse reactions (≥1%) included erythema, flushing, skin-burning sensation and contact dermatitis. Warnings/Precautions: Mirvaso Gel should be used with caution in patients with depression, cerebral or coronary insufficiency, Raynaud’s phenomenon, orthostatic hypotension, thromboangiitis obliterans, scleroderma, or Sjögren’s syndrome. Alpha-2 adrenergic agents can lower blood pressure. MIRVASO Gel should be used with caution in patients with severe or unstable or uncontrolled cardiovascular disease. Serious adverse reactions following accidental ingestion of Mirvaso Gel by children have been reported. Keep Mirvaso Gel out of reach of children. Not for oral, ophthalmic, or intravaginal use.
*Each gram of gel contains 5 mg of brimonidine tartrate, equivalent to 3.3 mg of brimonidine free base.
Important Safety Information – ORACEA®
Indication: ORACEA® (doxycycline, USP) Capsules 40 mg is indicated for the treatment of only inflammatory lesions (papules and pustules) of rosacea in adult patients. Adverse Events: In controlled clinical studies, the most commonly reported adverse events (>2%) in patients treated with ORACEA were nasopharyngitis, sinusitis, diarrhea, hypertension and aspartate aminotransferase increase. Warnings/Precautions: ORACEA should not be used to treat or prevent infections. ORACEA should not be taken by patients who have a known hypersensitivity to doxycycline or other tetracyclines. ORACEA should not be taken during pregnancy, by nursing mothers, or during tooth development (up to the age of 8 years). Although photosensitivity was not observed in clinical trials, ORACEA patients should minimize or avoid exposure to natural or artificial sunlight. The efficacy of ORACEA treatment beyond 16 weeks and safety beyond 9 months have not been established.
*30 mg Immediate Release and 10 mg Delayed Release Beads
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
I’m participating in the Break Up with Your Makeup contest sponsored by Galderma Laboratories, L.P. You should discuss any medications with your doctor.
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Meet Ali & Clementine
Ali is a proud redhead, and even more proud that she has a beautiful redheaded daughter, Clementine. “We named her before we ever knew her hair color,” says Ali. “I love sharing this trait with her and I look forward to teaching her how to protect her skin and hair through HowtobeaRedhead.com!”
For most of the year, I’m as fair as any other redhead (“ghostly” is the term my family prefers to use). But during the summer, as I start spending more and more time outdoors, a wondrous thing happens: I start to tan. Naturally. By some unusual genetic combination, my skin will actually develop that elusive glow on its own.
And while I’m grateful that I don’t burn instantly when exposed to UV light, that doesn’t mean I’m a sun-worshipper. In fact, it’s just the opposite. Actually, I prefer going the safer route and getting my tan from a bottle.
Despite what you may think, redheads can absolutely rock the faux sun-kissed look. The combination of vibrant hair and tanned skin is gorgeous.
If you’re willing to throw caution to the wind and embrace the tropical version of yourself, be sure to keep these tips in mind:
1. Avoid moisturizing immediately beforehand
The product won’t absorb properly and will leave a streaky finish.
2. Exfoliate first
This is a must! It sloughs off the dead skin cells that can cause discoloration and unevenness. Use the scrub everywhere you’re going to be using the self-tanner, but especially around the less fleshy areas, like your knees, ankles and elbows.
Find the formula that offers the lightest shade of tan possible. You want it to look real and subtle, and no redhead can get truly, deeply bronzed (even ones like me!).
Try a daily moisturizer that contains a self-tanner. This will let you control the depth of the color. Use it every day until you’re as tan as you want to be, then reduce applications to every other day (or even less frequently) to maintain.
Use products specially formulated for this area. If you’re leery of using a formula that doesn’t wash off in the shower, try a powder bronzer for a temporary flush of color. Using a big, fluffy brush, sweep it over the places that naturally get sunkissed first (your forehead, nose, cheeks and chin) and also lightly along your neck and décolleté.
6. Be sure to adjust your makeup accordingly
This is the perfect opportunity to try out those shades of coral, orange and bright pink that may have seemed too harsh when you were pale.
