Heather Finkel, a redhead specialist at Salon One80 on K Street, has been a redhead, a blonde and various shades of brunette. “You get major compliments from men of all ages when you have red hair,” she says. By contrast, as a brunette she blended in, and as a blonde she got a lot of looks.

Two years ago, she dyed her brown hair to “golden copper” and hasn’t wavered since. “I get inspired by figures,” Finkel says of redheads, “just people who are in the spotlight.”

With a clientele comprised of Capitol Hill aides, lobbyists, lawyers and journalists, Finkel has her share of redheads to hone her specialty. She finds it “tragic” when natural redheads like Lindsay Lohan and Julianne Moore want to be blonde.

The most common complaint from redheads: fading. “The older you get, the more you lose that warmth,” she says. “I believe it should look as though it could be yours.”

What is the personality of reds? “Vivacious,” Finkel says. “They feel good about themselves. They are go-getters.”

Stylist rates the Reds on Capitol Hill

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.): “Beautiful! Her shade gives her skin a healthy glow. She consistently picks flattering shades of red.”

Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.): “His color certainly adds to legend of his spitfire personality —in fact, he could go even more vibrant. However, he should schedule his color appointments more frequently. The white that often peeks through on his temples makes him look a bit unkempt, more than anything else.”

Former House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt (D-Mo.): “His shade works well for him [and] makes him stand out. The color, which is not too bright, not too murky, has just the right amount of depth.”

Rep. Adam Putnam (R-Fla.): “While natural, [his hair color] does make him look more like a Harvard frat boy than a political figure. A bit darker or sandier could change that perception.”

Stylist rates red potential of politicians

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.):
“A definite no. Already perceived as a strong personality, red would only put fuel on the fire! Keep it blond and add some more dimension, perhaps a soft lowlight. As a blonde, she’s good, but it’s too one-dimensional. Clinton needs to add some honey-caramel color to make her hair more believable.”

Presidential hopeful and former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.):
“His hair color is good as is, and increasing his hair budget would do him no favors in the voting booth. Even with that 1,000-watt smile, he wouldn’t be able to pull [going red] off.”