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Skin

Just for Reds: The Four Best Sunscreens for Sensitive Skin

Redheads, the best sunscreen is a hat, shirt and sunscreen. Since sunscreen is made from chemicals, it is important to find the one that is “safe” and will absorb without irritating sensitive skin.

How to be a Redhead has tried the majority of “safe sunscreens” and below are the TOP FOUR for a Redhead’s life!

1. Alba Botanica, Mineral Sunscreen Fragrance Free: This product is a Redhead’s dream. It is made of mostly organic ingredients and the texture of the lotions is smooth and light weight. The Mineral Sunscreen Fragrance Free is marketed for kids, but it is sure to be a hit with adults too. It applies beautifully and protects skin without harsh chemicals or the stink of other sunscreen odors. The best part is that it can be applied on the face without the cause of breakouts!

2. Beyond Coastal, Natural Clear Sunscreen: This sunscreen applies flawlessly and protects skin all day long-especially if going to the beach. The texture is a bit heavy for everyday use, but it’s still a fantastic choice.

3. Kabana Skin Care, Green Screen: Marketed as “Green Screen” because of its natural origins; and most of the ingredients are edible! The feel and smell is perfect for everyday use.

4. ThinkSport: If you’re an athlete, this is the best sunscreen! It never comes off and it applies easily. $14-16.00

 

Hair

Avocado Hair Mask To Replenish Your Red Locks

Is the sun beating down on your red hair? How to be a Redhead always recommends using hair conditioning products, but sometimes nothing beats using at-home ingredients to make hair shiny and healthy.

READ: IT’S TIME TO TREAT YOUR HAIR RIGHT. TOP 6 CONDITIONING TREATMENTS FOR RED HAIR

And with avocados in season, why not use them to replenish your red hair?

Avocados are great for hydrating and nourishing the hair and for that reason, are usually an ingredient in many hair products. An avocado hair mask is jam packed with hydrating nourishments and perfect for those with a dry scalp or dry hair.

The recipe we recommend uses olive oil, but if you have color-treated red hair, you might want to substitute with almond oil as olive oil may lighten hair highlights or lowlights.

Avocado Hair Mask

Recipe is for long hair, use half the recipe if you have short hair.

-1 ripe avocado pitted, peeled and mashed into a guacamole-like mixture

-2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

1. Mix avocado with olive oil. Stir until olive oil isn’t noticeable in the mixture.

2. Apply mask to damp hair

3. After 30 minutes, rinse off. Shampoo well. Dry and enjoy your beautiful red hair!

 

Makeup

Going for Gold: Drastic Makeup Tips for Redheads

By: Melanie Ring

How often do you hear: “You can’t wear that, you’re a redhead!”

There are so many myths about colors to suit different complexions. Well, who cares about the rules, when it comes to makeup you can still be brave with any color- especially gold.

The trick is to find the right shade of gold and also learn how to balance makeup because it is important to work with your red hair, not against it.

THE EYES:

Sometimes it’s nice to stand out from the crowd with your red hair and contrasting “redhead friendly” colors- like green, plum or turquoise. At other times, reaching for gold tones can be a versatile makeup option- especially for those fun summer nights. Warm shades of gold and copper can add a touch of shimmer to your naturally light eyelids and you can follow it up with a touch of eyeliner for some definition.

To finish the look you can choose warmer brown mascara to show off your lashes without appearing too harsh.

If you’re looking to create an evening look, you can use gold shades as a base to build on and apply browns for a warm, smoky eye effect. Or, you can add a deeper, matte eyeshadow and gold eyeliner for a dramatic look.

THE BLUSH:

To be on the safe side with your blush, it’s best to choose a peachy or coral shade. Luckily, these tend to blend beautifully with gold so you’re sure to get your look spot on.

THE LIPS: 

Gold lipstick is a little bit more dangerous. A strong metallic gold lip only really works on olive skin types. It doesn’t mean gold can’t be an option for you. A good trick for redheads is to apply some gold lip gloss over the top of your favourite lipstick for a shimmering effect. Alternatively, look for warm lip colors that include the shimmer. Golden coral shades or gold-based reds and peaches work well.

