How to look after red hair

Red hair is undoubtedly the hue du jour that’s been made popular by a whole host of leading ladies, from flame-haired Florence Welch to golden-red Nicola Roberts to ruby-red Paloma Faith and multi-toned rouge Amy Childs of TOWIE fame. With so many celebrities either going red or boosting their naturally titan hair colour with tints, many of us mere mortals have picked up a packet of red hair dye and headed for the bathroom.

Why is red hair so popular?
Like so many hair trends, Cheryl Cole has a lot to answer for when it comes to the red hair trend. Our Chezza kick-started the trend after choosing L’Oréal Paris Casting Crème Gloss, £6.12, in Mahogany. Then Cheryl’s girls from the X Factor - Cher Lloyd, Rebecca Fergusson, et al - also debuted new rouge locks. This, accompanied by so many other stars, made all shades of red hair über-popular, so much so that Clairol reported that their sales of red hair dye had gone up 21.5% on the previous year and that 3.1 million women had bought their hair colourant.

How do you look after red hair?
The million dollar question! Despite our love of red hair, it can be hard to maintain as red hair tends to fade quicker than other dyed hair. I asked one of the country’s top colourists, Saskiia Marsh at the Daniel Galvin salon in London, who also sports bright red hair, for her top tips.

“Red hair is the hardest colour to maintain because red dye has the largest colour molecules. Small hair dye molecules enter the hair shaft easily and stay there for longer, but large hair dye molecules, such as red hair colourants, don’t penetrate the hair follicle as well because of their size, and therefore don’t last as long.
“If you’re going to go red you have to take extra care to make sure you are using the correct products. I like the Kérastase Reflection range, from £15.30, and in particular Kérastase Chroma Sensitive, £18.90, which is a cleansing balm specifically created for demanding colour. I also use Daniel Galvin Salon Clear Gloss, £24, which keeps my colour looking bright and vibrant.
“When I go on holiday I make sure that I keep a hat on, and I avoid going in the swimming pool as chlorine can strip the colour. If I do go in the pool I make sure that I thoroughly shampoo my hair afterwards to remove any residual chemicals.”

See pictures of celebrities with red hair

Handbag hearts these red hair helpers:
After years of developing a natural but effective range of haircare the new Ojon Color Sustain range, from £18, promises to ensure your colour stays true and vibrant. One of the biggest selling haircare brands in the States, Ojon Color Sustain uses tried and trusted natural ingredients for a really effective results. For stockists call: 0870 034 2454
Pantene Pro V Colour Seal Concentrate, £3.99, an essential for coloured hair, it locks in colour and helps to prevent fading. Use to boost your colour-care regime after you’ve washed your hair.

Our favourite red hair dyes
Schwarzkopf Live Salon Style in Intense Red, £5.29, for reds with a kick.
L’Oreal Casting Creme Gloss in Black Cherry, £6.12, a gorgeous deep, plummy shade.
John Frieda Precision Foam Colour in Radiant Red, £10.20, a classic, rich burgundy.
 

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