WHO: Taylor Tomasi Hill, New York City–based creative director of Moda Operandi
WHAT: “I’ve been a redhead for over a decade now. In high school, I would mix my color at home using different shades from Ricky’s that were recommended to me by different hairstylists. Let’s just say that chemistry isn’t my forte and I may have ended up with purple hair once or twice. In my college years, as an art student, I experimented with fire-truck red and electric green. My mother has had this specific shade of red for as long as I can remember, so at some point, she inspired me to make the switch. I’ve been hooked ever since, and I always try to make it brighter and brighter.”
WHEN: “Red requires a lot of maintenance, and when I say a lot, I mean every three weeks. My salon is my little secret uptown sanctuary and my hairstylist brings me back shampoo from Japan that helps to preserve the color. I can’t read a single thing on the bottle but the only thing I need to know is that it works. At the beach, I wear a scarf wrapped as a turban. I try to maintain the red by shielding it, as the sun strips it very quickly.
In a pickle, I can dye it myself, but I’ve never colored from a box! I pick it up from the salon, and I take it home. Once, while traveling, I colored my hair in my hotel room. It looked like I’d committed murder. I felt like I owed housekeeping an explanation.
Photo: Courtesy of L’Oreal
Other than that, my hair-care routine is pretty simple. I prefer the messy bedhead look to clean shiny hair. However, true to my Texas roots, I love a good hair spray. My favorite is L’Oréal Elnett.”
WHY: “I think it suits my skin tone as well as my personality. I’ve heard that redheads have quick tempers. I wonder if I’ve become feistier since my hair has been red.”
