When we talk about hair color, men are often overlooked. It seems women have been dying their long locks in various shades of hot pink, violet, and electric blue for so long now,it can be easy to forget they're not the only people who enjoy coloring their hair. As men continue to embrace hair trends and get more adventurous with their haircuts and styles, they’ve also begun to dabble in men's hair colors. From shades of blonde to dark brown, men are proving that there’s absolutely no hue they can’t pull off.
Ready to try hair color for men? We’re revealing 12 of the trendiest ways to try hair color on men in 2021—plus how to care for each shade.
The Best Hair Colors For Men To Try Now
Good hair day by @erwan_keissoff.
Platinum
Platinum blonde has been a popular hair color for men ever since a certain rapper burst on the scene with his striking blonde locks. While this hair trend is nothing new, it is making a major comeback with celebrities and athletes alike hitting red carpets and events with their freshly platinum strands.
Total Results So Silver Purple Shampoo
A shampoo for banishing brass and restoring brightness to blondes and grays.
Total Results So Silver Nourishing Conditioner
A nourishing conditioner that hydrates and smooths dry, brittle and damaged color-treated hair.
Absolut Repair Instant Resurfacing Masque
A hydrating mask to deeply nourish damaged and weakened hair.
How To Care For Platinum Blonde Hair
Even though platinum blonde looks like a fairly simple color, it is actually one of the most difficult colors to create and maintain. Your colorist will have to use bleach to achieve your platinum blonde hue. It’s important to note that bleach will always cause damage, but your colorist will work with you to help maintain the look and feel of your hair.
Once you leave the salon, maintaining your hue and the look and feel of your strands is all on you—but it’s not too hard, we promise. You’ll need a purple shampoo and conditioner like Matrix Total Results So Silver Purple Shampoo and Conditioner. This system neutralizes unwanted brassy warmth, refreshing blonde hair with cool tones while keeping your hair nourished. Once a week, swap out your conditioner for a nourishing deep conditioning mask like L'Oréal Professionnel Absolut Repair Instant Resurfacing Masque. The gold quinoa and protein-infused mask instantly restores damaged and weakened strands.
Good hair day by @tagliocorto_.
Light On Top, Dark On The Bottom
High-contrast hair color is one of the most popular color trends of 2021. If you want to try it for yourself, ask your colorist to dye the top part of your hair platinum while leaving the rest of your strands natural.
How To Care For Contrasted Hair Color
If you opt for a half blonde-half brunette color, we recommend following the same instructions for platinum blonde to keep the blonde part of your hair from turning brassy.
Good hair day by @tagliocorto_.
Natural Brunette
Not ready to commit to mens hair coloring at the salon? Work with what you’ve got! Use styling techniques and products to enhance the appearance of your natural brown hair. No men hair dye required!
Brews Texture Hair Pomade for Men
A matte hair pomade that adds texture and separation without the crunch.
How To Care For Natural Brunette Hair
Even if you’re sticking with your natural shade, you’ll still want to use products that make your hue look its best. Enhance your natural dimension by adding texture to your hair with a texturizing pomade like Redken Brews Texture Hair Pomade. It separates strands and adds texture with lasting memory and contains mineral salt to provide immediate grip, so hair is easier to mold and work with.
Good hair day by @pimenthebarber.
Gray Coverage
The first sign of gray hair can make you feel older than your father, but they don’t have to stick around unless you want them to. If gray hairs are the bane of your existence, cover them up with a permanent hair dye. Permanent hair dye is the only sure-fire way to cover every last gray strand on your head. While black is a fan favorite when it comes to covering undesirable strands, you can choose any color your heart desires.
If you’re interested in a low-commitment color option, you can also cover grays with a demi-permanent hair gloss like Redken Shades EQ.
R.A.W. Color Care Vegan Shampoo
A shampoo for colored hair made with naturally derived ingredients.
How To Care For Gray Coverage Hair
If you want your permanent hair color to last as long as possible, you’ll have to make some major changes to your hair care routine. Start by swapping out your regular shampoo and conditioner for a system formulated for color-treated hair. We recommend the Biolage R.A.W. Color Care Shampoo and Conditioner.
If you want to keep your gray hairs out of sight and out of mind, be prepared to head back to the salon every six to eight weeks for a touch-up.
Good hair day by @csaszidani.
Salt And Pepper
Covering your grays is one way to deal with them, but you don’t have to get rid of them to have seriously striking hair color for men. Redken Brews’ groundbreaking Color Camo range is a five-minute color service that will perfectly blend your gray hairs for a stylish final hue.
How To Care For Salt And Pepper Hair
Because you’re not making a drastic color change, you won’t have to make too many changes to your daily hair care routine as long as you’re already using color-safe hair products.
Gray
If your hair hasn’t begun to turn gray just yet but you want to take advantage of the gray hair trend, opt for a gray hair color service. Even though men and women have spent decades trying to cover their gray strands, it’s easily become one of the trendiest hair colors in the industry.
Color Extend Graydiant Shampoo for Gray Hair
A color-depositing shampoo to tone and nourish gray and silver hair.
Color Extend Graydiant Conditioner for Gray Hair
A color-depositng conditioner to tone and nourish gray and silver hair.
How To Care For Gray Hair Color
Gray hair is actually a member of the platinum family, making it a tricky hue to care for. Lucky for you, the brilliant team at Redken created a range of hair care products specifically for gray hair. We recommend swapping out your regular shampoo and conditioner with the Redken Color Extend Graydient Shampoo and Conditioner. Formulated with violet and silver pigments, the system tones, strengthens and nourishes all-in-one for a gorgeous silver finish!
