Natural redheads are easy to spot but hard to emulate: they generally have blue, green or hazel eyes and a creamy, milky-white complexion that’s not often found in nature (at least not in an era of sunless spray tanning). Others have freckles that make them look eternally youthful, although finding a perfectly matched foundation can be difficult. These beauty tips will help you on your quest to find the best makeup colors for red hair, whether yours is natural or (most likely) not. Try on the best makeup for red hair in our virtual makeup studio.

“If you’re a natural red head (a fiery temptress if you will) you embody the true meaning of rare beauty. Less than 5% of the human population is born with red hair. The rest of us are totally faux.”

If you have freckles, don’t erase, embrace! Foundation is designed to even out your skin tone, not erase all character from your face, so opt for a sheer or medium-coverage foundation or tinted moisturizer for the most natural-looking result. Because redheads tend to have sensitive skin that is prone to redness, steer clear of pink-based foundations—yellow and gold tones are so much more flattering. You simply want to warm up your look and you can also do this with a dusting of light bronzer and apricot or peach blush (again, stay away from pink).

When selecting your eye makeup color palette, think warm, autumnal colors: olive green, chestnut, caramel, honey, and burnt raisin all look fierce on redheads, while pink and blue eye shadows don’t flatter an ultra pale complexion. Swap black mascara and black eye liner (they’re too harsh, at least for daytime) for a rusty brown, especially if you have hazel or green eyes.

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