10 Amazing Red and Black Hair Ideas for a Fresh Look
Red and black hairstyles mix black hair with red color, leaving some black parts visible. The most popular ways to add red to black hair are highlights, ombre, and balayage. This style is a fresh and creative way to change plain black hair. Many women use this modern color mix to get a bold, romantic look with rich depth and dimension.
Choose red streaks or a colorful scarlet ombre to create either a bold or gentle style. Make sure to pick a shade that matches your skin tone. Remember, red hair colors need regular care to stay bright!
Take a look at these stylish photos of red and black hair color ideas before your next salon visit!
#1: Brown Red and Black Hair
This style features lovely rosy red highlights on deep black hair. The red-brown tones blend perfectly with the black base, making the waves stand out. The result is a soft, shiny, and glamorous look.
#2: Y2k-Inspired Black and Red Skunk Stripes
This red and black highlight, inspired by the Y2K style, brings back the playful vibe of the early 2000s. The bold color mix looks lively and exciting. To keep the color bright, wash your hair with cool water. Use salon-quality products made for colored hair. Visit your stylist often to refresh the color.
#3: Black Cherry Cola Color
If you love deep red shades, you should definitely try this black cherry cola color. Every redhead needs to experience a cherry-inspired hue at least once!
#4: Magenta Red Highlights on Black Hair
A great way to enjoy a magenta-red balayage with less maintenance is to add it to black hair. The bold contrast looks beautiful and pairs well with soft, wavy styles.
#5: Jet Black and Red Ombre on Mid-Length Hair
If your hair is naturally dark and you want to add a fiery touch, try this red and black hair melt. The ombre style is simple to care for, especially when the red stays near the tips.
#6: Two-Toned Red and Black Color Block
The newest hair trend is a two-tone style with red and black color blocks. If you choose this look, wash your hair with cool water. This helps your color stay bright and prevents it from running.
#7: Half Black Half Cherry Red Long Hair
Half black and half cherry red long hair is a bold, playful way to show off your style. Your hair needs to lift well and hold red shades for this look. Talk to your stylist to see if this half-and-half color suits you.
#8: Red Balayage with Black Roots
If you want a bold, dark style this season, try a black to red ombré. To get this look, first lighten the middle and ends of your hair using foilayage. When that is almost done, add a demi-permanent root color and blow dry your hair. Next, mix a special red shade and let it process fully for rich, lasting color. Future visits will only need color added, not more lightening. This means those appointments will be quicker and cost less than the first one.
#9: Black Hair with Red Dip-Dye
This black hair with red dip dye looks stunning! Women with neutral or warm skin tones can wear this color beautifully. To make the red tips stand out, add some waves or curls, especially if your hair is straight. This styling helps highlight the red even more.
#10: Black with Red Streaks for Curly Hair
Curly hair with black and red streaks creates a bold, eye-catching look. A dark base with red ombre tips means less upkeep since the bright color is only at the ends. Keep in mind, you will need to bleach your hair first to get this vibrant effect.
Celeb Luxury’s Viral Colorwash provides top-quality red shampoos. Use them weekly to maintain the brightness of your red and black curly hair. Frequent use helps your color stay bold and vibrant.
#11: Red and Black Split Dye for Long Hair
Try a bold twist on the classic red-to-black ombre with this red and black split dye. These two colors look great together and create a cool, edgy look. Keep in mind, this style needs regular root touch-ups. So, it’s best for those who don’t mind frequent salon visits.
#12: Half Red Half Black on Straight Hair
Do you love this cool half-red, half-black hair? If yes, you probably enjoy bold and trendy styles! No matter what haircut you choose, this color mix will make you stand out. Add a braid to make your look even more special.
This half red, half black hairstyle was designed by stylist Oksana from New Zealand. It’s great for women who can’t pick just one color. You can also change the parting to create a fresh style whenever you like!
These red and black hairstyles look great on many women. But if your natural roots are very light, this style may look harsh as your hair grows out. Oksana suggests using a color-safe shampoo and treatment to keep your hair healthy. Also, always use heat protection when styling with hot tools to help maintain your color.
#13: Beautiful Rose Gold Highlights on Black Hair
Looking to add some flair to your medium black hair with highlights? This stunning mix of a deep dark base and hand-painted rose gold highlights creates eye-catching contrast and depth. This red-black hairstyle is simple to achieve and easy to keep up.
#14: Dark Red Highlights on Black Hair Color
If you want to keep your natural hair but add some style, try adding touches of dark red hair dye throughout. These hints of red may be subtle at first, but they help highlight your waves and bring a bit of shine to your black hair with red highlights.
#15: Dark Black Hair with Bright Red Highlights
Adding bright red highlights to your black hair creates a bold and eye-catching look. It lets you enjoy a redhead style without needing a lot of upkeep.
#16: Intense Black with Auburn Highlights
Sometimes, a soft red and black ombre is the perfect choice. Gentle streaks of reddish-brown or dark brown add brightness and make your hair look more vibrant.
#17: Black to Copper Red Ombre Hair
This red and black ombre hair starts dark at the roots and fades into bright, lively colors at the ends. It’s a great choice for women who want red hair that still looks natural. The copper red ombre blends well with black hair, so as your roots grow out, there are no harsh lines.