THE NAILS:

There is no better way to incorporate gold into your beauty regime than with a spot of gold nail polish. It makes a great addition to any party outfit because you can match the color with your choice of jewelry. Or, you can pick a shade which co-ordinates with your lipstick, but has flecks of gold within the polish.

Rock it like a Redhead! 

 

Photo Credit: Hart & Co.

Interviews

Interview with Jerseylicious Star, Gayle Giacomo & A Giveaway For Your Red Hair!

Gayle Giacomo is a beautiful redhead and owner of The Gatsby Salon, the famous salon in Green Brook, New Jersey and home of the hit show, Jerseylicious. 

Gayle always dreamed of becoming a fashion designer in the shops of Manhattan and had a love for color, shape, and design for as long as she could remember. Ultimately, those dreams manifested in another form of creative expression in what became her ultimate passion – hair styling.  She became part of the ownership of The Gatsby Salon when she and her husband, Danny, married. She then became the sole owner in 1998 when Daniel passed away. Going forward, her goal was to bring The Gatsby Salon into the modern era by creating a unique salon experience by infusing traditional and modern techniques in a sleek setting.

She sat down with How to be a Redhead and discussed redhead beauty secrets and how The Gatsby Salon turned into one of the most famous salons in the country:

H2BAR: Jerseylicious is on its 4th season. Congrats! How did you get involved with the television show? How has it helped shape your career?

GG: My mutual industry friend suggested The Gatsby Salon to the producers and it all seemed to fall into place from there. When things are meant to be- they will be! 

H2BAR: What does being a redhead mean to you?

GG: It’s just the color that feels most comfortable on me; just like when you find the perfect pair of jeans that fit.  I have tried blonde, medium brown, dark brown and realize I am never happy because it’s not red, so now I stick to what works for me.

H2BAR: Who is your favorite redhead celebrity and why?

GG: Lucille Ball. She is classy, funny and timeless- the epitome of what being a redhead is all about!

H2BAR: How would you describe your style?

GG: Classic…with an edge

H2BAR: You are a very successful businesswoman. Do you have any advice for women entrepreneurs?

GG: Balance! Balance is the key to any success for a big or small business.  Every entrepreneur should make time for work, family and themselves.

H2BAR: Frizzy hair is always a problem we [redheads] are trying control, especially with the humidity issue in the summer months. What is your top advice to fight frizzy red hair?

GG: Moisturize your hair with a deep conditioner at least once a week and using a good oil before and after blow drying the hair. It’s all about using the right product!

H2BAR: What makeup beauty products can you not live without?

GG: PRIMER. Without a good primer all the money and time you spend on makeup is worthless.  A good primer will smooth the skin’s surface and evens out the skin tone, makes your foundation stay longer and helps fill in fine lines and wrinkles. It is a definite must have!

GGGATSBY

H2BAR: We LOVE your GG Gatsby hair care line! Can you tell our community a little more about this line? What makes this line different from other hair lines and how does it work for red hair?

GG: My GG Gatsby Ooh La La Volume Collection features 5 products to achieve the ultimate volume: the Raise Volume Shampoo & Conditioner are amazing, super gentle –sulfate and phthalate FREE! The Styling skus really do the heavy-lifting: we have the Ultimate Lift Dry Shampoo Powder, great to use to for the late for work mornings or refreshing a blow-out. My ultimate favorite is the Over the Top Root Lift Spray, it really gives you the lift, bulk and height you need for real Jerseylicious Hair! And then we have to finish every hair style with a hairspray, ours is called Against Gravity Hair Spray.

GG Gatsby is a unique line of hair care as each of its products contain a proprietary Oleo-VOLUME & STRENGTH™ Technology which helps to create 40% more volume and 50% more strength in hair. Their state-of-the-art Oleosome natural delivery system helps deliver 2 key benefits: Biopolymers penetrate the hair shaft to plump and expand the hair and the lightweight natural oils and extracts strengthen hair from the inside out with tremendous health and shine benefits.

Since I am a redhead, all of these products work perfectly for my hair and they’ll work for you ‘Reds’ too! You can find the line on Target.com or GGGatsby.com !

 

Hair

How To Treat Oily Roots With Dry Ends

Updated: November 16, 2020

Is your red hair dry on the ends and oily on top? This can be frustrating for many redheads who want to condition their hair and keep it healthy but worry about the top of the hair getting too oily.

Here are some ‘redhead friendly’ tips on how to treat greasy roots with dry ends:

For dry ends

Use a leave-in deep conditioner on your red hair (focusing on the ends) once a week. When you wash your red hair, twist and rub the conditioner into your ends, brush it through a bit, then either use a ceramic hair dryer to style or air dry. If your hair is terribly dry, use 1-2 drops of a redhead approved hair oil. Keep in mind a hair oil can be very greasy, so a little goes a long way. Make sure to only concentrate on the ends.

Eleven Australia Miracle Spray Leave In Hair Treatment –– Featured in the Fall 2020 Deluxe H2BAR Box!

For oily, greasy roots

Brush your red hair using a hair scalp massager to stimulate blood flow to the scalp and oil glands. Shampoo twice (once to rinse the dirt away, the other to cleanse) and only condition the ends of the hair. Once your hair is dry, spray some dry shampoo on your roots to help prevent grease. Try a weekly scalp mask to detox the scalp and keep hair healthy.

Hair Scalp Massager Shampoo Brush

 

With these tips, you’re sure to have beautiful red hair all year long!

Makeup

What Red Personality Are You? Look to Your Lipstick for the Answer

It is said that how a woman wears down her lipstick tells a bit about her personality. Since redheads are known to be spunky, fiery, motivated (the list can go on and on) we wondered what the shape of your lipstick says about your red personality.

This is how it works, the more your lipstick is used, the more you shape it to your personality. Go grab your well-used lipstick, take a peak and determine what personality type you are!

Is the personality description accurate? Tell us below!

Cover Photo Credit
Get Vibrant

What’s A Ginger to Do? The Low Down on Color Depositing Shampoo

Updated: May 25th, 2023

By: Guest Writer, Lanie Short

Copper, auburn, strawberry – natural or not – we redheads all lament that our shiny, vibrant color fades from the sun, water, and harsh products. Natural red hair grows slowly and visits to the salon damage hair and pocketbooks – so what’s a ginger to do?

One way to keep your red fresh is by using color depositing shampoo and conditioner. These products actually contain hair color and it remains in your hair after you’ve rinsed.

Tip: There are products in the drugstore that say they “refresh” your color. That’s different than depositing color, and if you read the labels of those products it says (somewhere in tiny tiny print) “does not deposit color.”

There are several brands of color depositing shampoos and conditioners available today. The prices range from around $8-$35. My two favorite brands are Quantum’s Riveting Reds and L’Oreal Colorist.

Most brands have several shades of each color, so once you find a brand that works for you, you can change it up a little. When my hair is darker auburn I sometimes use a really bright red color depositing shampoo and conditioner to give it a little sparkle. I suggest going to your local beauty supply and asking which of these products are the most popular with their redhaired customers. Grab their recommendation and give it a go!

I’ll guarantee you’ll love how shiny and red your hair looks after using a color depositing shampoo.

I would love to hear what brands YOU found and what results you get. Redheads should always share product knowledge with each other, I hope I have given you something new to try!

*As a postscript, make sure to rinse your tub/shower thoroughly after using color depositing products, as you would after using any hair color, to avoid any stains.

If you are looking for an alternative to color depositing shampoo, look no further:

Finally Glossy® Shine & Luminosity Shampoo for Redheads

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.

redhead shampoo

SHOP FINALLY GLOSSY NOW

Interviews

Redheads Are Rare Gems: An Interview with Music Star, Lindsay Beth Harper

Since the young age of five, Lindsay Beth Harper has been performing for audiences across the United States. In her younger years, she was selected to perform on NBC’s America’s Most Talented Kid. She has also appeared on Access Hollywood, as well as many other major news stations and she has finally began to receive the promotion and experience that she had always dreamed of obtaining.

Lindsay sat down with How to be a Redhead to tell the Red community about her music and her love for being a redhead!

H2BAR: Describe how being a redhead shaped you and your career?

LBH: I love every minute of it. With such a distinct look, I definitely believe that the red hair helps me to stand out in a crowd, and it can be an advantage. I love being unique! When I was younger, I was teased, but that didn’t change my love for my red locks. I love when someone comes up to me in a public place and says something like, “Oh my goodness is that your natural hair color? It is beautiful!” That makes me feel so happy that it is my natural hair color. I feel like a rare gem.

