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!
1. LUDWIG: The filter provides a beautiful red glaze.
2. AIDAN: We adore this new filter because it gives the photo a vintage, 1970’s look, but still appears modern. Most importantly, the tint does not cover freckles.
3. SLUMBER: We were hesitant about this filter at first, but we’ve come to love it. It could easily ‘brown out’ red hair, but you can enhance it with the ‘Saturation’ feature Instagram provides.
Lexie was in complete isolation throughout her youth. There is no history of redheads on either side of her parents genealogy, so when she was born with a little red curl on the top of her head, her mom and dad thought the nurses mixed her up with another child. Growing up, her school was small and she was the only redhead there, as well. It was very difficult for her to fit in and Lexie was afraid to be herself because of how much she stood out. She was teased and it made life very difficult. When she progressed to Junior High, the kids became more relentless and it made going to school so unbearable her parents almost transferred her to a private school and considered home schooling. But, being the strong redhead she is, Lexie decided she wasn’t going to let other opinions change her. She focused on school, soccer, and her little brother (pictured here) who is the only one that made her feel like she belonged.
One day, out of the blue, a fashion designer happened to notice Lexie at a restaurant and asked if she would model for them. It actually took her doing a few photo shoots to realize being a redhead is something to be extremely proud of. “It is so rare and so unique it made me feel like I was a part of something beautiful that only 1-2% of people get to experience,” said Lexie. “I now love my hair and have donated to Locks of Love three different times. I wanted to give others the chance to have the color of hair I am so grateful to have been given.”
She wants all redheads to know there is nothing wrong with being unique. “It is funny that the very thing I hated the most about myself has become the very thing that defines me,” Lexie concludes. “It has become my favorite feature of who I am; feisty, fierce, determined, bold, pale and red.”
Redheads have a specific skin and hair color, and it’s extremely difficult to find products which match and enhance perfectly. That’s why it’s always best to have a palette with different colors to create your best shade.
We’ve tested and approved 6 ‘redhead friendly‘ palettes. Check them out below:
BRUSHES. Have you ever admired someone’s makeup wondering how and why it looks so flawless? It’s probably because they have great quality brushes. The EcoTools Day To Night Six Pc Set has every brush you need to start, plus at an affordable price.
FACE. NARSissist Cheek Studio Palette contains everything you need for a natural, totally fresh glow, including a full set of bronzers, luminizers, concealers, blush and brighteners, all in one compact. The colors look natural and never irritate sensitive redhead skin.
FACE. Redheads look stunning with the right bronzer & blush. The NARS Blush/Bronzer Duo
gives sunkissed radiance for any time of the year.
EYES. The Urban Decay Naked2 Basics Palette is richer than other mattes and the color goes on with a smooth. The color choices are perfect for a redhead, especially for daily looks.
EYEBROWS. How to be a Redhead is always on the hunt for fantastic eyebrow products. Our current love is SENNA Cosmetics ‘Form a Brow’ Kit. The kits come in many shades, but our favorite (of course) is the ‘Blonde/Redhead’ palette. The kit comes with 4 brow stencils (for the perfect shape), 3 brow powder colors in a mirrored compact, and brow grooming and coloring brush instructions.
LIP & EYE.Nudestix Sunset Strip Palette flatters all skin tones. It’s the perfect traveling buddy because it has all of your eye & lip needs in one easy kit.
The New Year has arrived and we guarantee your skin will be battling the cold weather for the next few months. It’s important to use hypoallergenic (a word to describe items that are claimed to cause fewer allergic reactions) products to keep skin extra safe. We consulted with Dr. Cynthia Bailey to discuss the 3 most important hypoallergenic products every redhead should have by their side this winter:
1. A hypoallergenic deeply hydrating moisturizer.
“Winter pulls water out of our skin for so many reasons and when you have sensitive skin that’s code for ‘your skin’s water barrier is deranged and weaker that everyone else’s’. Sensitive skin people need a ‘lock and load’ moisturizer to get through winter. Most moisturizers are not rich enough in the right water binding ingredients.”
