Knock 'em dead, Red:MY LOVE AFFAIR with red hair began when I was 12 years old, and I discovered Anne of Green Gables. I spent hours gazing at her picture on the cover of the book - a girl of my own age, with the most glorious thick, red plaits I'd ever seen.
Her skin had a saint-like glow, she lived in Canada, and she was an orphan. To my sheltered mind, nothing could have been more romantic or exciting. I lived vicariously through Anne over the next few years and followed her trials and tribulations through the subsequent books. But poor Anne hated her hair, and at one stage tried to dye it black, with disastrous results. By that stage I was applying henna to my own hair, telling my mother it was "a fantastic conditioner". It was green muck and smelled revolting, but that's how much I wanted red hair.
Redheads stand out from the crowd, and rightly so. Shades vary from strawberry blonde to deep auburn, but the colour is so unusual that bad hair days are more obvious, leading to the nickname game. Carrot top, ginger and rusty are some of the kinder ones, but let's not waste time on the naysayers. A head of ravishing red hair is a showstopper, and if you want to be in that brigade, put the time into keeping your hair in tip-top condition; after all, it is your crowning glory. Whether your hair colour came from Mother Nature or Boots, the same rules apply.
Frizziness is your worst enemy - you don't want to look like Ronald McDonald - so conditioning should be a priority. At-home conditioners now rival salon treatments, and the new buzz is overnight conditioning. I jumped at the chance to get into bed with John Frieda, metaphorically speaking, of course. His new Overnight Repair Formula from the Frizz Ease range brings a new meaning to the term beauty sleep. Applied before bed, it is quickly absorbed, and won't leave a residue on your pillow. After washing your hair next morning, say hello to silky tresses. It is available in branches of Boots, nationwide (€20).
Another overnighter is Kerastase Noctogenist, which is a hair regenerator. It is lovely and light, and comes in two formulations for fine or coarse hair. The benefit of this one is that it does not need rinsing out the next morning (€35.30).
A new favourite in my hair weaponry is Sebastian Potion 9, a truly versatile styling product that deeply conditions hair, and can be used on damp or dry hair. Now there's a winner (€32.50). Colour enhancers are great for pepping up the tone of your barnet. Am I allowed to mention John again? The Frieda Luminous Glaze range boasts two shades of red, which aim for a salon finish. It's easy to swap your current shampoo for a colour-boosting one, and Wella Lifetex Colour Reflex Shampoo (€9.50) is densely pigmented, giving hair a lovely rich shine.
Moving on, your eyebrows are just as important to get right. You can go up or down a shade from your hair colour, but the tone must be in harmony, or there will be too much going on. You will be more likely to find the perfect shade for your brows using an eyeshadow rather than a pencil. Seek advice from counter staff. If in doubt, go lighter.
The majority of redheads have pale skin, and a few, or a lot of, freckles. Don't fight with your freckles - they are youthful and gorgeous. Covering them up will take up too much of your precious time, so get out there and knock 'em dead, Red.