H2BAR: How did you get started in the music industry?

LBH: My parents used to tell me that as a toddler I would start dancing and singing to any music that came on. Music had been a large part of both of my parents’ lives, and they felt that I had potential to not only entertain them but thousands. When I was five, I began taking dance and voice lessons.

I remember the first time that I stepped on stage; it was the most exciting thing I had ever done in my young life. I loved it and the audience did too, which made me even happier. I knew right then and there that I wanted to be a famous performer one day, and I was going to make it happen.

H2BAR: You have a CD coming out this fall. Congratulations! Can you tell us a little more about it?

LBH: I’m actually releasing my debut single, “Take it All,” along with a music video for the song. I am very excited about the single because up to this point in my career, it is my best work as an artist. I have a three-song sampler album that can be found on iTunes.  Since recording that sampler album, I decided to work on further enhancing my talent before releasing a new single.  As I personally grew up between recording my sampler album and my new single, my music has also.

I recently had my heart broken by my first love, which was the influence for the single. When I first heard the finished product, I was amazed by how much my sound has changed and matured over the past few years, and I knew this was going to be a song that audiences could relate to. The music video is set to be filmed in August. You can expect a release of the song and video in October, and I would love for howtobeareadhead.com to have a sneak peak of the video before its release and show it to its followers the day of the release.

H2BAR: What is your most unforgotten moment thus far?

LBH: My most unforgotten moment to this day has to be when I appeared on NBC’s “America’s Most Talented Kid.” It all started with my curiosity and determination to learn something new. Although I sing pop/rock music now, as a child, I was big into country music, and I decided to learn how to yodel.

My yodeling had become a hit all over town, and my performances got much more attention than I ever expected. I was landing appearances on local TV and radio stations, and one day my mom found this audition online for a new NBC show called, “America’s Most Talented Kid.” I was skeptical, but I went to the audition and yodeled, and I got a callback! After my callback audition, I waited a couple weeks and received another call that I had been chosen as a contestant. My life was about to change!

In the end, I didn’t walk away with a prize, but I appeared on Access Hollywood, WRCBTV in Chattanooga, TN, and appeared in major newspapers all over Georgia. Just when the excitement cooled down, I received a phone call from PAX Television, who picked up the show, and they wanted me to appear on it! During my experience on the two shows, I was able to compete against contestants such as Jordin Sparks, Diana DeGarmo, and JoJo.

The whole experience was the most amazing thing that has ever happened in my life. That little touch of fame let me know that my dream is possible, and I am never going to give up.

H2BAR: With the summer season in bloom, do you have any favorite ‘redhead friendly‘ fashion trends you are loving?

LBH: The key is finding the right fit and style of clothing that complements your body and skin type. It is also important to make an outfit your own, rather than copying the current trend. I love wearing my sparkles and knee high leather boots when performing, but when it comes to hanging out with my friends I can’t get enough of this year’s bright skinny jeans, Ray Bans, tote bags, and printed tees.

H2BAR: What is the one beauty product you cannot live without?

I love my TIGI foundation. I am an avid user of it because it goes on smooth, covers up any redness or blemishes, and it stays on all day. I love anything and everything from Bare Minerals too. I use their products from going to class during the day to performing and going out on the town at night.

H2BAR: Who is your all-time favorite redhead celebrity?

LBH: Reba McEntire! She has always been such an inspiration to me. She is spunky and full of energy, and, every time she performs, she owns the stage. I would love to meet her one day.

H2BAR: Any advice for other young girls looking to get in the performing industry?

LBH: First, find something unique about yourself, and flaunt it. You have to stand out in this industry since it is so competitive. Second, practice makes perfect. Take some lessons as a starter. Then the more performances you have the better. Practicing in your room will help your skills, but your confidence and comfort come from experience in front of an audience.

Third, promotion and fans are keys. Use social media to build your fan base, but make sure to network and build a personal fan base as well. Talk to people and get them interested in your music, and hand out free CDs. You can now download my song, “Without Me” for free on my fan page. Just like my page to receive the song, and you will also see updates and giveaways from me.

