The best at-home red hair dye I've found so far.

The thing I most often am complimented on is my hair color. My natural hair color is a dark golden blonde, while my (usual) dyed hair color is a light copper red. My complexion is a notch above porcelain, with pink tones, so I think I carry my red hair quite well. I'm regularly asked if my red hair is natural, even by natural redheads themselves. There's sometimes a bit of shame associated with using an at-home hair dye, but I always proudly exclaim that my hair color came from a box.

My preferred brand and shade is "8.43 Light Copper Gold" by Umberto Beverly Hills. Always under $20, including shipping costs, each box comes with two applications, so it's an incredible deal. There is no mixing involved, and the formula itself contains no ammonia, which means no horrible fumes or burning sensation on your scalp. With some red hair dyes, they fade incredibly fast, sometimes within the first week, but this is not the case here. I've gone up to two months between dyeing my hair. Seriously.

Sometimes, like in the middle of summer, I miss my natural hair color since red hair can truly be a pain in the ass to maintain. I walk practically everywhere, so sun bleaching is a major problem for me. Contrary to what most people do, I wear my hair down as much as possible so that it can fade evenly. (If I wear my hair up too often, I'll end up with sharply contrasting blonde roots and red ends.) I typically shampoo every other day, using baby powder as a pseudo dry shampoo on my off days to soak up oil. I also use a deep conditioning treatment every week to keep the damage I cause by dyeing at bay.