What color can redheads dye their hair?

"Red is having its moment right now," says colorist Christopher Pierce of the Andy Lecompte Salon in Los Angeles. Find out who wears it best, plus get tips on how to find (and maintain) your perfect shade.

Photos: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images, Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic, Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images, Steve Granitz/WireImage, Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic, Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic, Ray Tamarra/FilmMagic, Charles Eshelman/FilmMagic

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• Getty Images

  Flame

  Jessica Chastain is a natural redhead, and that's probably why her ablaze shade works so well against her porcelain complexion. "If you're a blonde and this is the color you're after, you're in a for a single process that needs to be maintained every four to six weeks with a gloss," says colorist Nikki Ferrara of the Marie Robinson Salon in New York City. If you were born with it, a quarter-annual gloss could also be a good thing. "You'll just pump that color up a notch," says Ferrara.

• FilmMagic

  Warm Copper

  "Ellie Bamber has a medium-golden tone skin, which works well for this particular burnished copper," says Ferrara. "You could also add some extra drama by bringing some tone-on-tone handpainted highlights before adding a bright copper gloss."

• Gold Apricot

  Bryce Dallas Howard's brand of red is another versatile choice if your base is basically any shade of blonde or copper. (Alternate reading: It might be hard to pull off if you're Snow White.) "It looks so cute on someone with medium skin and a few freckles," says Ferrara, who again adds that the shade lights up with a gloss. "You may want to bake the gloss in under heat so that the natural hair color can pick up the warmth of the gloss and blend."

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  Pink Auburn

  According to Ferrara, Sophie Turner has "a gorgeous bright copper that works well with fair to medium skin tones." In general, you're in for a single-process appointment. But the gloss is where things gets interesting: A pinkish-copper version adds a veil of softness to a shade that, when overly fresh, can sometimes look cartoonish.

• Cinnamon

  "Very rarely do you see green eyes with coppery hair shades in nature," says colorist Christopher Pierce of the Andy Lecompte Salon in Los Angeles. For women with green and brown eyes, the darker side of red is more flattering. Julianne Moore's subtle approach is versatile: "She has rosy, fair skin, but those with olive undertones and naturally brown hair can pull this off beautifully, too," he says.

• Blackened Red

  If you've been scrolling through this gallery wondering when on earth you'd see a version for the dark-haired or the olive-complected, your thumb stops here. "It's definitely a bold choice, but when done well—that is, with both depth and light—it's supershiny and eye-catching," says Ferrara. Do know it's not exactly a low-maintenance hue: "Between single-process appointments, a gloss will maintain the cool red tone."

• Golden Copper

  "The great thing about this hair color is that it works for women with fair and medium skin tones with golden undertones," says Ferrara, noting that it's easiest to achieve if your base is a medium or dark blonde. If you fit that profile but aren't ready to fully go red, consider highlights toned down with a medium golden-copper gloss: "Then you just go to the salon for a gloss every once in a while, touching up your highlights every four to six months."

• Getty Images for Turner

  Strawberry Cream

  Skin tone is one of the most important factors to consider when going red, says Pierce. "Nicole [Kidman]'s skin is the fairest of the fair, and this strawberry blonde shade has just enough red to work with the pink undertones in her skin," he says. This barely red hue tends to look prettiest on women with naturally medium to dark blonde hair.

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  Yellow Bronze

  Maybe our description of this color made you go ¯_(ツ)_/¯. Fair enough. "There's a lot of dimension in Emma Stone's hair," concedes Ferrara, which makes it difficult to pinpoint exactly. But she'll try: "I would start off by asking for a warm brown single process with a tiny pop of copper, then adding some highlights and finishing with a bright coppery gloss to tie the whole palette together."

• 2011 Jon Kopaloff

  Ginger

  Going red isn't always about creating a stark contrast between hair color and skin. "The more olive tones you have in your skin, the deeper into the red spectrum you can go," Pierce says. A hint of brown mixed in with copper warms Marcia Cross's look right up—without the addition of highlights: "The biggest mistake any redhead can make is overhighlighting," he says. "You do all of that work to get gorgeous color, but highlights just subtract what you put in. Even color should be the goal."

• 2011 Getty Images

  Bright Copper

  Speaking of fading, red tends to lose its luster faster than other colors. And when your red is as bold as Karen Elson's, you want to keep it looking fresh for as long as possible. "Overshampooing is the number-one culprit for fading," Pierce says. His solution? Shampoo hair three times a week at most, but rinse and condition, especially the ends, daily. He recommends using a color-protecting formula, like Davines Alchemic System Shampoo and Conditioner (it comes in copper and red versions).

• 2011 Steve Granitz

  Apricot

  Christina Hendricks puts a vibrant, youthful spin on red, perfectly complementing her aqua eyes. "The lighter your eyes are, the brighter you can go," Pierce says. But no matter what shade of red you're going for, you always want it to be dynamic. Ask your stylist to place color on all sections—the roots, midshaft, and ends—for the same period of time to prevent fading. "If they're spending 40 minutes on the roots, they should spend 40 minutes everywhere else," he says. Putting the color in correctly is key to lasting color.

• 2012 Jason LaVeris

  Auburn

  Ellie Kemper's chestnut take is a safe introduction to red. "It's darker around the face and more copper toward the ends, so it's gentle against her fair skin," Pierce says. Another secret to making red work: "Whether it's through makeup or tinted brows, eyebrows sync it all together," he says. If you have brown eyes, lightening the brows a shade or two will soften a look, while those with lighter eyes and hair can go a shade darker.

• 2012 Gareth Davies

  Cherry Bomb

  There's nothing natural about Florence Welch's dramatic red hair, but what's the point of color if you can't have fun with it (especially if you're a rock star)? She nails this supersaturated shade—likely created with permanent color—without venturing into cartoon territory. One caveat: These permanent shades will only take on those with naturally light hair. "People are attracted to bright things," he says. "And this is absolutely a magnet."

• 2011 Charles Eshelman

  Rosewood

  Red can be just as hot when it's cool: A drop of violet brings depth and richness to Ashley Greene's woodsy red shade. (It's easiest for natural brunettes with dark eyes to ace.) When you've gone red—no matter which shade—expect to see your colorist every six weeks to maintain the intensity. To stretch your color to eight weeks, drop by your salon for a glossing treatment in between to rejuvenate your hair, Pierce says.