Get Vibrant

Expert Advice: Top Sun Protection Tips for Your Red Locks

By: Guest Writer & Celebrity Colorist, Rona O’Connor 

Every redhead wants their hair to stay vibrant and healthy looking throughout the summer. Although, we all know it is hard to keep it that way when there are so many fun outdoor activities and gatherings. Instead of worrying about your red hair getting dull, use these three quick tips to keep your hair beautifully red all summer (and for some of us, fall too) long.

1. UV Protection: Red hair (natural or bottled) will blonde up in the sun if it is exposed for a long time. If you want to keep your red bright and healthy, protect it with leave-in conditioners (spray or creams) that claim to have UV protection. And while you’re at it, make sure to use UV protection on your skin, too!

2. Long Hair Tip: If your hair is long and you’re outdoors, tie it in a tight bun to keep the majority of your hair tucked away from the rays.

3. Conditioning Treatments: Keep the hair conditioned so the hair cuticle stays hydrated; this will also help keep the hair in better health from the drying effects of sun rays.  My favorite is Goldwell’s ‘60 Second Rich’ Repair Masque.  It’s quick and will give your red hair a deep treatment in 60 seconds. It’s amazing!

 

Photo Credit: Kara Kochalko, © How to be a Redhead
Makeup

Nail Collections Catering to Gingers

By: Guest Writer, Tasha 

As the summer winds down, it’s time to trade in ‘stand-by-summer’ manicure colors like pale pinks and nudes and turn to something bold and brighter that expresses your red personality. Since most redheads have pale skin tones, nail polish colors in warm, red based hues look fantastic against our completions and compliment our fiery locks.

Everyone has to love OPI because it consistently produces fabulous color collections and many of the shades become instant classics.

The OPI Texas Collection featured a redhead in the ad campaign and rightly so because most of the colors look fantastic on anyone with red hair.

For the fall season, OPI has also unveiled its Germany Collection which features many deep and rich colors which are perfect for redheads, too. The colors ‘Danke Shiny Red’ and ‘Every Month is Oktoberfest’ and can truly be deemed “redhead friendly.”

This fall, make a manicure statement, choose bold colors that compliment your hair and skin and Rock it like a Redhead!

Confident Lifestyle

Is Your Red Hot Temper Cooling Down Your Relationship?

By: Natasha Holler 

Being a redhead is about as unique as you can get, so you don’t want to fit into some box or be classified as ‘typical’.

Unfortunately, there are a few stereotypes about us that frequently rings true – like our tempers.

There are arguments in every relationship, but it seems that our fiery hair is a direct correlation to our fiery fighting skills. It takes us a little more concentration and self awareness to keep our red heads from overheating.

Let’s work on changing everyone’s opinions about us and keeping our relationships healthy and red hot in the right ways:

1. Talking comes easily to most ravishing redheads… except when it comes to expressing your feelings. Don’t keep your emotions under wraps. This will only lead to a blowout later. Avoid a knockdown, drag-out fight by talking about what you’re feeling, when you’re feeling it. If you can sit down with your partner and have a rational discussion about what’s bothering you at that moment, you won’t have to dwell. Try to set aside time to talk, so you’re not just discussing issues when you’re distressed – a dinner table and a quiet home can be the perfect time to refocus your connection with your significant other.

2. Nobody likes to be told to ‘relax’ when they’re feeling upset. But you have to do it. Just relax. Count to 10, take a deep breath, and consider about what you’re about to say. Redheads, we say some things we don’t mean when we’re caught up in the heat of the moment – always think before you speak. And when you do finally say something, don’t make accusations. Emphasize how you’re feeling instead of placing blame on your partner.

3. Living a healthy red life means putting effort into all aspects of your being, so have an outlet. If you’re putting energy into something, whether it’s riding a bike, running, gardening, or writing in a journal, you’ll be less likely to act out when something doesn’t go quite your way.

4. Lastly, make sure you take your own advice. If there’s a second stereotype that we could count as true, it’s that we ruby-headed beauties have an opinion on everything. We can tell each other our views until our faces match our hair, but each one of us is individually responsible for keeping our relationships rockin’ – as only redheads can.

Do you red ladies have any other advice?!

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