The best red hair colors of 2023 from true blush to copper tones

Better for: real chestnut locks

This fantastic permanent cream hair dye has been he box dye for a legion of fans since its inception with a seemingly endless number of five-star reviews.

L’Oréal Paris Excellence is a bestseller for a reason. It’s enriched with proto-keratin to help your hair look shinier and stronger, although we highly recommend continuing with regular deep conditioning masks if you’re going for a permanent at-home color job.

Better for: a fashionable cooper’do

This nourishing hair color is made with a 60% oil formula for maximum shine and damage-free color. With no silicones or ammonia in the mix, you can be sure this permanent dye won’t cause any nasty permanent damage to your precious locks. Not only is it vegan and cruelty-free, but the packaging now uses 43 percent less plastic compared to previous kits, which is a huge win for environmentalists.

If fire truck red isn’t for you, this copper-toned dream will be. The deep auburn is suitable for all hair types, and even works well on the darkest brown hair, although for true vibrancy most kits suggest bleaching it first.

Better for: Dianne Buswell’s signature red

This little tube-shaped paint may not look like much, but it’s actually a professional-quality dye used by hairdressers across the country. It’s also the same tint as Dianne Buswell’s Strictly come dance fame revealed that she uses to touch up her fiery red roots.

Majirel Mix promises intense, rich, permanent hair color with a wide palette of shades and shades, so your beautifully shiny, freshly colored hair catches the light in interesting ways. The formula is also enriched with Incell and Ionene G, which help strengthen and reinforce the hair fiber.

Better for: burgundy reality

Another oil-infused, ammonia-free dream, this time for a color somewhere between bright red and that ever-so-fashionable copper. Unlike other brands, Schwarzkopf promises intense shades on all hair types and colors, with darker medium brown hair simply appearing a bit darker and more saturated after use. In particular, we love the fact that this formula is fortified with argan oil for that extra shiny goodness.

Better for: a refreshing color moisturizer

For a total makeover of your tired and dull post-copper hairstyle, this wonderful conditioning product from Glaze has you covered. The semi-permanent dye is ultra-hydrating and provides a mirror shine without any discomfort. That means they won’t mix or go bad.

The wonder of this product is that it can be used to make red hair look like a maraschino cherry, or to bring out those hints of red within chocolate brown hair. The brand says this dye lasts up to 10 washes, but with such an easy application process and reasonable price, we’re okay with having to re-purchase a little more often.

Better for: discolored hair

Bleach London first burst onto the Tumblr-era hair scene in 2010 and became hugely popular in an instant. If you’re based in London, you may also remember their (appropriately) semi-permanent pop-up at Topshop’s former flagship store on Oxford Street. Ah, those were the days.

This semi-permanent dye is a cult favorite, though the warning “it fades in three to 30 washes” is pretty vague. Naturally, if your hair is already bleached or dyed red, you can expect this fiery, deep cherry red to last longer. On the other hand, if you have darker hair, you might be closer to the three-day end of the color spectrum.

Better for: the brightest and boldest semi-permanent red

Manic Panic has been in the high drama hair color game since 1977, when founders Tish and Snooky decided to take their New York-based Punk Boutique to the next level and start their own beauty brand. The vegan, paraben-free, and cruelty-free formula is packed with pigments, despite being semi-permanent, and formulated with nourishing ingredients for a silky-smooth finish.

If you’re in the market to go bold or go home, Manic Panic is the dye for you. Jake Gyllenhaal recently told W Magazine that he probably wouldn’t have gotten into acting if Manic Panic hadn’t “gone to his head” when he was growing up. Take from it what you want.

Better for: nasty free, high quality henna

This all-natural, raw, vegan, and gluten-free hair dye is the answer for those who are desperate to change their hair color, but suffer allergic reactions when exposed to classic box dyes. Formulated with plant-based ingredients including henna, indigo, amla, and fake daisy, The Henna Guys triple-sifts its powder to ensure the most even, saturated paste.

Although expensive, this kit comes with a basic application kit, a shower cap, gloves, and additional detailed instructions. This orange-red combo is perfectly on trend and results in a fiery copper hue.

Better for: unique color varieties

Another natural permanent alternative to box dye, this henna is formulated without synthetic ingredients like surfactants, silicates, parabens, and silicones. It is a perfect option for those who want to cover gray hair, or those who are simply in the mood for a complete makeover.

Khadi is unique in its offering of a wide range of henna colours, rather than the more common reds, blacks and browns. Choose between the flame red color shown or the fiery golden copper variety.