READ:
2. A hypoallergenic lip balm.
“Know that most ‘healing lip balms‘ don’t heal! They contain ingredients aimed to heal but are taunting allergens to the hyperactive sensitive skin immune constitution and result in the dreaded ‘allergic cheilitis’ cycle of ‘lip chapping/lip balm applying’ that is really an allergic reaction to the lip balm. Never, never, never should a sensitive skin person use anything but hypoallergenic lip balm.”
3. Hypoallergenic hand care that controls chapping and keeps you from passing around the flu.
“The hand washing/sanitizing mania of flu phobia season and winter go hand-in-hand to create the perfect storm for cracked and painful hands. We know that the deranged and weak skin barrier of the sensitive skin constitution can’t handle it. Redheads need to wash away cold and flu germs with hand care items that won’t overly strip their precious skin oils.”
See the gallery below for some of the best ‘redhead friendly’ approved hypoallergenic moisturizers, lip balms & hand care:
10. Experiment Proves Society Misunderstand a Redhead’s Beauty
In 2012, young artist, Shelby Tsuji, did a remarkable artistic experiment exploring self image and beauty in society. She applied a strip of painter’s tape down the center of a girl’s face and applied heavy make up to one side of her face. After removing the tape, she photographs the subject against a white background with heavy light and includes a statement from the model. One of those model’s was a redhead named Natalie.
7. Keeping Red Hair Vibrant Without The Use of Dye
One of the most popular questions How to be a Redhead readers have is: “How do I keep my red hair from fading?!” If you’re a natural redhead or redhead ‘by choice,’ you may be wondering how you can keep your hair vibrant without the use of chemicals/permanent hair dye.
6. Styling Tips for Redheads with Naturally Curly Hair
Everyone loves redheads with perfectly defined curls. You commonly hear, “Look at that curly red hair! How beautiful!” But, all naturally curly redheads know we don’t wake up with perfect bouncy curls. It takes time! Not to mention, natural curls are frizz prone and takes a lot of effort to style. Some prefer to put a straightener to it to refrain from having to “deal with” the curls. But, my advice is to take full advantage of your natural texture.
5. Redheads: Should You Try Eyelash and Eyebrow Tinting?
Most redheads have blonde eyebrows and eyelashes. That’s why the joke amongst many copper haired ladies is: “Mascara and eyebrow pencil is my best friend!” When you add a few strokes of mascara, or slightly pencil in your brows, it helps to make your face and eyes pop. Instead of investing a lot of time applying and reapplying mascara and eyebrow pencil, many women have started eyelash and eyebrow tinting. Honestly, who wants to put on mascara and pencil if you don’t have to? Although eyelash and eyebrow tinting has hit the mainstream, many redheads haven’t tried them. So, we consulted the tinting experts to better understand if eyebrow and eyelash tinting is right for you.
4. Transform Your Look: Top 7 Beauty Buys for Redheads
Are you treating yourself to new makeup this summer? Don’t look any further. We’ve selected 7 of the best makeup products for redheads. To get the scoop on what is the best-of-the-best, we spoke with makeup artist Jennifer Trotter from Fort Worth, TX. She has been a makeup professional for 23 years and is known for her before/after transformations, just look at the photo above! “I myself have dark auburn hair and a pale complexion. I just love working on redheads,” said Trotter.
Most redheads have very specific makeup and skin questions, either about their sensitive skin, red hair, light eyelashes or blonde eyebrows. It’s important to figure out what eyebrow products are best for your shade of brows because they shape your entire face. Sometimes, all a redhead needs is a few swipes of mascara and shaping of the eyebrows. That’s why we’ve consulted with NYC Makeup Artist, Natalie Livingston about what eyebrow pencils/shadows are the most ‘redhead friendly.’
