Renée loves her red hair. “It creates my personality, giving spunk to my life,” she said. “Being a little foxy is okay. Freckles are my makeup, and I wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world.” Since she was little, she has known being a redhead is a one-of-a-kind opportunity because it’s a blessing to give the world a vibrant color. Renée continues, “Being a mutated individual is tubular, exotic, and completely rad. Gingers rule because we’re (red)dictive. I’m glad I get to be a who I am every day of my life!”
WARNING: We know this looks bad! This article provides tips on how to get natural looking eyebrows with professional tattooing.
Eyebrows are a big topic amongst redheads because you can’t equally match hair color with eyebrows if you’re aiming for a natural effect. You might be wondering what the best eyebrow color is for you; we always recommend going a shade lighter than your hair. If your hair is a dark auburn, your eyebrows should be a light auburn. If your hair is strawberry blonde, your eyebrows should be a light blonde.
BUYERS BEWARE
Instead of shopping around for eyebrow products or getting the brows temporarily dyed, many opt for eyebrow tattooing. Unfortunately, some women have ended up with results like the above picture. “Situations like this are horrible and sad. Properly applied permanent cosmetics look so natural that your friends never know, however the opposite is also true,” says April Meese from New York City’s April Meese Permanent Cosmetics. “Unfortunately not all artists are equal and there are different skill leveIs. Like many things, buyers beware.”
WHAT REDHEADS WANT
Meese has met and worked on many redheads and said they all want the same result. “Most natural redheads I see are especially concerned with their overall look being natural and understated. A soft powdery eyebrow or the ‘hair stroke’ technique is fantastic for achieving a discreet look. Redheads ‘by choice’ also want to improve their overall appearance. They may have more hair and darker hair by nature, but usually the goal is to have youthful flattering eyebrows.”
She meets with women daily who love the look of permanent eyebrows. “They give you the confidence to wake up looking your best and the convenience of saving time on your beauty routine. Let’s face it, when you look better you feel better” says Meese.
How do you go about getting a tattoo artist to perfect your brows? Your best bet, recommends Meese, is to invest money in selecting the right technician. “A ‘bargain’ procedure could cost you more money in the end, especially if you have to go through removal (if possible) and/or correction. Not to mention the additional time, frustration, depression, and other non-monetary consequences. Choosing the right technician is vital to your welfare.”
It is strongly suggested to search for a permanent cosmetic technician in the same way people research doctors and dentists. Once you have chosen a professional, look at their before and after work. Meese says, “Look at their portfolio of previous clients and make sure to ask if the photos are their own work or stock photos or copied from the internet! Does their work appeal to you and match your own personal style? Does the artist have good client reviews? These are all things to keep in mind.”
But, most importantly, make sure the artist has performed many procedures. “Many permanent cosmetic professionals do other beauty treatments and do permanent cosmetic procedures on occasion. Ask to see all certificates of training and continuing education. Since this field is rapidly evolving, regular continuing education is a must.”
If you opt for a permanent procedure, all professional doctors will offer a follow-up visit once the procedure has been done. “If the follow-up visit is not offered, the technician is below the standard of care in the industry,” says Meese.
After Photo of Natural-Looking Tattoo Procedure. “They give you the confidence to wake up looking your best and the convenience of saving time on your beauty routine. Let’s face it, when you look better you feel better” says Meese.
MORE TIPS FOR REDHEADS
“My number one tip for redheads is to choose an eyebrow color based on your skin tone and not solely on your hair color. Auburn eyebrows are not for everyone. Some clients may look best with a lighter and warmer ‘autumn gold’ and others might favor a ‘cool taupe’.” It’s essential for a technician to use quality pigments that are yellow based (neutral based) because it will fade into a lighter version of the original color without turning odd colors. “Red, orange, and plum are never acceptable for eyebrows,” Meese concludes.
Remember, the result can be stunning but doing your due diligence is necessary to get the look you desire.
Jessica Chastain is known for her ‘Old Hollywood’ looks on the red carpet. But, at last night’s Critics’ Choice Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, she surprised us all with a bohemian loose braid with a classic twist. Get the look in 5 easy steps:
1. Comb half the hair back into a tight knot so the hair is half up and half down.
2. Take a piece of hair and wrap it around the elastic, secure with redhead bobby pins. Use a few squirts of hairspray to lock in the look.
3. Brush the hair gently and pull two pieces, one from the right and one from the left of each ear, together and secure with small elastic to give a slight waterfall effect.
4. Loosely braid the hair three or four times and secure with small elastic.
5. Optional: Gently brush and flat iron the ends of your hair to get the “flat look.” Hairspray to hold the braid in place.
