If you’ve spent any time at all watching Outlander, you know the hair is practically its own character. Between Jamie Fraser’s iconic ginger mane and Claire’s wild, "unruly" curls, the follicular expectations for their daughter, Brianna, were sky-high. So, when Sophie Skelton first stepped onto the screen, fans weren't just looking at her acting chops. They were looking at that hair.
But here is the thing: Sophie Skelton red hair is actually one of the biggest illusions on the show.
Honestly, it’s kinda fascinating how much work goes into making a brunette look like a biological Fraser. If you've ever wondered why her shade seems to shift between seasons or why she suddenly started wearing a wig, you aren't alone. It’s been a whole saga.
Is Sophie Skelton a Natural Redhead?
Let’s clear this up immediately. No.
Sophie Skelton is a natural brunette. Specifically, she has very dark, chocolate-brown hair. When she was cast as Brianna Randall Fraser, the production team knew they had a massive challenge. In Diana Gabaldon's books, Brianna is described as a "striking" ginger with hair like a flame—basically a female version of Sam Heughan’s Jamie.
Putting a dark-haired actress into that role meant one of two things: a lot of dye or a very expensive hairpiece.
In the beginning, they went with the dye. It wasn't just a quick "box color" situation, either. Because her natural hair is so dark, the stylists had to lift her natural pigment significantly to get that vibrant, copper-gold hue. If you’ve ever tried to go from dark brown to ginger, you know the struggle. It’s harsh. It’s painful. And for Sophie, it was nearly a disaster.
The "Disastrous" Dye Job That Changed Everything
During the early seasons, the production team actually tried to keep things "real" by dyeing the actors' hair. Sam Heughan famously had to dye his hair every few weeks to maintain Jamie’s signature look.
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But Sophie’s hair didn't handle the chemicals well.
The process of bleaching and then depositing red pigment—which is the hardest color to maintain because the molecules are so large and escape the hair shaft easily—started to take a toll. Rumor has it (and by rumor, I mean multiple interviews with the cast and crew) that the constant processing caused significant damage.
Basically, her hair started falling out.
You can't really have a lead actress going bald in the middle of a high-budget period drama. It’s not a great look for the 18th century. By Season 3, the production made a hard pivot. They stopped the dyeing process entirely for the main cast and moved into the world of high-end lace-front wigs.
The Evolution of the Brianna Wig
Once they switched to wigs, the conversation around Sophie Skelton red hair changed from "How do they get it that color?" to "Why does it look like that?"
Wigs in a show like Outlander are tricky. They have to survive the Scottish rain, the humidity of North Carolina (actually filmed in Scotland), and intense action sequences. If you look closely at Season 4 versus Season 7, you'll notice the texture and shade of Brianna’s hair change quite a bit.
- The Straight Era: In the 1960s and 70s scenes, Brianna’s hair is often styled straight and sleek, which was the trend of the time.
- The Back-to-Nature Curls: Once she goes through the stones, her hair takes on a more natural, wavy texture. This was a deliberate choice by the stylists to make her look more like a "wild" Fraser, even though Sophie has naturally curly hair in real life.
- The Bangs Controversy: More recently, fans have had opinions about the Season 7 wig, which featured shorter bangs and a slightly different auburn tone.
Some fans feel the wigs look a bit "stiff" or "wiggy" compared to the first couple of seasons. It’s a valid critique. However, when you consider that the actors are often filming in freezing, damp conditions for 12 hours a day, a wig is the only way to ensure continuity. Could you imagine trying to keep natural ginger hair looking the same in a Scottish gale? Absolute nightmare.
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Why the Red Hair Matters for Brianna’s Character
It’s more than just a beauty choice. For Brianna, that red hair is her identity.
In the world of the show, she grew up looking nothing like the man she thought was her father, Frank Randall. She was this tall, red-headed girl in a family of brunettes. When she finally meets Jamie Fraser, that hair is the visual proof that she belongs to him. It’s the "Fraser gene" in physical form.
Interestingly, while the show didn't make Sophie wear blue contacts (she kept her natural brown eyes), they leaned hard into the hair to bridge that gap. Some fans still argue that she should have had the blue eyes from the books, but the showrunners felt the red hair was the most important "mark" of a Fraser.
How to Get the Sophie Skelton Red Hair Look (Without the Damage)
If you’re looking at Sophie’s auburn locks and thinking, "I want that," learn from her experience. Don't fry your hair off.
Real redheads will tell you that the "Brianna shade" is a mix of copper, gold, and a hint of strawberry. If you’re starting with dark hair like Sophie’s natural color, you have to be careful.
- Don't DIY it. Red is the hardest color to get right. If you use a cheap box dye, you’re likely to end up with "hot roots" where your scalp is bright orange and your ends are muddy brown.
- Use a color-depositing conditioner. Since red fades faster than any other color, stylists usually recommend products like Overtone or Joico Color Infuse to keep the copper bright between salon visits.
- Cold water only. It sounds miserable, but washing red hair in hot water is the fastest way to watch your money go down the drain. Cold water keeps the hair cuticle closed.
- Consider a "Glaze." If you don't want the commitment of permanent dye, a salon glaze can give you that Sophie Skelton shimmer without the chemical commitment.
The Reality of Hollywood "Ginger-fication"
Sophie Skelton isn't the only one. Hollywood is full of "fake" redheads who have become iconic for the look. Amy Adams? Blonde. Emma Stone? Blonde. Sophie Turner? Blonde.
It seems there's a specific type of cinematic "red" that directors love, and Sophie Skelton’s version of Brianna fits that mold perfectly. It’s a shade that pops against the greens and browns of the Scottish Highlands and the American wilderness.
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Even if it isn't "real," the impact is. Sophie has fully embraced the look, often appearing at conventions and red carpets with various shades of auburn, though she often returns to her natural dark roots when she isn't filming.
Honestly, the fact that she sat through those early dye sessions until her hair literally couldn't take it anymore shows some serious dedication to the character. Most people would have demanded a wig on day one.
What’s Next for the Fraser Hair?
As Outlander moves toward its final conclusion, the "hair journey" is coming to an end. We’ve seen Brianna go from a confused student in Boston to a mother and a pioneer in the 1700s, and her hair has aged and changed right along with her.
Whether you love the wigs or miss the "real" hair of the early seasons, you can't deny that Sophie Skelton transformed herself. She took a brunette's life and lived it as one of the most famous gingers on television.
If you’re planning on trying out the red hair life yourself, start slow. Maybe try a semi-permanent gloss first. And for heaven’s sake, if your hair starts feeling like straw, take a page out of the Outlander production book and get a wig. Your scalp will thank you.
To see the latest on Sophie's transition back to her natural look post-filming, keep an eye on her social media updates where she's been sporting her natural brunette curls more frequently.