1. The Best Hypoallergenic Mascaras for Sensitive Eyes
Many redheads have sensitive skin, but what about sensitive eyes? Do you suffer from itchy, dry, watery eyes? Do you regularly have little eye infections? Most redheads love mascara for their blonde eyelashes. But, what happens when your eyes suffer from your mascara? You could never dream of getting rid of mascara completely (imagine?!). Luckily, there are many “hypoallergenic” mascaras on the market, but do not get confused. The term technically means that the product does not contain well-known allergens and is less likely to cause a reaction in people with allergies or sensitivities. But, with so many on the market, what is best? There are lots of questions and we have the answers.
Celebrate the new year with a pop of color on your lips. Reds, oranges, nudes and pinks all look stunning on redheads.
To discover the best lipstick tips, we consulted with Patty Bell, an award-winning makeup artist currently based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She has worked with flame-haired celebrities like Amy Adams and Kate Walsh, and knows a thing or two about makeup tips for redheads.
“As a redhead myself, the hair color is always the best feature and the lip color should enhance and compliment that beautiful hair color,” said Bell. “I like shades in the coral, rust, golds, oranges and the true red family.”
Here are here 4 expert lipstick suggestions for women with copper locks:
1. For those with chapped lips:
“Lip balms are a great daytime lip color. I like ones that offer a slight touch of color and this time of year, my lips are so chapped and can’t get enough of NIVEA’s strawberry or cherry lip balm. They smell divine.”
2. For those who cannot keep lipstick on:
“Try a lip stain. Revlon makes some great lip stains in the form of a crayon. They also add a touch of color and moisture.”
3. For those looking for a long-lasting lipstick:
“I love the look of a matte lipstick for evening. This is the longest lasting lip color on the market due to the drier formula. I love the formula from Make Up For Ever.”
“Lip glosses are great for evening and always make the smile look brighter, fresher and even give a younger look. They tend to be a little stickier but the look you get is worth it. MAC ‘Lychee-Luxe’ is a great lipgloss for redheads. It’s a wonderful, warm golden coral shade that is flattering to all skin tones.”
Looking for the perfect redhead lipstick? Look no further!
How to be a Redhead Finally Bold® Lipsticks
Yes, you heard it right. Finally Bold® is clean, cruelty-free, vegan and made in the USA. Discover three shades made for redheads. Shop now.
Shannon started loving her red hair & fair skin about two years ago. She use to hate the attention from strangers, but now realizes she is part of a select group of natural redheads in the entire population. “To me it’s crazy that I am part of such a unique group of people,” says Shannon. “It sort of makes me feel powerful in a way because of my hair color is different. My hair is like a unique one of a kind accessory that no one else can have. Redheads are truly the mystical creatures of the world.”
The Hollywood Reporter asked a very good Oscar’s question, “Why Hasn’t a Redhead Ever Won?” This year, redheads like Julianne Moore, Jessica Chastain, Amy Adams, Emma Stone could put this curse to shame and win the award. Even the famous Maureen O’Harahad to wait until she was 94 to get a nomination. She was never recognized during her career.
This year, our fingers are triple crossed that one of the crimson ladies will win. Julianne Moore was last nominated in 2003 for Far From Heaven and supporting in The Hours. But her current film Still Alice is considered a best actress frontrunner. It is important to note that Nicole Kidman did win Best Actress in 2002 for her leading role in The Hours, but she was a blonde for the movie and acceptance speech.
Jessica Chastain has been nominated twice for an Oscar. This year, she has 4 movies which could give her the winning title: — Miss Julie, the sci-fi epic Interstellar, A Most Violent Year or for The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby. And, Amy Adams has been nominated for playing Margaret Keane in Big Eyes.
Many redheads are taking to Twitter to respond to this so called “jinx”:
What do you think the end result will be? Who do you think will win? It looks like we’ll have to wait until February 22, 2015 to tune in and cheer for our red ladies.
