Burgundy Hair Color: How to Get the Perfect Shade

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Summer may be approaching rapidly, and while the winter and festive season is usually most popular for darker hair, burgundy is a favorite all year round. Just like a fine red wine, swirls of purples and reds through your hair catching the light is a great look and contrasts well with a number of skin tones.
If you don’t mind turning heads and standing out from the crowd, here’s how to make burgundy hair color work for you …

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If you love to make a statement with your hair, but are too shy to go for a very bright color (like blue, bright red or violet), burgundy offers the perfect option. It is dark enough to be subtle and professional at work, but trendy and fashionable enough to stand out as brave and different. It is a versatile shade and comes in a number of different tones as well – from dark and subtle, to more vibrant and bright.
The end result will also vary depending on your original hair color. So there is a lot to consider when making the move to burgundy – from your personality to your natural and desired hair color and the process involved.
Burgundy hair color normally refers to red, black and brown hair with purple tones. It is a great look for those who already have dark hair but want to add a different look, or for a transition from light hair to dark.

How to get the perfect shade

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First of all, have a look on the Internet and hair magazines and do some research. There are lots of different varieties of burgundy hair out there. Is there a particular celebrity icon you have in mind, perhaps Katy Perry, Rihanna or Cheryl Cole? They all have or have had head-turning burgundy shades that have been widely photographed and used as style inspiration.
If so, cut out a picture of their hair shade from a magazine and take it with you when you visit a salon to give the colorist a clear picture of what you have in mind. It is advisable for first-timers to go to a hairdresser for their first burgundy hair coloring.
Sometimes do-it-yourself hair dyes can look totally different on your hair compared with the color on the box, and this can lead to all kinds of disappointment. It is best to have a consultation with your colorist and ask for their advice.
They will have the experience and knowledge to let you know what will work best against your skin tone and with your original hair color. They also have a color chart where they can show you the different shades and come to a decision with you.
Research and consultations are really important, so be sure not to skip these steps. It is also important to remember that going dark can be quite a long-term decision and is often a lengthy process to decide to undo and revert back to lighter colors, so think carefully before you decide that burgundy is the perfect shade for you.

Burgundy for blondes

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If you put a burgundy color on light blonde hair, you may end up with a light or bright purple or event violet color which can be a little over the top and undesired. The first step is to dye your hair a base color (such as a brown-red) and use this neutral shade to build the burgundy over.
Darker blondes will find it easier to get the right shade, but with very light blondes it can be a little trickier (this is where it is useful to have an expert for advice). Some salons and beauty stores do stock ‘burgundy blonde’ which produces red/violet undertones for blonde hair. The good thing about being a blonde is that you can experiment with more vibrant tones if you feel daring.

Burgundy for dark hair

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If your hair is very dark – such as dark brown or black, burgundy is not the easiest of shades to achieve. The reason is that it tends to come out as too subtle on dark hair, especially shop bought dyes. It can be really frustrating to look at the box and see a model with vibrant burgundy hair, only to wait for the color to develop, dry it off and end up with hair a very similar shade to what you started with.
Get yourself to a salon and ask for a vibrant color. It is best to opt for a vibrant dye, rather than messing with lightening your hair first. If you lighten it too much with bleach, you run the risk of ending up with blonde hair and then burgundy coming out as bright purple or violet. Go for permanent rather than semi dyes, as these tend to be brighter.

Burgundy for brunettes

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If you have light to medium brown hair, you have the perfect hair base for burgundy – hooray! The burgundy tones are easily visible with this base hair color and you can experiment with lighter shades, deep shades or bright and vibrant shades.
This is the least harsh option for your hair, as you do not need to worry about a base layer and semi-permanent rather than permanent dyes can have the perfect result and cause less long-term damage to the hair follicles.

Burgundy for red heads

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Red hair is a warm color naturally, which means that going for a reddish purple tone looks great for a change of color. Red hair is another great base for burgundy and switches up your look in a subtle way.
Depending on the shade, you may want to add a base color, but if the red is dark (and less gingery), you could even get away with just adding streaks of burgundy with foils at the salon for a creative twist.

What type of burgundy?

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There are loads of different red-purple tones to choose from, and it is sometimes a case of experimenting. A cabernet inspired shade is a great warm color and the richness suits most skin tones. A cranberry shade is a brighter option and best suits a peachy or pink complexion. A raspberry color is a bolder option to draw attention to your face, and again, suits a peachy pink complexion.
A cinnamon tone is warm and great for long, natural looking hair. A merlot hint can mix cool and warm tones and looks modern, trendy and fashionable with choppy layers and a blunt fringe. A cherry color is bright and daring, and because of the coolness of the color, it suits neutral or yellow/tan complexions best.

Best color matches for burgundy?

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At first, it might seem that burgundy is a difficult color choice to match clothes and make-up with, but this is not necessarily the case. It just takes a little getting used to and a little knowledge. Again, have a look at images of your favorite burgundy celeb icon – such as Rihanna and check out what clothing and make-up she wore well with this tone of hair.
Whether your tone sways more towards the purple or red tones, burgundy hair is a warm color. As such, choose make up that reflects this with dewy pink shades and greens. Less is definitely more. With eye make-up, moss colored green eye shadows look fantastic, and opt for a brown or reddish eyeliner rather than black.
The cheek bones come to life with just a small amount of rosy blusher and the lips suit nude or pink-brown shades (reds and purples that are bright can look like too much). Colors to stay away from are oranges and bronze or certain blues or bright reds. The warmth of your hair can be complimented with warm shades or lighter variations of them.
The best part is, the hair often speaks for itself and you only need a touch of natural looking make up and warm, neutral colors in your clothing to make your hair really stand out. With clothing and accessories think mahogany, lilac, dark purples and dark greens or browns.
The great thing is that most people can pull off a shade of burgundy, but the key is in choosing the best shade and what best accompanies it. The look is warm and festive looking, which makes it ideal for autumn/winter, but it can look equally fresh in the spring and summer. When the sun shines, it really picks out the various tones of the hair color and helps it look sleek and shiny.
As with any dyed hair, take good care of the condition by using conditioning treatments, getting regular trims, and staying away from too much heat and products. Too many chemicals can wear down the condition of your hair, so be sure to keep a check on it.

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A great addition to your hair supplies and a great tip for burgundy is to invest in some shine spray. Burgundy hair catches the light magnificently, and just a light spritz of shine spray is often all you need to complete your hair style and bring it out.
So, if like me, you have blonde hair as a starting point – a burgundy color may be a long process, but it is well worth it in the end. Once you have the desired tone, you need to be committed because going back to blonde is another long reversal process.
As a natural brunette, I often switch from my current blonde to a burgundy shade and back again, and as long as you take the time to properly care for and condition your hair and ensure it is strong enough and ‘rested’ between salon visits, it is easily done with a little patience.
The best part of changing your hair color is turning heads, and the second best part is picking out a new wardrobe and makeup to suit your new tone!
Have you got burgundy hair? How did you achieve this look and was it a simple enough process? As ever, we love hearing your experiences and hair advice. Just pop a comment in the box below and get involved!