What Makes A ‘Redhead’? Your Ginger Checklist
Whether you’re a natural redhead or from the bottle, there are quite a few identifying characteristics and it’s not just about the colour of your hair!
No, siree. Being a redhead is about more than that, it’s a lifestyle, maaaan. So, we’ve compiled a quick checklist of the defining characteristics of having ginger hair, feel free to add your own!
1. Hair colour
First things first, right? Having said that, the red hair colour spectrum practically spans an entire rainbow of shades: strawberry blonde, copper, auburn, mahogany, fire-engine red, ginger, and everything in between.
Let’s face it, if someone says to you, “You have red hair”, without expanding on the specific shade, they clearly have no idea what colour it actually is. Fools.
2. Pale complexion
More often than not, redheads are very sensitive to the sun, and it’s not simply about sun burn. We are more likely to get heat-rash, heatstroke, migraines from exposure to too much sunlight and if that’s not enough the damage that is done is more likely to result in skin cancer. We pretty much just want to melt on the spot. Phew, I’m sweating just writing this!
So if someone thinks you’re just nervous about getting a bit pink or having sore skin, then put them in the picture! The consequences of sun exposure for redheads so much more than a bit of painful sun burn.
On the plus side, we don’t need to spend every second of beach holidays on the sun lounger desperately trying for a tan because we look good pale; and once you embrace that, ginger lovelies, you save a lot of time and fretting!
3. Freckles
This is by no means a universal rule, but still a common characteristic among redheads. I personally believe that they are gorgeous, but can remember a time long long ago when I hated them.
I have freckles all along my arms and a few on my face, but the ones from my face have faded compared to when I was younger.
It can feel like a nightmare applying foundation when you have freckles, especially if you want to cake it on to cover them all up. It’s better to let them shine, though. After all, “a face without freckles is like a night sky without stars”. (Oh, how right Natasha Bedingfield can be!)
4. A fiery temper
This may be a social myth, but we’re certainly known for having quick tempers. You may even have a few stories of your own to share about your temper tantrums or a ginger you know with a short fuse.
And if the label really is justified, I have to ask: is it a surprise? Our hair is the same shade as our temper! Not only are we expected to be fiery, but we’re often teased which can lead to a pretty strong self-defence mechanism.
Are we just super sensitive to when someone might be starting something and are we too quick to defend ourselves?
What do you think it means to be a redhead?
By Jessica
Jessica is the co-creator of Everything for Redheads, a website on a quest to find products that redheads struggle to get on the high street.
READ: Freckles – What Are They, Who Gets Them & Why Do They Appear?
READ: Facts & Myths About Red Hair