Directly in the middle of blue and red hair, there’s a shade rarely explored by even the most adventurous hair guru: burgundy. The red-grape-inspired color is vampy and chic, ranging from edgy magenta all the way to deep plum. It’s safe to say we’re utterly obsessed.
While the color itself is gorgeous, there’s an added incentive to try it out: Burgundy hair looks good on everyone. Whether you’re so pale people stop you on the street to ask if you’ve ever seen the sun (that’s a true story) or a bronzed beauty, burgundy is an option.
Who should try burgundy hair?
This is an easy question, and the answer is simple: everyone. If you’re a brunette who’s ever considered trying something new with her hair but are loathe to lighten up, burgundy is a perfect choice. From there, you have a clear path into even more adventurous shades—think lilac, violet, and mulberry.
Burgundy Gloss
If your interest is piqued, but you’re not entirely sold on going burgundy, we’d advise you to give hair gloss a try. When the light hits your locks just right, reddish-purple notes create surprising luminosity and depth.
True Burgundy
On first glance, you might even think true burgundy is just a red-hued chocolate brown, and that’s what we love about it. The color is ideal if you’re looking to make small first steps towards changing up your look.
Burgundy Red
The more your burgundy edges toward red, the easier it is for anyone to wear. That’s why we love a hybrid shade, one that shines cherry red in bright light. Because the color leans toward full-on ruby with undertones of purple, we find it’s a particularly flattering way for ladies with warm skin to go redhead. There’s no need to jump straight to full-on copper.
Maroon Auburn
There are many ways to dip your toe into the world of auburn hair colors, but maroon red is our favorite. Notably, it’s also a color that looks stunning on very pale skin tones without washing them out—a feat that’s often difficult in the realm of maroons and eggplants.
To keep the shade looking fresh and youthful, we love a washed-out version of maroon red that’s closer to pastel than full strength. Ask your stylist for a pastel take on the shade, making sure to maintain extra-dark roots for a striking hair look.
Red Violet
Here’s a vibrant take on burgundy hair that’s a perfect fit for festival season. Red violet hair (not to be mistaken for purple ombre) is all about the neon. The glossy, red-purple melange of color looks beautifully bright on pale, cool skin.
Burgundy to Blonde
Instead of signing on for a full head of the color, give it a try with blond mid-lengths and ends. If you’re taking this technique to your stylist, be sure to specify a warm, honey blonde that complements your reddish roots.
Wine
Here’s one for the girls with medium to dark skin who are trying to find a red that won’t wash them out. You’ve probably already seen an array of pop stars and celebrities try out wine hair, which is incredibly versatile. The vibrant shade is perfect for fall and winter, breathing particular life into often-neglected cool skin tones.
Mulberry Wine
Mulberry wine hair is a nuanced take on plum tones, topping deep red-purple locks with the vibrancy of violet highlights. The hair color looks punchy and striking on short haircuts for cool skin tones, in particular.
To achieve this shade, ask your stylist for evenly-distributed neon notes. Avoiding streakiness or large chunks of color is the final goal.
Dark Magenta
We’ve officially reached the pink end of the burgundy spectrum, which melds both blue and red notes into a dynamic, sophisticated tone.
Be warned, though: magenta hair isn’t for the faint of heart. While any skin tone can wear it, the shade requires quite a bit of upkeep work. It’s best to talk to your stylist about the effort involved before fully committing.
Raspberry
To keep this color at its full intensity, we recommend skipping shampoo for a few days after your salon treatment. Then, wash with cold water and (if you can swing it) a purple-tinted shampoo.
Red Velvet
We love red velvet because it’s one of only a few shades of purple that still registers as deep red, not in-your-face neon. If you’re concerned about a conservative office but still want to walk on the wild side, this is your go to.
Rose Gold
We’ve officially reached the pink end of the burgundy spectrum, which melds both gold and red notes into a dynamic, sophisticated tone.
Deep Red
So, you’ve been itching to change up your look, but aren’t sure what route to take toward red. We recommend a deep red, which contains notes of both purple and red. It’s not fiery or in your face, but somewhat moody and a little unexpected.
Highlight
Do you remember being a little kid trying out temporary tattoos? They had all the instant joy of a real tattoo, but none of the pain (or permanence). The same goes for highlights, which adds a subtle hint of your chosen color while simultaneously boosting shine.
Ombre
Ombre hair opens up a world of follicular possibilities, enabling women who usually wouldn’t go near a specific color to give it a shot. That’s certainly the case with burgundy, which can feel too intense for many.
Balayage
If you’re a natural light blonde with concerns about washing out your complexion, it’s best to delve into burgundy through a balayage application. Instead of jumping straight to the red end of the spectrum, try light brown hair with burgundy notes. If you love the color, you’ll always have the option to add more.
Burnt Orange
To achieve this shade, ask your stylist for evenly-distributed neon notes. Avoiding streakiness or large chunks of color is the final goal.
Plum
This is the ideal in-between shade for ladies who aren’t sure if they’d rather fully commit to purple hair or stick to something a little closer to red. Burgundy plum takes all the best parts of the latte—warmth, depth—and combines it with the taste-making brilliance of plum.
Bronze
Not all shades of burgundy have to lean toward purple. Instead of washing you out, you’ll be surprised to find the color breathing new life into your look.
Cherry
Cherry adds more pink into the burgundy mix—and we’re totally OK with that.
Cranberry
A little sweet, a little spicy—cranberry is the perfect color for fall and winter.
Eggplant
The name may not be so sexy, but this moody purple shade is all the drama you need to make an impact.
Berry
Make your favorite fruit color work for your hair with a berry-hued shade.
Violet
Add a dash of the unexpected to your ’do by taking your shade all the way to violet.
Purple
If purple hair tempts you, now is the time to embrace it. Purple hair has never been trendier than it is this year.
Interested in trying burgundy hair? Use our salon locator to book an appointment at a salon near you.
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