Style Hair 20 Subtly Red Hair Colors To Try If You Secretly Want To Be A Redhead For blondes and brunettes who want a hint of red. By Kaitlyn Yarborough Kaitlyn Yarborough Part of the Southern Living team since 2017, Kaitlyn Yarborough is a Georgia native living in Austin, Texas, who covers a wide variety of topics for both the magazine and website, focusing on culture and lifestyle content, as well as travel in the South. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on December 25, 2023 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: @leysahairandmakeup We'd argue that redheads have even more fun than blondes. How could you not when wearing the most outgoing hair color on the natural spectrum? In a sad turn of fate, there aren't many of those: natural redheads. The rest of us have to feign the copper, auburn, ginger, and strawberry shades. From peachy blondes to coppery brunettes, there are plenty of ways to go half-redhead instead of full-on fire-engine. Not only does it require less commitment and look flattering on just about anyone, it also leaves plenty of room to decide if you want to go completely redhead on your next salon trip. Nothing is off the table, from auburn to cinnamon to rust red, and you can keep your natural base color. For all the undecided redhead wannabes out there, here are 20 subtly red hair colors to try if you want to go red, but not all the way red. 01 of 20 Subtle Copper @mizzchoi Was the inspiration here a lush lion's mane? Because that's definitely the vibe we're getting. This barely-red shade adds a touch of boldness to otherwise low-key light brown hair. 02 of 20 Ginger Brown @hairbybritny Get some ginger spice in your life by taking this balayaged brown mane straight to the salon as inspo. 03 of 20 Golden Auburn @curlfactor Teetering the line between brunette and blonde, this golden auburn color is so warm and fresh, brightening up your complexion instantly. 04 of 20 Strawberry Honey @jamiewilhelm.hair Golden honey blonde goes with strawberry red hair like biscuits and gravy. Bring out your inner glow with this bright, barely-red hair color. 05 of 20 Amber Color Melt @colour.jade Eliminate expensive upkeep by asking for a color melt into the red shade of your choosing. No grown-out roots! 06 of 20 Dipped Scarlet @nikkilee901 She's not afraid to go red, but she's also not particularly high maintenance. Scarlett-dipped ends are the ultimate compromise. 07 of 20 Warm Rust @leysahairandmakeup For those with warmer natural hair colors or skin tones, a rust brown will always play off of your features in the most flattering way. 08 of 20 Peach Blonde @hairbylindal Is it just us or is this the perfect red-blonde hybrid to wear come summertime? Think of a chilled glass of rosé, and you've got your inspiration. 09 of 20 Midnight Merlot @hairbynathi Merlot red might be the most muted red in the bunch, and we're loving it for super dark base colors that sometimes leave you feeling lackluster. 10 of 20 Rosé Blonde @styledbychlo_ You can barely even notice the warm rosy babylights in this look, making it perfect for a low-key update come spring and summer. 11 of 20 Cinnamon Red @stylefeen Put a little cinnamon red spice on your brown curls to ensure you're the most eye-catching curly girl in the room. 12 of 20 Bourbon Red @colour.jade You know that fiery amber brown liquor Southerners love to love? That's the goal. 13 of 20 Strawberry Bronde @adamehair We were two steps from calling this color, "sparkling rosé." It's five o'clock somewhere, right? 14 of 20 Tinges of Burgundy @leysahairandmakeup This cool-toned look is all about embracing your natural color with a bit of extra personality on the ends. 15 of 20 Mahogany Red @elliemareehair If you're looking for an all-over hair color that teeters the line between chocolate brown and auburn red, this is the ticket. 16 of 20 Bright Auburn @megan.e.grimm If you're looking for an all-over glow, this auburn-tinted chocolate brown is full of warmth. 17 of 20 Tiger Brown @jamiewilhelm.hair Nothing puts a perk in a brunette's steps like a wash of tiger red balayage color. Go for it and you won't regret. 18 of 20 Sunkissed Auburn @los_pastel Ever so slightly auburn-tinted, this shade is as subtle as it gets. Anyone with reddish undertones can pull off this look, easy. 19 of 20 Warm Chocolate @mizzchoi This is just a baby step past classic chocolate brown, but the extra warmth is enough to make it feel fresh. 20 of 20 Rust Brunette @mizzchoi This hair color practically belongs on anyone with warm-toned or olive skin. We're just saying. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit