If you’re blessed with hazel eyes, you know it doesn’t take much more than bronze eyeshadow and a quick coat of mascara to make your dazzling eye color pop. However, just like choosing a hair color for your skin tone, some hues perfectly complement your eye color.
We teamed up with Alii Wray, Matrix artistic educator, to bring you the ultimate guide to the best hair colors for hazel eyes. Whether you prefer to keep it simple with dark brown hair or go all-out with a fantasy shade, these are the looks you’ll want to ask your colorist about.
What is the true color of hazel eyes?
Every pair of hazel eyes is different, but most people have a mix of brown, green, and gold hues. Depending on your unique eye color, you may have more of one shade than another.
What color brings out hazel eyes?
Hazel eyes have flecks of gold, green, and brown, so it’s best to play them up with warm-toned blondes, browns, and reds if you really want your eye color to stand out. If your hazel eyes have a lot of green in them, rich red shades like auburn and copper will work best for you.
How do you care for color-treated hair?
Caring for your new mane with salon-quality products is essential regardless of the color you choose to flatter your gorgeous hazel eyes. First, invest in a shampoo and conditioner system designed to maintain color-treated hair, no matter how frequently you wash it. We recommend Biolage Professional Color Last Shampoo and Conditioner. The low pH formula is inspired by nature’s fade-defying orchid flower to help prolong the life of color-treated hair.
You can also head to the salon for a Redken Shades EQ Hair Gloss to refresh your hair’s hue between color services. This demi-permanent formula gently opens the hair's cuticle to deposit a wash of color that lasts up to 24 shampoos. Glosses are an excellent option to restore vibrancy, deepen and enrich color, and tone brass. Plus, glosses help reduce frizz and restore shine, so your hair will look even healthier than it did before.
When searching for the best hair colors for hazel eyes, blonde is often a top pick. If that sounds like you, you’ll want to keep your blonde hue brass-free by rotating purple color-toning shampoo and conditioner into your routine once a week. We recommend Matrix So Silver Purple Shampoo and Conditioner to neutralize brassy warmth and correct yellow tones on blonde hair.
Transitioning from dark to blonde? Your colorist will need to use bleach to lift your color. Bleach will always cause damage, but with the help of your stylist and an at-home hair treatment like the Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate Intensive Treatment, you can help improve the look and feel of your strands.
What hair color looks best with hazel eyes and light skin?
Good hair day by @leandrogabanno
Warm Blonde
If you’re hunting for the best blonde hair color for hazel eyes, Wray suggests warm-toned shades like honey blonde, butterscotch, and cream blonde. The warm glow from your hair will help bring out the green and gold tones in your hazel eyes.
“Since lighter skin typically has less concentrated amounts of melanin, you can add a lot of warmth without worrying about looking washed out,” Wray says.
Good hair day by @_hairbylaurie
Vanilla Sugar Blonde
If you’re torn between warm-toned hues and ashy tones, vanilla sugar blonde offers the best of both. Coined by celebrity hair colorist Laurie Heaps for popstar Sabrina Carpenter, this shade has just enough warmth to make the warm hues in your eyes pop while accentuating cool, pale skin tones.
Want to emulate this look? Heaps used Redken’s Flash Lift Bonder Inside to lift Carpenter’s hair to the perfect shade of creamy blonde with minimal damage. Then, she toned her strands with a custom mix of Redken’s 010 VV Lavender Ice Shades EQ Gloss Bonder Inside and Crystal Clear Shades EQ Gloss Bonder Inside. The result speaks for itself!
Good hair day by @amberm_redken
Copper
Red and green are a color match made in heaven—and we’re not just talking about Christmas decorations. For fair skin, a warm red hue like copper will instantly bring out the green in your hazel eyes.
“Red and green are contrasting colors, so they work really well with one another,” Wray explains. “This will make the eyes the focal point because the two colors can stand next to one another, but the warm hair color won’t overpower or take away from the eyes.”
Good hair day by @krazy4hair
Cherry Cola Red
Regarding red hair colors and hazel eyes—the bolder, the better! Wray loves the look of bright red hair paired with fair skin and hazel eyes. If you’re up for the challenge, this cherry cola hue packs a serious punch. Pair the look with an adjacent beauty trend, cherry cola lips, and you’ll be the talk of TikTok.
Good hair day by @hairbycamilaasuarez
Dirty Blonde
If you’re looking for a slightly lower-maintenance blonde, consider dirty blonde. This stunning blend of blonde and brunette shades will transform your hazel eyes from subtle to stand-out.
Good hair day by @sos.hair.studio
Dark Chocolate
Don’t be afraid to go dark—especially with a brunette shade like dark chocolate. This deliciously rich brown has enough depth and dimension to flatter any skin tone or eye color.
Good hair day by @curtiscolorshair
Bubblegum Pink
A certain blockbuster hit has us all thinking pink and even sparked us to coin dream doll hair, which leans into the whimsical hue. For fair skin tones with hazel eyes who want to get in on the trend, we recommend a pink shade that’s more pastel, like bubblegum pink.
It’s no secret that fantasy shades are more challenging to maintain, but if you’re up for the challenge, add Matrix’s Keep Me Vivid system to your cart. This shampoo and conditioner is specifically formulated for high-maintenance hair colors.
Good hair day by @hairbyelm
Shades of Green
If you’re going to try a cool-toned hair color that’s more experimental—go green! Green shades like this stunning neon money piece can complement your pale skin and highlight the green flecks in hazel eyes.
img_index=1Good hair day by @_akihiroueno_
Espresso
We’ll let you in on a little secret: When it comes to hair color for hazel eyes, the darker you go, the brighter and bolder your eyes will appear in contrast. If you want to go as dark as possible with your hue while still complimenting your fair complexion, look to espresso.
Good hair day by @_serinarenee
Bright Yellow
We know bright yellow is an unexpected choice, but a vibrant, out-of-the-box hair color like this looks absolutely stunning with golden hazel eyes. Extra style points if you recreate this ombré effect since the coloring technique is making a comeback.
Good hair day by @jessie_hair_vbbeauty
Medium Brown
For those who are super pale, medium brown is a great in-between shade of brunette. It will enhance the look of your hazel eyes without washing out your skin tone.
Good hair day by @hairbybritny
Cinnamon
Cinnamon may be a go-to color for fall, but we can’t deny how wearable it is during any time of year. This reddish-brown hue complements the green and gold flecks in hazel eyes.
What hair color looks best with hazel eyes and medium skin?
Good hair day by @alannaarrington
Dark Brown
For those with naturally dark brown hair and medium skin tones, Wray has some advice to share: Don’t change a thing!
“Keeping the color around the face predominantly darker will help accentuate the eyes,” Wray says.
If you want to make a switch, keep it simple. Ask your colorist to apply chocolate brown lowlights throughout your mane. This will keep your overall hue dark while adding dimension and movement.
Good hair day by @tabethacarns
Bronde
To go lighter while staying true to your dark roots, you’ll love bronde hair. The hybrid shade allows you to experiment with both ends of the color spectrum—plus, the golden blonde tones can make your hazel eyes look brighter.
Ask your colorist for a bronde balayage or ombre to prevent your face-framing strands from becoming too bright.
Good hair day by @wildrevive.lv
Cranberry
Since medium skin tones already have a lot of warmth, Wray suggests avoiding deep red shades. Instead, opt for a cool-toned hue like cranberry hair to test out a wild hair color.
Good hair day by @createdbyami
Sandy Blonde
If you’re lucky enough to maintain your summer glow all year, channel your inner beach babe with a sandy blonde shade. This stunning combination of light blonde and sandy brown has just enough brightness and warmth to complement both your eye color and skin tone.
Bronde always looks best with a high shine, so use a hair treatment like Matrix High Amplify Shine Rinse Lamellar Treatment. This formula conditions and detangles while leaving your hair shinier in just eight seconds.