We know many of you love ‘Redhead Friendly’ nail polish colors. But, how many of you feel like you can only get that perfect manicured look at a professional salon? We understand the feeling. We talked nails with Barbie Ritzman, blogger from Barbie’s Beauty Bits. She has a real passion for nails and wanted to share her steps on how redheads can live an anti-smudge life:
1. Clean nails are important:
“It seems simple, but you want to make sure that all the old nail polish is completely removed. This will enable the polish to adhere longer.”
2. Application is important too:
Ritzman also recommends patiently applying nail polish so it will dry correctly, preventing smudges.
“One reason your nails are smudging is because you are applying too much nail polish at once. Instead, apply multiple thin coats instead of one thick coat. If you do a thick coat it may appear to be dry, but really it isn’t and will smudge. Doing multiple thin coats will enable those coats to dry and not smudge.”
3. This is how experts apply nail polish:
Step One: Apply a base coat first, let it dry.
Step Two: Place a small drop of nail polish near your cuticle area, but not too close as you need to have some space.
Step Three: You want to start a line with the polish. Go to the dot and start to thin it out by pulling a tiny bit ever so slightly towards the cuticle.
Step Four: Go back to that dot and pull it forward with your brush towards the tip of your nail.
Step Five: Go back to where you placed the dot and pull it out towards the right in a swoop and pull it down in another line towards the tip. Repeat this on the left side.
Remember: Don’t use dried out nail polish. If the polish is old it will appear thick and more tacky. If this is the case it is time to get a new bottle.
4. Let them dry:
“Factors around you can affect how long it takes for your nails to dry. If it is humid in the room in which you are painting your nails, it will take longer for your nails to dry. Hence, you want to keep this in mind by giving yourself a few extra minutes.”
5. Use the petroleum jelly trick:
“A great way to keep nail polish from running onto your cuticles is to apply a small bit of petroleum jelly along the sides and the base of your nails before painting. If polish seeps-off the nail, who cares? All you will have to do is wipe off the petroleum jelly, and you now have perfectly painted nails!”
6. Still have a mistake?
“Dip a thin brush (a thin eyeliner brush is a great tool), in nail polish remover and remove your mistakes with that brush.”
With a hair color so beautiful, it is only natural that redheads would want thick, shiny, healthy hair. Many are turning to the natural root plant, maca and calling it a ‘miracle’.
“It has been used for centuries, dating as far back as the 1500’s, a time in which its benefits were so well known that maca was often traded for goods and services in place of gold and silver,” says Samantha Van Vleet, owner of Cassava Shop, an organic, non-GMO herbal supplement company. “Maca root is an adaptogenic herb, meaning it works with each individual’s unique body chemistry without the introduction of any plant hormones. This adaptogenic nature is believed to be due to a specific component of maca known as glucosinolates.”
Van Vleet goes on to say maca is a herb for both men and women. It is believed to support fertility, regulating estrogen levels in women and promoting healthy reproductive cycles, and relief from menopause symptoms, while supporting male reproductive health by reducing estrogen levels in men. It is even said maca can increase energy and reduce lethargy.
To understand why this root plant also helps hair, we consulted Dr. Jolene Brighten, ND, a Naturopathic Doctor from Oakland, California. “Maca contains alkaloids that act upon the hypothalamus and pituitary glands in the brain which in turn encourage healthy levels of estrogen, testosterone and cortisol. If redheads are facing hair loss it can be due to hormonal imbalance or stress, and maca can help rebalance hormones and minimize the effects of stress and thereby encourage normal hair growth.”
There isn’t proof that maca will transform your hair from thin to thick overnight, but there is evidence it can balance any irregularities you might have. Make sure to consult a doctor and see if maca is right for you.
Tani is 14-years-old and is the only redhead in her grade. She said, “I did think about dyeing my hair black, but found How to be a Redhead and fell in love with my strawberry blonde hair.”
If you’re a redhead who rocks dark colors because you think your hair should be the only standout piece, you’re not alone. Many women with red hair feel this way and that’s why we spoke with Karin Elgai. She’s a stylist for OkMyOutfit.com and her clients include Heather Graham, the Cast of Orange Is The New Black and her editorials have appeared in Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, and more.
“I miss being a faux-ginge so much. I know being redhead isn’t one tone, but a full spectrum of fabulous, from rose to cabernet. It’s easy to fall into a full closet of black, especially in the winter. I’m guilty of it myself. But it’s not inevitable,” says Elgai.
She strongly encourages redheads to choose bright colors, whether you’re sporting a bolder, deeper shade of red hair or if you’re a lighter haired queen. Here are her 4 favorite colors for redheads in 2015:
4. Yellow: “The wild card color is yellow. On some it looks unbelievably good and others it washes out. If you’re not sure yellow is for you, try it in accessory form (scarf or necklace) before committing to a dress or top.”
