Choosing the Perfect Hair Colors for Blue Eyes

When it comes to changing your hair color, in addition to considering what the colored hair maintenance will look like and how many sessions it will take to get you there; professional colorists often recommend choosing a shade that complements your eye color. Whether green eyes, brown eyes, hazel or blue, your eyes are the key to understanding your most flattering hair color. Especially with lighter eyes, changes to your hair color can affect the color of your eyes. And there are certain hues that will make your blue eyes pop. We’re telling you how to choose the perfect hair color for your blue eyes, plus tips for colored hair maintenance, below! 

When it comes to dyeing your hair, your skin tone and eye color are the most important factors to consider before you pick a shade. Your skin tone is determined by the undertones of your skin. To find the dominant undertones in your skin, look at the veins in your wrist in the sunlight. If they appear blue or purple, you have cool-toned skin. If they look green, you have warm toned skin. If you can’t tell whether they look blue or green, you’re likely neutral, or olive toned. Now that you understand your skin tone it’s time to find out what hair color is best for your blue eyes.

We're starting with some beautiful blonde shades:

Blue eyes pop the most against an icy platinum blonde. This cool color combo is so complimentary, especially on fair skin. But keep in mind that the darker your starting base color, the more chemicals you’ll expose your strands to. Darker hair can also go through a lot of damage trying to obtain this color. It’s important to care for your blonde hair anytime you use bleach.

Honey blonde is a hue that mixes yellow and brown tones and looks similar to — you guessed it — honey. It’s the perfect blend of intentional warmth that’s so flattering with blue eyes and warm fair skin. But brunettes beware: the darker your hair is to start, the more complicated the lightning process is. You need a professional that understands how to neutralize the unwanted brassy tones while lifting to honey blonde.

Ash is a cool blonde color with undertones of blue, purple and silver. An ash blonde on cool toned fair skin is another pretty combination for blue eyed people. The cool undertones of the ash really make blue eyes pop. And good news, this blonde isn't off limits to brunettes. Balayage ash highlights look so flattering throughout darker strands.

Golden blonde, a warm shade with flecks of gold, brown, and red, is another perfect pairing for those with blue eyes and fair skin.It’s a similar shade to honey blonde, with deeper red and brown undertones for a richer, multidimensional blonde. Warm tones do an exceptionally good job at making you look younger, so if this is your goal, consider going golden blonde.

Not quite true red, but not quite blonde either, strawberry blonde is a soft hybrid of the two. This shade is naturally flattering to fair skin and light eyes, but going red requires maintenance. Red hair is prone to fading and looking brassy. It's important to use hair care products designed for color-treated hair, and protect your strands from things like heat, chlorine, and environmental pollution.

Wondering what is the best hair color for blue eyes and darker skin tones? Brunette shades in general make the best hair colors for blue eyes and medium to dark skin. Our colorists say these brown hair colors are the most flattering shades for your eyes and skin tone.

Dark brown hair is a deep brunette shade that gives off a glossy, shining appearance that often resembles the color black. Though it works for most complexions, dark brown hair is especially flattering on medium to dark skin and blue eyes. Dark colors bring out the warmth in darker skin tones, as well as the depth in lighter eyes, making for a striking combo.

Chocolate brown is a medium to dark shade of brown. It’s not quite as dark as black, but it’s darker than warm golden-brown shades. Chocolate brown hair complements so many features, bringing out blue eyes and shining against tan skin. 

A sandy light brown like hazelnut works really well with blue eyes and medium to dark skin. If you have darker skin, and don’t want to go this light all over, bring light brown into your hair in the form of highlights. And remember that purple shampoo works the same way to eliminate brassiness on light brown hair as it does on blonde. It helps prevent color fade, while keeping brown hair vibrant. 

Golden brown is a warm shade that is so flattering on people with medium to dark skin and blue eyes. It's a blend of medium brown and light blonde, and it’s a great way to lighten up naturally dark to medium brown hair. Consider adding some dark golden highlights for a beautiful contrast against a darker complexion.

Warm browns work really well with medium and dark skin tones. And darker shades work just as well complementing your blue eye color. If you already have dark hair, adding some warm brown highlights is a low-maintenance non-committal hair refresher. Stick to a brown that’s within two shades of your natural color.

These factors can help you choose the best hair color for blue eyes. Keep them in mind when deciding on a shade.

Before choosing a color, know the commitment you're making. Lightening the hair requires more color maintenance and trips to the salon. Going darker is much easier, especially if your colorist uses a demi-permanent dye, which fades out gradually over time.

Your hair color should complement your skin undertones. Generally, warm goes with yellow, gold, or orange hues; cool tones go with pink, violet, or blue shades; olive skin looks best with warm tones; and neutral undertones go with any color.

Bleach and hair color weaken strands as they open the cuticle to pull or deposit pigment. So if you have dry, frizzy or damaged hair, consider warm tones so your hair reflects more light and looks healthier.

Only trust a professional when it comes to coloring your hair. If you aren't a trained hair stylist you can cause lots of damage to your hair trying to color it yourself. In addition to damage, you could end up having to see a colorist anyway to color-correct your hair. 

If you’ve colored hair, it's important to follow these tips to prevent fading and maintain healthy strands. 

Sulfates are cleansing agents that are too harsh on colored hair and notorious for stripping color. Use only sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners to gently cleanse your colored strands.

As you age, the texture of your hair can change, in some cases resulting in thinning hair and hair loss. Adding some man-made texture is a quick way to disguise this. If your hair is naturally straight, spray a sea salt spray into your hair while it’s damp and let it air-dry for piecey, textured strands. Scrunch your hair with your hands creating height at your crown and disguising any problem areas. Wondering why your hair texture changes? Check out our previous post to learn more!

The heat of your shower can affect the look of your hair color. Heat causes the hair’s cuticle to swell and open, leading color molecules to rinse down the drain. Keep the water temperature lukewarm or cooler.

Avoiding hot tools like blow dryers, flat irons and curling wands means less exposure to heat that can allow color molecules to escape your strands. As often as you can, let your hair air dry naturally. On those times you absolutely can’t avoid using heat, prep your hair with a heat protectant spray.

Using a hair mask once a week will deep condition your colored hair strands keeping them healthy and vibrant. If you have color-treated hair that’s also dehydrated, we recommend NOUNOU Hair Mask. It repairs bleached, permed or relaxed hair, restoring hydration, body and nourishment.

To get professional advice on the best hair color for blue eyes, book an appointment with a Davines colorist. And remember that maintaining beautiful color between salon sessions relies on your at-home colored hair maintenance routine. Follow our tips and use only high quality hair products to care for and style your color-treated hair. All Davines hair care products are free of harmful toxins, use natural ingredients, and are made with renewable energy and packaging that minimizes the environmental impact. Our hair care isn’t just good for your hair, it’s good for the planet.

by Jaclyn LaBadia, featured contributor