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25 Drool-Worthy Red Ombré Hair Ideas

 

Several years ago, I let my colorist take my hair from blonde to bright red. It was a nice fling, but I'm happiest as a blonde… or at least I was until I fell under the siren spell of these red ombré hair ideas. Sure, ombré has been around for a while—but you've never seen it quite like this. Think rich and vibrant cherry hues, deep crimson roots, and fiery highlights that are seriously making me consider a major hair change.

In short, if your hair is feeling blah as of late and you're feeling a little dangerous, red ombré hair should be your next color. We spoke with colorist Lorena Valdes to find out exactly how to nail this fiery trend.

MEET THE EXPERT

Lorena M. Valdes is a Colorist at Maxine Salon in Chicago.

 

"The best color for a traditional red ombré is a dark base with a dark brown or black," she says. "The pop and shine that happens between both is my favorite combination. On the lighter side, I love the mahogany base and a true red on the ends is one of the most requested red ombres." 

FAST FACTS

CHOOSING A SHADE: According to Valdes, those with a dark brown or black natural hair color have the easiest transition to red ombré. "It’s my favorite base to do it on. So many options with a dark base are just a matter of the intensity desired."

MAINTENANCE LEVEL: This will require visiting the salon every 3-6 months to brighten the shade up again, but may require in-between glosses to maintain vibrancy, Valdes tells Byrdie.

GOES GREAT WITH: To best compliment red hair, stick to eye shadows in warm undertones, such as bronze or brown. As far as your lips, you can wear a nude shimmer or a bold red.

SIMILAR SHADES: Magenta hair, Burgundy

PRICE: The price of this hair color varies according to how much color you receive, the technique used and if any pre-lighting or bleaching needs to be done first.

Here are 25 amazing red ombré hair ideas for when your hair needs a major makeover.

Fiery Tips

Vanessa Hudgens gives her natural dark hair a burst of energy with her fiery ombré look. Valdes says that this bright hue can fade fast, so use color-protecting shampoo and avoid washing your hair daily.

Strawberry Blonde

Emma Stone is a natural red head—and this summery ombré look is totally droolworthy. She keeps the roots a darker shade of red, while her ends are lightened to strawberry blonde perfection.

Vivid Violet

Perfect painted-on red-violet color by My Stylist Salon in San José, California.

Sunny Curls

Leysa Carrillo, the colorist behind this gorgeous look, specializes in curls and ombré.

Modern Day Ariel

Ariel hair just got a modern makeover. This gorgeous look starts with a deep red color at the roots and transitions to a bright, fiery red at the ends. This color is mermaid-approved!

Merlot Tips

Merlot is the perfect color when you want to rock this trend, but also want a totally wearable and more subtle shade of red that is perfect for the office.

Rainbow Brite

Colorist Ursula Goff's Instagram feed is filled with similarly enviable Rainbow Brite hair inspiration.

What is the best way to keep this color looking bright? "Color safe and locking shampoos are the first step, avoiding hot water, using a heat protectant whenever you use any heat (blowdryer, flat irons, curling irons, hot rollers, etc), protecting your hair when swimming and not washing daily," says Valdes.

Dramatic Red

This red-to-orange ombré is not for the faint of heart, but it also happens to be insanely gorgeous.

Beachy Red Ombré

Colorist Christine Silverman may be known for her impeccable blondes, but this red ombré hair is absolute fire.

Bumped Up Brunette

A close-up that further proves this needs to be your next hair color. This color is a more subtle take on the red ombré trend.

Fade to Peach

Dark roots give way to pieces of red that fade to bright peach.

Fade to Pink

This red-to-pink hair confection is simply stunning.

Copper Tips

If you want something a touch subtler, try a rich red that fades into a bright copper.

Red Orange Twists

These twists and that reddish-orange ombré are perfection.

To find the right shade of red, look for photos of models that have a similar skin tone (pale, olive, dark) and eye color as your own. Your colorist will help you find the shade that is the most flattering for you.

Sunset Hair

Imagine having a literal sunset on your head every day. Magical.

Magenta

Here for this vivid magenta ombré look.

Light Fade

Ask for a light fade if you want your color to be a touch less dramatic.

Copper Blonde

Copper to blonde is a solid option if you don't want to go super dark.

Glossy Red

There isn't enough room for all the heart-eye emoji we want to give this hair color.

Fire Emoji

Basically the fire emoji IRL.

Raspberry Red

Raspberry red fading to cotton candy pink is a surprisingly soothing colorway.

Scarlett Perfection

We don't want to play favorites, but this might be ours.

Face Framing

This face-framing ombré is simply stunning.

Glossy Copper

Redken tinted hair gloss makes this copper shade really pop.

Red Coral

We love the contrast in this pinky-red ombré.

FAQ

Can you DIY red ombré hair?

Yes, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it's your best option. Be aware that depending on how dark your natural hair is, you may need to bleach it first (with something like L’Oréal Paris Colorista Bleach Ombré Bleach, $11), before dying it red. However, to avoid any hair mishaps at home, consider seeing a professional colorist.

How do I know which red ombré shade will look best on me?

Consider your skin tone and natural hair color. In general, if you have lighter features (think: fair skin and blonde hair) you'll tend to find lighter and/or brighter reds flattering whereas deeper reds tend to favor those with darker features. So brunettes or those with black hair may want to try a dark red ombré while blondes might give a strawberry blonde ombré a go. However, these are more guidelines than "rules." For example, fiery red ombré can create a "wow" factor when combined with dark tresses.

Is red ombré hair low-maintenance?

While ombré is generally low-maintenance, red color is less so. That's because it tends to fade more quickly than other hair colors and in that sense, requires more upkeep.