When you're a redhead, the attention comes in two varieties. Adoring praise spills from the mouths of those who are attracted to or covet shades of copper, strawberry, auburn or fiery red-orange tresses. But those born with the color are all too familiar with the schoolyard taunts: "Better dead than red," "Hey, you're hair's on fire" and the ubiquitous nickname "Carrot Top," not to mention the not-so-schoolyard put-downs such as "I don't date women with orange hair." On top of the arresting hair color, redheads usually are very pale-skinned and often freckled — it can be disconcerting being the brightest object on a beach filled with tanned bodies. The combination of all these factors makes choosing makeup and clothing all the more important. Most natural redheads know bright red hair paired with a jarringly clashing lip color or a suit in an unflattering shade is bound to provoke the kind of reaction they likely aren't looking for. Newly transformed redheads might not be so sure about the makeup that'll look best with their hair — and might not even be aware there are loose sets of "rules" about what redheads should wear. "I can't wear pink, and I avoid oranges," says redhead Bryn Jameson, a teaching artist at the University of Pittsburgh's Department of Theatre Arts. "I really can't wear pastels very well, but that might have more to do with my personality than my red hair. I'm drawn mostly to blues and greens. But I'll wear red — I hate to be constricted by rules." Red is one of the most difficult colors for redheads to wear successfully. Some redheads complain that red clothes make their hair look clownishly orange by comparison, and some can't find the right brown-red or orange-red makeup to compliment both their skin tone and their hair. Blue-red and purple-reds are out. "With lipstick and blush, you don't want to go too red," says Corinne Chowaniec, color consultant for Sephora in Shadyside. "I always suggest warm colors on redheads. More often than not, they already have a certain color they like, usually a red-brown. Most women continue to buy the same colors of lipstick over and over again." Chowaniec's favorite recommendation for redheads is Nars' Mongolian Red lipstick. "I've put it on redheads, and it's just gorgeous," she says. "It's a vivid semi-matte, and it's very pretty on the lips." It's also the one and the same lipstick Jameson pulls out of her makeup bag each day. "I use it all the time, along with Nars lipliner in African Queen — which I think I'd buy just for the name alone," she says. Natural redhead Paula Pennypacker knows the difficulty of finding shades that work well with fair complexions and red hair — and she solved them by creating her own cosmetics company, Just For Redheads, in Scottsdale, Ariz. She started with mascaras, because she hated the unnatural look of wearing black — or even brown — on her lashes. Mascaras with names such as Henna Supreme and GingerCocoa are best sellers. "Our customers absolutely love us," Pennypacker says. "I don't mean to sound crazy, but (look at) the mail we get: 'Where have you been all my life?' and 'I needed you when I was growing up.' The mascara — we can't keep it in stock. And it makes sense. Why should I have to wear mascara created for a brunette?" Pennypacker says her line is so successful because redheads have difficulty walking the line between looking "all dolled up" and too washed out. Her makeup line has won national attention — she's been on talk shows and television, and the makers of the Gwyneth Paltrow film "Bounce" used her products to help transform the star into a natural-looking redhead. Pennypacker's biggest peeve about redheads — besides wearing black mascara — is when they wear too much black clothing close to their faces. "It just draws all the color right out," she says. "I was talking about just that on a show once, and the guest following me was Reba McIntyre. And she walked out wearing black mascara and a black turtleneck." Anthony Izzi, color specialist at Jacques Dessange salon in Shadyside, says when clients come in asking for red hair, there's much he takes into consideration. "I personally like to see them in street clothes — whatever they normally wear — to get an idea of their style," he says. "I also pay attention to the undertone of the skin — that's the main thing. I also look at the eyes and the eyebrows." Then he suggests a red shade that will work best, whether it's copper, mahogany, auburn or intense, vibrant reds. "Those intense colors are hard to wear," he says. "Usually, the people who ask for them are more fashion-oriented, more artistic." Izzi says he prefers a solid red color — whatever the shade — to mixtures of red highlights with other colors. "I feel it's much more beautiful," he says. If he's working with an African-American or Asian client, though, he'll often suggest highlights or blending red locks in with the person's natural hair color rather than going all red. "What I like best and think is most beautiful and attractive is not going for an artificial red — but keeping it natural," he says. "Anyone of any age can wear any color of hair, but it's best when it looks the most natural." Details: Just For Redheads cosmetics, (800) 831-8240 or www.justforredheads.com .

