My hair has never been a Big Deal to me. Don't get me wrong, I'm a beauty fan through and through, but I rank haircare the lowest on the totem pole of my interests compared to skincare and makeup. I always assumed there wasn't much I could do to spice up my straight, mousey brunette strands. Over the years, I've tried different trendy haircuts, from a long bob to shaggy layers, plus balayage highlights in the height of the 2010s ombré era. Nothing ever felt truly transformative in the way I was expecting a new hairstyle to be until I dyed my hair a cherry cola shade.
I first got the itch for a new dye job after Dua Lipa debuted dark red hair in 2023. Suddenly, it felt like the cool-girl hair color—the internet was obsessed, and other celebrities like Dove Cameron and Shay Mitchell also turned to burgundy-hued shades. I sat on the fence of dying my hair for a while until a hometown friend remarked how similar my identical twin sister and I were starting to look (fellow twins will understand the cringe). I knew it was time to try something new.
Fast forward to fall 2024, and I'm sitting in a salon chair with Ryan Pearl, a Miami and New York City-based colorist and the creative director of Tangle Teezer. He was behind Hailey Bieber's Met Gala pink hair and Sophie Turner's iconic long red locks, so I knew I was in good hands. We briefly chatted about what I wanted—a deep cherry-cola red—and Pearl got to work.
I was a tad nervous about how well my brunette hair would take to the color (brunettes are notoriously tricky to dye), but it turns out I had nothing to be nervous about. Pearl started with a brown-based color at the root, where we wanted to keep more depth and more of a controlled warm brown. Then, he used red tones through the mid shaft and ends to achieve more brightness. After letting this combo sit for about 35 minutes, Pearl finished my dye job with a double gloss of Redken Shades EQ Demi Permanent Color to layer on the warmth and reddish brown tones.
The final result was the cherry cola hair of my dreams. I walked out of the salon feeling like a certified pop star with a boost of confidence and a dramatic new look. The shade perfectly complemented my light neutral skin tone and made the green in my hazel eyes brighter (Pearl recommends a deeper, darker version if you have more warmth or are very tan to balance your skin tone).
I promptly FaceTimed my mom, who practically screamed when she saw the hair transformation. Then I sent a selfie to my sister, who said I was the "cooler twin" now. I certainly felt like it, too—all of a sudden I was raking in the compliments thanks to my hair. Strangers stopped me on the street to comment on the shade, and my red hair became the first thing mentioned whenever I met anyone new.
My hair shade looks even more vivid in the sun.
Even eight months or so later, my cherry cola hair remains my favorite feature. It's a vivid, eye-catching red in the sun, while indoors it appears as deep violet-infused brunette. That being said, the one con is that there's a bit more maintenance involved than I'm used to. Per Pearl's recommendation, I always shampoo and condition with cooler water to help maintain vibrancy, plus whenever I go swimming, I immediately rinse my hair afterwards. However, don't let that deter you from going cherry red. Pearl stresses, "Generally, the first session will be the toughest part of getting this hair color right, but then is easily maintained with a gloss."
With just how cool I feel as a redhead, it's safe to say I'll be enjoying this burgundy shade for the foreseeable future. My only regret is not transforming my brown hair sooner.
If you're hoping to take the plunge into cherry cola hair, keep scrolling for everything I love to maintain the shade between appointments.
Shop My Favorite Color Maintenance Products
In between dye jobs, I always use this hair gloss to freshen up the color. It couldn't be simpler to use—just apply it all over on dry hair then rinse it off after 15 minutes—and it instantly gives my hair a boost of shine and vibrancy.
After dying my hair, I knew my shampoo routine had to change. Apart from washing my hair less often, I switched over to this formula. It works to balance the hair's pH levels while gently cleansing to extend the tone and vibrancy of my color.
Of course, the accompanying conditioner is in my routine, too. I love how a little goes a long way to soften and detangle my strands. It also adds a gorgeous, salon-level shine.
After a week of heat styling, my dry hair needs some extra TLC and this does the job perfectly. I'll use this mask in place of my conditioner every one to two weeks and it's made a major difference in extending the life of my color. Not only that, but it smells incredible and leaves my hair feeling extra soft and smooth.
A few drops of this serum are about as effective as a hair gloss for added shin,e and the effect lasts through multiple washes. I like to apply a couple of drops to sections of damp hair before blow-drying and styling (it acts as a heat protectant, too!). The final result is frizz-free strands with a mirror-like shine for at least a week.
This may be just a hairbrush, but I swear it's made a world of difference in my hair health, and in turn, extended my dye job. It's the only detangling brush I feel safe to use on wet hair as it's extremely gentle. Ever since switching to this brush, I've noticed far less breakage and fall out, so I'll forever be a fan.
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Meet the Expert
Ryan is a celebrity colorist and the creative director of Tangle Teezer based at the Ollin salon in Miami and New York City. He has over 15 years of experience in the industry, and has worked with clients like Hailey Bieber, Sophie Turner, and Halsey. He’s also collaborated with brands such as Redken NYC and L'OréalHair.com.