#18: Maroon-Red Highlights on Black Hair
This deep red color looks amazing on smooth, shiny jet-black hair. It works well with a new lob cut or any hair length. If you can keep up with the care your black and red hair needs, you will look fantastic!
#19: Two-Tone Black and Red Hair in Balayage
Two-tone black and red hair looks bold and bright, especially when you add some shine spray. Brunettes don’t need to go fully blonde to get a vivid hair color. This style works perfectly.
This two-tone hairstyle features a deep red wine balayage over a black base. Soft, loose waves add a dreamy touch. Created by stylist Kaeleigh Burke from New Jersey, it’s a true hair gem.
Ladies, if you’re thinking about adding red to your long hair, remember that this black and red balayage needs a lot of care. You should visit the salon every 6 weeks for a glaze to keep the color bright. Also, wash your hair with cool water. This helps seal the cuticle and keeps the red from fading, Burke explains.
Wash your hair just once or twice a week to keep the color looking fresh. Choose products that are free of sulfates and silicones. To prevent the red color from staining, sleep on a dark pillowcase or place a towel over your pillow. Burke also suggests, “Have your stylist create a special conditioner for you to use at home between salon visits!”
#20: Black to Wild Cherry Ombre
This style features a red-to-black ombre with a soft blend at the top, similar to balayage. The bold color blocks stand out with the mix of red, black, and flat iron curls. Keep in mind, this look needs regular upkeep. Since black hair shows new growth clearly if your roots aren’t black, you’ll need to touch up the roots often. Also, refresh the red color when it starts to fade.
Follow your stylist’s advice on where the red color should begin. For some face shapes, it looks best starting near the temples. For others, starting at the cheeks or chin works better. Remember, what suits you may not suit someone else. Talk with your stylist to find the best spot and shade for your black and red hair.
#21: Bright Red Highlights on Ash Black Hair
This style features a sleek ash black base with bold pops of vibrant bright red highlights. “The strong contrast between these colors really stands out,” explains style creator Ashlyn Warren from Texas.
This red and black hair color suits all hair types. Warren says, “It’s best for women who enjoy bold, bright colors! These vibrant black highlights stay longer if you don’t wash your hair every day. Like any red shade, use color-safe products when washing and styling to keep it looking fresh!”
#22: Reddish Purple Plum Babylights on French Roast Black
This black and red balayage hair is vibrant and playful. It has layers of red and violet that create a beautiful purple plum color, perfect for fall. While red and black hairstyles look stunning and help you stand out, they do need extra care. Since red hair with black roots fades faster than natural shades, plan to visit your salon every 4-6 weeks to keep the color bright and fresh.
#23: Ginger Highlights on Black Hair
This black hair with red accents is styled in a layered A-line bob. The base color is chocolate brown with auburn highlights. “It’s perfect for brunettes who want to add more depth and dimension to their hair, especially during the fall,” says Brooke Abbate, a stylist from Tulsa, OK.
Abbate recommends, “Look for a great stylist who will talk with you and help choose styles and colors that highlight your best features.”
#24: Brownish Red Highlights on Natural Black Hair
This red balayage is done on natural black hair. The stylist used a balayage method to add highlights, making the color blend well and grow out softly. This shade looks good on many skin tones. Since it is balayage, it stays pretty as your hair grows. It is a great choice if you want red hair with highlights.
If you are thinking about choosing this color, remember that red hair is hard to keep looking bright. It fades quickly. You will need to visit the salon every 6 to 8 weeks to refresh it. This touch-up usually takes about an hour. Also, if your skin has red undertones, red hair might not be the best choice for you.
#25: Burgundy Highlights on Short Dark Hair with Side Bangs
This dark hair features dark burgundy highlights that add a bold, multi-toned look. Created by Denver stylist Brandi Marie, the color pairs well with short, layered hair and bangs for a fun, stylish touch.
“The great thing about this style is how much red shows on the black hair. It uses a high-density foil, so about half of the hair looks red,” she explains.
#26: Black Bob with Crimson Highlights
This black hair with crimson highlights has many tones. If you want these highlights on black hair, be ready to use good hair care products. This helps keep the color bright and lively. Red and violet shades need more care because they fade faster than other colors. Use a shampoo safe for color and a conditioner that adds color. Wash your hair every other day at most, and always use cool water. This really helps. Hot water can damage both the black and red colors.
#27: Black and Burgundy Hair Ombre
Try black hair with a touch of burgundy hair, as a unique ombré style. This look was done without bleaching first. It’s not a soft blonde blend, but it still looks smooth. The best thing about this red balayage on black hair is how well the colors mix, even between natural and bold shades. If your hair isn’t already lightened, you will need to bleach it quite a bit so the colors show well. Remember, keeping up with this style requires regular care.
Hair colors suit everyone. This black and red ombre style is perfect if you want a bold, colorful look. However, if you wash your hair daily and don’t want to worry about upkeep, this might not be the best choice for you.
#28: Copper Highlights on Black Hair
These are rich, multi-toned copper highlights on black hair. Stylist Britny Bassett from Virginia used a balayage technique. She kept the natural base color to make it easy to maintain.
Bassett explains, “This red and black color combination does not suit every skin tone. It’s important to talk about this during your consultation.”
Red and copper shades often lose their brightness quickly. To keep the color looking fresh, you will likely need regular toner touch-ups. Use hair products that are safe for colored hair. Red and black hair color styles like this require a good mix of care and maintenance.