Reds

Ruby Red

A bright, jewel-toned true red, more saturated and less brown than auburn or cherry cola.

Ruby Red

BeforeRuby Red

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Both renders come from the same edit instruction HairGlam uses for this look, applied to a studio portrait. In the app the shade lands on your own photo instead.

12 free looks in the app
Your face, not a model's
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Try Ruby Red on your photo

Free on iPhone and iPad. 12 free looks: 4 haircuts, 4 hair colors and 4 makeup looks, no paywall in between. Or try it free in your browser.

Ruby red sits at full saturation rather than being muted with brown or cooled toward burgundy, so it reads as a proper vivid red rather than a natural-looking one. It catches light the way a gemstone does, staying bright rather than settling into shadow the way a deeper red would. Because the pigment molecules are large, it is also one of the faster fading reds, losing saturation within weeks and drifting toward a warm copper as it goes. A pale base underneath is what lets the true red show rather than reading as auburn.

Undertonewarm. The bright, saturated warmth suits golden, olive and warm-fair skin, and it can look overwhelming against very cool, pink-toned or pale complexions.
Starting pointA lifted base around level seven or eight gives the truest ruby, so brown or black hair needs pre-lightening before the color is applied as a vivid.
UpkeepRefresh every 3 to 4 weeks with a color-depositing treatment, since ruby fades faster than a muted red like auburn, and cold water washing slows the loss.

HairGlam Hair Colors: one woman, a fan of the same face in different hair colors

In the HairGlam app

Try Ruby Red on your own photo

Add one selfie. Front on, even light, hair off your face. No account.
Tap Ruby Red in Hair Colors, or any of the other 298 looks.
See it in seconds on your own face, then save it for your stylist.

12 free looks: 4 haircuts, 4 hair colors and 4 makeup looks. No paywall in between, no account.

Try Ruby Red free

Questions about Ruby Red

Which skin undertones suit Ruby Red?

Warm undertones. The bright, saturated warmth suits golden, olive and warm-fair skin, and it can look overwhelming against very cool, pink-toned or pale complexions.

What hair do I need to start with for Ruby Red?

A lifted base around level seven or eight gives the truest ruby, so brown or black hair needs pre-lightening before the color is applied as a vivid.

How much upkeep does Ruby Red need?

Refresh every 3 to 4 weeks with a color-depositing treatment, since ruby fades faster than a muted red like auburn, and cold water washing slows the loss.

Can I try Ruby Red on my own photo before I dye my hair?

Yes. HairGlam puts Ruby Red on a photo of your own hair in a few seconds, so you can check it against your skin tone and eye color before you book or buy a box dye. It is free to download on iPhone and iPad with 12 free looks: 4 haircuts, 4 hair colors and 4 makeup looks, and some looks can also be tried free in your browser at hairglam.app/try.