Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 9, 1995 TAG: 9504080008
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BETH MACY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
First, there was the ultimate elementary-school putdown: "I'd rather be dead than red on the head."
Then, there was the seventh-grade boy who called her "meatloaf" - a reference, she says, "to the kind of meatloaf my mom always made that was covered in ketchup."
Whitlow, a 40-year-old development director for Roanoke's Festival in the Park, put up with all the abuse - including construction workers who are prone to holler, "Hey, Red!"
She can even forgive her childhood preacher, who once confided that she was assigned the shepherd role in the church Christmas play year after year because "he'd never seen a red-headed angel," Whitlow recalls.
"I thought that was a little harsh, but I got over it."
But the biggest slap in her face, she says, comes from the industries trying to make it over. "All the free samples they give out at the cosmetic counters, all the stories and ads in fashion magazines - they don't ever concentrate on redheads," Whitlow explains.
"Because most American women have brown hair and beige skin, that's what everything's packaged for."
And Whitlow's learned that if she wears makeup designed for brunettes, she ends up looking like "someone from 'Star Trek' ... or a 13-year-old who got into her mother's cosmetics."
Whitlow's plea for special treatment - or at least equal time - prompted a recent makeover by hair and makeup stylist Nancy DeHart of Nancy's Hair Salon in Salem.
For the "before" picture, DeHart glommed on the red-hair no-no's: hot-pink lipstick, black mascara and eye liner, bright blue eye shadow and a dark foundation with a heavy blush.
"I looked like I should have been in a police-station line-up" in the first picture, Whitlow says.
For the "after" picture, DeHart chose more natural-looking hues: a light, creamy foundation, a subtle bronzing blush, an autumn-toned lipstick and a peachy eye shadow with brownish-red liner.
"The most important thing for redheads to be aware of is to stick with the natural look - for both make-up and hair," DeHart says.
Some other tips for reds:
"I don't wear polka dots," Whitlow advises. "They clash with my freckles."
Autumn colors usually work best.
"I've had problems forever finding a good mascara color," says Whitlow, who finally settled on Estee Lauder's version of auburn. "You spend thousands of dollars at Revco for mascara that says brown, but when you open it up at home, it's always black!"
Avoid bright Easter-egg colors in both dress and make-up. "Because [redheads] already have a pinkish tone to their skin, pink is not the best color for most of them," DeHart says.
The more natural the hairstyle, the better. "Versatility is really important for redheads; they should let the hair cut do all the work for them," DeHart says. "It's best to be able to put it up, tie it back or put a scarf in it - so they don't have to curl it. Soft and supple, rather than tons of hair spray, looks better."
Despite growing up under a cloud of carrot-top cracks, Whitlow says she's come to appreciate her hair color.
Especially since red is such the rage - even if it's from a bottle.
"They're getting so good with the dye jobs now, I think they should give out passes for the real redheads!" Whitlow says.
by CNB