Dua Lipa Red Hair: The Cherry-Cola Trend Explained

If you’ve spotted Dua Lipa’s latest look on your feed, you’re not alone — her cherry-cola red has sparked a wave of salon inquiries and at-home experiments alike. The shade, which surfaced in her “Houdini” music video, blends deep brunette warmth with ruby-red shimmer that catches light differently than traditional copper. We talked to the colorists behind the trend and the beauty editors who tried recreating it to separate the facts from the fads.

Height: 5’8″ · Red Hair Time: >10 hours · Hair Trend: Cherry-Cola · Recent Change: Oct 2023 · Natural Hair: Dark Brunette

Five key data points anchor what we know about this trend and the star who popularized it.

What color is Dua Lipa’s red hair?

The shade Lipa debuted isn’t a standard red or copper — it’s a cherry-cola, a multi-tonal color that layers deep brunette with ruby-red and plum undertones. According to Joe Savine, creative director at Paul Edmonds London, “Cherry cola red is an intensely warm brunette shade. It’s a dark brown with a mahogany or violet overtone” that sets it apart from orange-based copper tones.

Cherry-Cola shade details

Unlike warmer copper alternatives, cherry-cola leans into cooler red drama with a rich brunette anchor. The combination creates dimension that shifts between auburn in warm lighting and deep burgundy in shade. Sophie Rose Gutterman, a curly color specialist, describes it as “the it girl hair color, steering away from copper — it’s a rich red which means it’s going to shine and be a higher maintenance color.”

Color name and formula

While Lipa’s exact salon formula stays proprietary, professionals have reverse-engineered close matches. One professional approach uses Schwarzkopf Igora Royale with 30 volume developer on ends, 20 volume at roots, processed for 45 minutes, then finished with a gloss treatment. Another formula example uses mostly 6RV with a quarter RR for bolder dark red burgundy. The optimal starting hair levels for this shade range from 5 to 7, allowing the cherry tones to stand out against the base.

The implication: achieving this shade requires either a professional salon visit spanning multiple hours or accepting that DIY results will likely lack the dimensional depth Lipa’s colorists produced.

Was Dua Lipa a natural redhead?

Lipa’s natural hair is dark brunette — a far cry from the cherry-cola red she adopted for her visual era. The 2023 transformation was achieved through professional dyeing, not genetics. She has since returned to black for live performances, confirming the change was a deliberate style choice rather than her baseline color.

Natural hair color origins

Born to Albanian parents in London, Lipa’s heritage suggests darker pigmentation as her natural baseline. Her pre-red appearances consistently showed deep brunette tones, confirming the cherry-cola was an intentional departure from her established look.

Evolution from brunette to red

Her hair journey through the mid-2020s shows calculated shifts: keeping close to her natural base through early career, then introducing subtle dimension before the full cherry-cola reveal. The October 2023 debut marked her boldest color change to date, coinciding with the rollout of new music.

Is Dua Lipa’s red hair a wig?

Despite speculation, evidence points to dyed hair rather than a wig. Hair colorist Matt Rez, who created Lipa’s cherry-cola look, described a multi-session process exceeding 10 hours — inconsistent with a temporary piece. Additionally, Lipa has been photographed with the same texture and movement across multiple settings, suggesting grown-out color rather than interchangeable units.

Stylist process details

Rez’s approach involves careful color layering to achieve the multidimensional effect. Professional application typically requires separate processing times for different sections, with root-to-tip techniques that ensure even saturation across thick hair types.

High-maintenance reality

The time investment speaks for itself: achieving and maintaining cherry-cola demands salon visits and dedicated at-home care. Prolonging products like MyHero Nourishing Shampoo and Conditioner with Hyaluronic Acid, paired with MyHero Collagen Shield Spray as a heat protectant, help bridge the gap between appointments.

How to achieve Dua Lipa’s cherry-cola red hair?

Replicating this shade requires either professional intervention or careful DIY execution. The approach differs significantly depending on your starting level and commitment level.

Step-by-step dyeing guide

• Assess your base: The color works optimally on natural levels 5-7. Darker hair may require gentle lift or pigment deposit techniques.
• Choose your formula: Professional options include Igora Royale (30 volume ends, 20 volume roots, 45-minute process, gloss finish). DIY alternatives use semi-permanent color-depositing masks in red-brown or burgundy tones.
• Application order: Apply to top and mid-lengths first, working to ends last. Leave for 15-30 minutes depending on desired intensity.
• Finishing: Shampoo, then apply gloss treatment for added shine. Avoid hot tools and UV exposure for the first few days post-color.

At-home vs professional tips

At-home attempts can achieve approximate results with deposit-only products, but the depth and dimension of the salon version often exceed DIY outcomes. If attempting at home, start with a semi-permanent product first — you can always go darker, but pulling red out of brunette is costly and damaging. Returning to brunette is reportedly straightforward with a less intense deposit first.

What is Dua Lipa’s hair evolution timeline?

Tracking Lipa’s hair choices reveals a pattern of strategic color shifts tied to musical eras — each look serving as visual shorthand for her creative direction.

Key color changes

From her 2017 debut onward, Lipa maintained mostly dark brunette tones with subtle variations. The late 2023 cherry-cola debut marked her most dramatic departure, arriving alongside the “Houdini” visual era. The trend quickly gained traction among other celebrities including Dove Cameron, Shay Mitchell, and Megan Thee Stallion throughout 2024.

2025 predictions

With cherry-cola continuing into 2025 with extra depth and shine, darker variants — dubbed “dark cherry-cola” — are emerging as the next evolution. Lipa herself has already returned to black for London performances, suggesting she may be transitioning toward a new era’s visual identity. The trade-off for trend-chasers: cherry-cola’s high maintenance and faster fade rate mean commitment or regular touch-ups.

For beauty enthusiasts chasing Lipa’s signature shade, the path is clear: expect a multi-hour salon appointment with ongoing maintenance, or accept that DIY versions will sacrifice the multidimensional depth that makes cherry-cola distinct. The trend’s 2025 evolution toward darker variants suggests even the original “Houdini” look may soon be eclipsed by its deeper successors.