Is My Hair Red? A Defector Slack Investigation

I won't dispute that I once had red hair.

Back in 2019, just for kicks, I went with a bright Hayley Williams–esque red that petered out for obvious reasons the following year.

Then in 2025, with a 30th birthday and a https://defector.com/i-went-to-japan-to-see-one-building">big trip on the horizon, I decided to freshen up my look with a new color that my stylist tells me is as light as I can go without using bleach.

For full transparency purposes, here is what it looks like the day after the salon.

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I thought of this hair as simply a lighter version of my natural brunette, specifically because it paled in comparison to the unmistakably fiery hair I'd sported several years ago.

But I quickly realized that other people—especially those I was meeting for the first time—perceived me differently.

One red-haired guy initially saw me as a ginger peer before teasing me about my roots.

A new acquaintance referenced knowing "another Lauren with red hair." It came up consistently in catcalls and compliments, so, finally, I couldn't help but wonder: Is my hair red?