RED HOT! Nine reasons why ginger hair is really just the absolute BEST

Feb 18, 2016

There are plenty of red-haired folk in this part of the world.

And while the old cliché claims sporting a mop of ginger tresses results in playground taunts, in our experience those red-headed lads and lassies among us are rarely anything but massive rides.

Emma Stone, Lily Cole, Prince Harry, Ed Sheeran, Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Kidman and Damian Lewis are all au naturale but just about everyone from Cheryl Fernandez Versini to Demi Lovato and Ariana Grande have dyed their hair red at some stage.

Who can blame them? Here, SHEmazing rounds up the nine reasons why having red hair is pretty incredible:

1) You stand out from the crowd: Even in Ireland, your chances of being ginger are fairly slim. In fact, just 10 percent of us have ruby-hued hair. And globally that figure stands at 2 percent. #exclusive

2) It’s difficult to fake it: Red hair dye is notoriously difficult to get right for blondes and brunettes – and a fresh application fades rapidly. Meaning there’s nothing like the real thing.

3) Keep the compliments coming: Everyone wants red hair at some stage – cue a steady stream of “I’d LOVE to have your hair colour.”

4) What greys? While some other folk are already going grey in their 20s, red hair has a reputation for holding its own, gently lightening as you age, rather than turning grey.

5) You’re practically famous: There was a Ginger Spice – but no Blonde or Brunette Spice. Nuff said.

6) You’re quite possibly healthier: University Of Edinburgh researchers found that red heads boast a secret genetic weapon allowing them to to fight off certain illnesses more efficiently than blondes or brunettes.

7) Fight or flight: Red-heads make adrenalin faster than those with other hair colours.

8) You're a work of art: Botticelli's the Birth Of Venus depicts a gorgeous flame-haired lady upon a clam. And she's just one of a disproportionate number of red-headed lasses used by history's most famous artists.