Hue Hints

If you have red hair or are thinking about changing your hair color, here are some tips from the experts on hair and makeup colors: Be sure you're committed to maintenance if you decide to go red, says Anthony Izzi of Jacques Dessange salon in Shadyside. "With reds, you have to worry about more than just your roots," he says. "The biggest problem with red is fading. It starts to fade within about a week and a half." There are products your hair colorist can recommend to stall the fading process, but you'll still likely need a touch-up every four to six weeks to keep your hair looking vibrant. Don't dye your eyebrows, Izzi says. "It really looks terrible. If someone does it, they'll hate it." Be aware that red is an attention-getter. "Be ready for a lot of reactions," says Sandy St. Roi, manager of salon product evaluation for Clairol — and a redhead. "It's an experience — but it can really make you feel good." Try out a temporary color if you're not sure. Clairol's Natural Insincts is a demi-color that provides vibrant shades that eventually wash out. "It's a great chance to try it without leaving a line of demarcation where your hair is growing out," says St. Roi. Weigh the options of having color professionally done or trying a do-it-at-home process. St. Roi, whose company sells hair color to salons and on the shelves of department stores, says it's mostly a matter of what you feel comfortable with. "It depends on confidence. You might get as good a red as you would at a salon, but you have to consider your own comfort zone and whether you want a consultation." Izzi takes several points into account when suggesting a red shade — skin tone and eye color, for example. Keep makeup shades warm. Choose brown- and orange-red lipsticks, says Corinne Chowaniec, color consultant at Sephora in Shadyside. And be sure to try them on before you buy them or make sure they're returnable. "You really cannot tell what a lipstick will look like on you unless you try it on," she says. "You can make a good guess by looking at the lipstick, but you won't know for sure until you wear it." Also, try bronzers or blushes in terra-cotta or peach shades and avoid pinks, she says. For eyes, you can use vibrant shades of blue and green or warm shades of peach or golden brown. Taupes, purples, steely grays and silvers also don't work well on redheads, she says. — Jolie Williamson

Favorite Redheads

Red-haired starlets are nothing new: Rita Hayworth stunned admirers with her shimmering locks, Maureen O'Hara charmed John Wayne in "The Quiet Man" and Lucille Ball got as much attention for her brilliant color as she did for her comic gifts. Hollywood stars such as Nicole Kidman and Julia Roberts usually are known as redheads — but make occasional forays into blondes and browns. Some redheads remain constant — Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, and Reba McIntyre come to mind. And others go for edgy, obviously-not-natural colors — take a look at Kelly Rowland of Destiny's Child and her purplish-red highlights — and don't forget the shocking strawberry locks of Franka Potente in the German indie hit "Run Lola Run." Topping the lists of favorite redheads of the moment are Debra Messing and Nicole Kidman. "Debra Messing is a beautiful dark-red brunette — a gorgeous mahogany," says Anthony Izzi, color specialist for Jacques Dessange in Shadyside. Izzi also says he loves Kidman, but says the barely-strawberry-blonde look she sported at the Golden Globe Awards was "too blonde" for her. Sandy St. Roi, manager of salon product evaluation for Clairol, says Julia Roberts is one of her favorites. "She just went back to red, and she looks great," St. Roi says. "And Julianne Moore looks fabulous. Another one is Cate Blanchett — she's gone red in a few of her movies, and it looks so good on her." Paula Pennypacker, creator of makeup company Just For Redheads, says a redhead that gets her attention is Fergie. "I've always wanted to do a makeover on her," she says.

Colorful facts

Red hair trivia from "The Redhead Encyclopedia" by Stephen Douglas. More redheads live in Scotland than anywhere else — 13 percent of the redhead population. The Rapa Nui, early inhabitants of Easter Islands, were redheaded, with cinnamon-tinged hues. The name "Russia" means "land of reds" in honor of a redheaded Viking named Rurik. Archaeological digs in the Chinese desert of Takla Makan found mummified redheads 3,000 years old. Augustin Galopin of France wrote in his 1886 book "Le Parrum de la Femme" that redheads have much stronger natural body scents than others — and they smell like "the perfumes of violets and amber." A Sherlock Holmes mystery — "The Redheaded League" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle — was written entirely about crowds of redheads. Lucille Ball wasn't a true redhead. Source: www.redheadbook.com

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