Good hair day by @colorbymarina and @jamiedoesgoodhair
Ash Brown
Ash blonde hair might favor fair skin tones, but we love ash brown for medium skin with hazel eyes. To keep your new hue in tip-top shape, swap your regular shampoo and conditioner for Matrix Brass Off Shampoo and Conditioner. This system keeps brown hair cool and prevents brassiness by depositing blue-violet pigment with every use.
Good hair day by @ambrosiacarey
Lavender
Leaning towards something a bit cooler? Stay on-trend with a cool-toned pastel shade like lavender.
Good hair day by @morellosalvatore
Twilighting
We’ve already established that warm tones are key to enhancing hazel eyes, but what if you’re not trying to commit to a full head of honey or cream blonde? Ask your colorist about the twilighting technique. Your pro will apply golden highlights throughout your naturally dark base to add depth and warmth to your look.
Good hair day by @ebonyanderberg
Honey Blonde
Honey blonde will complement the glow of medium skin tones (and the golden notes in hazel eyes).
Good hair day by @pekelariley
Copper Highlights
Opt for copper highlights if you don’t want a full head of copper hair. A partial head of highlights can be all you need to simultaneously accentuate your eye color and skin tone.
What hair color looks best with hazel eyes and dark skin?
Good hair day by @pekelariley
Caramel Highlights
You can always go right with caramel highlights and deep skin tones. Wray loves adding caramel highlights to draw attention to hazel eyes instantly.
“For clients with darker skin tones, adding brightness around the face will create light that reflects off of the eyes, giving them a brighter appearance,” Wray says. “This will also add depth and dimension to the hair.”
If committing to a full head of highlights sounds like a full-time job, Wray recommends asking your colorist for a money piece or strobing highlights to add a subtle pop of color around your face. We can help you discover which highlighting technique is right for you.
Good hair day by @haircolorkilla
Mulled Wine
We never say no to wine—especially when it looks this good! If you have dark skin and hazel eyes, mulled wine is a red shade you should take under serious consideration.
Violet
Wray recommends giving violet hair color a go to keep things vibrant but cool,
“Cooler, dark hair colors such as burgundy or deep violet will both help to draw attention to hazel eyes without washing you out,” Wray says.
Remember that although violet hair is gorgeous, the shade is not for the faint of heart. If you commit to violet, your colorist can help you develop a touch-up schedule and hair care routine that best fits your needs.
Good hair day by @cesar4styles
Burgundy
Burgundy hair might appear bold on lighter skin tones, but the deep red shade looks almost neutral against dark skin. If you’re looking for a fiery hair color that makes hazel eyes pop, burgundy might be the one for you!
Good hair day by @haircolorkilla
Dark Auburn
Auburn is a solid middle ground if you’re split between brown and red. Not to mention, the reddish-brown hue picks up on the green flecks in hazel eyes.
Good hair day by @edgybgirl
Hot Pink
As far as fantasy hair colors go, it doesn’t get much better than hot pink. If you have deep skin and hazel eyes, give this daring shade of pink a try.
Good hair day by @tippishorter
Black
Is there any combination more stunning than black hair and hazel eyes? We think not! While a smoky, jet-black hue is a bit too inky for fairer skin, it’s ideal for deep skin tones.
Black hair looks best with a high-shine finish, so invest in a shine-enhancing hair serum like Kérastase Elixir Ultime L’Huile Original Hair Oil.
Good hair day by @haircolorkilla
Sandstorm Blonde
If you have hazel eyes and dark skin, don’t assume you can’t wear a full head of blonde! It’s all about finding a color customizable for your skin tone. Case in point: sandstorm blonde. To achieve sandstorm hair color, your colorist will use foil highlights or a balayage technique to add streaks of sandy blonde throughout your mane.
Good hair day by @lautriceshenellcurls
Chestnut Highlights
If you’re worried that a full head of red will be too much to handle, chestnut highlights can give you the hint of red you’re craving with half the commitment.
Header photo credits: @tippishorter and @amberm_redken
Interested in more expert recommendations? Browse more content on Hair.com or use our salon locator to book an appointment at a salon near you.