The New Year is here and it’s time to begin using a better (and healthier) makeup routine. We consulted with Boston makeup artist, Liz Fuller. “Commit to a skin care regimen to get redhead skin looking its best and practice the following tips in 2016,” says Fuller.
1. Manage your brows.
“Many redheads are not properly grooming their eyebrows. I’m finding with clients that either the eyebrows are being completely ignored or overly plucked/waxed. Brows should be on the full side but should be professionally shaped and maintained. Use a brow powder or gel to fill in gaps if hairs are sparse and be sure to brush those formulas through with a brow brush to blend.”
“Oftentimes I have clients come to me and they say they don’t wash their face at night or they don’t use moisturizer or sun screen. It’s very difficult to apply makeup to skin that is not properly hydrated (flaky skin) or if a client has been picking at pimples, resulting in scabs. It’s much easier to cover a red bump than a scab.”
“I’ve just learned this trick to find your best lipstick/gloss shade. You can do this with the lipsticks you already have to rule out which ones work or don’t, or out at a makeup store. Open the sample lipsticks, twist up the lipstick from the bullet and hold it horizontally- right in front of your lips. (You can do this with gloss as well-if it has a see-through container.) Look in the mirror and you can see what the color will look like on you without even having to try it on. You can’t try on every lipstick in a store, but by doing this trick, you sort of can! It is amazing and simple.”
4. Curl your eyelashes.
“So many women skip this step in their daily routine. Curling your eyelashes is so easy and effortless to do. And it makes a world of difference. Eyes are just wider looking, more open and awake. Curl your lashes, swipe on your mascara, and go!”
5. Ditch the eyeliner pencil along your lower lash line.
“Pencils can be very harsh, especially as we get older and have more fine lines around the eyes. You can line your upper lash line with a pencil but for the lower lash line opt for a shadow instead. A chocolate brown, muted gray, or a rich plum can look gorgeous when applied along the lower lash line. Apply a shimmery shadow underneath (a champagne or gold color) to let light shine through.”
6. Try a cream blush instead of a powder.
“Cream blushes look a lot more natural than a powder version. Cream blushes melt into the skin letting the pretty color peek through to reveal a healthy-looking glow.”
One of the biggest secrets in the redhead eyebrow world: clear eyebrow gel. After tweezing away unwanted hair and applying your favorite eyebrow product (like a pencil and/or eyebrow powder), the last step should always be to use a clear gel. It sets your look for hours on end and keeps them looking gorgeous.
Tip: After filling in your brows, dab the clear eyebrow gel onto the top of your brows. Do not stroke it on as you would mascara or else you’re risking your brow pencil, powder, pomade or pen being erased.
Learn more about Finally Have Brows:
For the perfect brows, use the Ultra Fine Redhead Brow Pencil’s automatic liner with a built-in grooming brush to fill in brows. Then, use the Volumizing to tint, condition and fluff. Lastly, use the Longwearing to tint, tame and lock. Get ready for fluffy, full, and always natural-looking redhead brows.
AVAILABLE NOW: Finally Have Brows Clear Brow Gel. It’s best for redheads who want to embrace their natural brow color but desire a fuller/more even look. Tip: This product can also be applied after using Finally Have Brows gels or pencil in Universal Red.
With many products on the market, we’ve chosen the best brands and other neat ways to use it in your beauty routine:
1. Maybelline Great Lash Mascara, $4
You probably recognize this tiny bottle. For many of us, the Maybelline Great Lash Mascara was our very first mascara brand. Or, a makeup artist wrongly told you to use this and only this for eyelash definition. Very wrong! Redheads can use this clear product for their brows too. It’s a great way to keep your shape in place for hours on end.
2. NYX Professional Makeup Control Freak Eyebrow Gel, $3
We love a great brush and this product from NYX Professional has just that. It’s thick wand scoops up your brows with one scoop leaving them beautifully in place.
If you want a lifelong brow gel partner, you’ve found it. Anastasia Beverly HillsBrow Gel sets and defines brows without fuss. The soothing chamomile formula also conditions hair and offers a lustrous, natural look.
This vegan, cruelty-free clear mascara is a little pricer than the Maybelline or NYX option but it’s a great option if you’re extremely sensitive around your brow area. You’ll only need a few coats to lock your brows in place all day.
Want a little tint AND an eyebrow gel? This product is the shortcut to perfect looking brows. Brows are set, tamed, and tinted in just a few quick strokes. The color is great for redheads, too!