Good hair day by @ceidyleecolorbuilder.
Metallic
If you love to be adventurous with your hair, metallic hair may just be the perfect hair color trend for you. Metallic hair flawlessly blends fantasy shades like silver, blue, and purple, with shimmering hues for an eye-catching final color.
Total Results Keep Me Vivid Sulfate-Free Shampoo
A sulfate free, gentle shampoo that gently cleanses so hair color remains vibrant.
Total Results Keep Me Vivid Nourishing Conditioner
A lightweight, yet hydrating conditioner that leaves colored hair vibrant, smooth and soft.
How To Care For Metallic Hair Color
To maintain this fantasy shade, you’ll need to swap out your regular hair care products for ones formulated to care for high-maintenance color-treated hair. We recommend starting with the Matrix Keep Me Vivid Shampoo and Conditioner.
Good hair day by @_hairboy.
Pop Of Color
You don’t have to completely change your look to embrace the fantasy hair color trend. If you love the way fantasy shades like electric blue and shocking green look but aren’t ready to completely commit to a new shade, ask your colorist for a few pops of the hue of your choice.
Total Results Miracle Creator Nourishing Strengthening Mask
A nourishing, strengthening hair mask that delivers instant results.
How To Care For A Pop Of Color
If you’re already using color-safe hair products, you won’t have to make too many changes to your day-to-day hair care routine. If some of your hair begins to feel dry from the color processing, we recommend incorporating a weekly deep conditioning mask like the Matrix Miracle Creator Multi-Tasking Hair Mask into your hair care routine.
Good hair day by @__cassandratorres__.
Half-And-Half Color
Can’t settle on one fantasy hair color to try? Opt for both! Ask your colorist to dye half of your hair one shade and contrasting color on the opposite half.
How To Care For Half-And-Half Color
To maintain half-and-half hair color, follow the same steps listed above for metallic hair color.
Good hair day by @theladybarber._.
Pink
They say that real men wear pink, and we agree completely! If a pop of color isn’t enough for you, commit to a full head of pink hair color. Male and female celebs alike are still wearing all shades of pink in 2021.
Brews Extreme Hair Gel for Men
A high-hold gel perfect for slicked-back styles.
How To Care For Pink Hair
Aside from investing in a shampoo and conditioner for color-treated hair, you should also use products that make your pink hair look extra shiny. Try a hair gel like Redken Brews Extreme Hair Gel. This sculpting formula provides high hold and shine.
Good hair day by @seuelias.
Bleached Tips
Whether you ask your colorist for bleached tips or decide to grow out your platinum-colored strands, bleached tips are one of the easiest ways to embrace the platinum blonde trend. The best thing about just coloring the ends of your hair is you won’t have to worry about heading back to the salon to touch up your roots any time soon.
How To Care For Bleached Tips
Follow the same care instructions for platinum blonde hair.
Honey Highlights
Remember coming home after a long day outside with sun-kissed, golden flecks in your hair? You may not have the same amount of time to spend outdoors as you did as a child, but you can still recreate the same striking hair color. Ask your colorist for honey highlights, placing most of them near the front of your head to frame your face. The resulting effect is a youthful hue glow that will make you feel like it’s summer all year long.
Color Extend Brownlights Shampoo
An essential color-depositing blue shampoo to tone and neutralize brassy orange tones in highlighted, balayaged, or natural brown hair.
Color Extend Brownlights Conditioner
An essential color-depositing blue conditioner to help tone and get rid of brassiness in highlighted, balayaged, and natural brown hair.
How To Care For Honey Highlights
You may not have changed your entire hair color, but your highlights can turn from golden to brassy in no time if you don’t properly care for your freshly colored mane. We recommend swapping out your shampoo and conditioner for the Redken Color Extend Brownlights Shampoo and Conditioner. This blue toning system neutralizes orange undertones in highlighted brown hair.
Interested in trying hair color for men? Use our salon locator to book an appointment at a salon near you.
Total Results So Silver Purple Shampoo
A shampoo for banishing brass and restoring brightness to blondes and grays.
Total Results So Silver Nourishing Conditioner
A nourishing conditioner that hydrates and smooths dry, brittle and damaged color-treated hair.
Absolut Repair Instant Resurfacing Masque
A hydrating mask to deeply nourish damaged and weakened hair.
Brews Texture Hair Pomade for Men
A matte hair pomade that adds texture and separation without the crunch.
R.A.W. Color Care Vegan Shampoo
A shampoo for colored hair made with naturally derived ingredients.
Total Results Miracle Creator Nourishing Strengthening Mask
A nourishing, strengthening hair mask that delivers instant results.
Total Results Keep Me Vivid Sulfate-Free Shampoo
A sulfate free, gentle shampoo that gently cleanses so hair color remains vibrant.
Total Results Keep Me Vivid Nourishing Conditioner
A lightweight, yet hydrating conditioner that leaves colored hair vibrant, smooth and soft.
Brews Extreme Hair Gel for Men
A high-hold gel perfect for slicked-back styles.
Color Extend Brownlights Shampoo
An essential color-depositing blue shampoo to tone and neutralize brassy orange tones in highlighted, balayaged, or natural brown hair.
Color Extend Brownlights Conditioner
An essential color-depositing blue conditioner to help tone and get rid of brassiness in highlighted, balayaged, and natural brown hair.
Color Extend Graydiant Shampoo for Gray Hair
A color-depositing shampoo to tone and nourish gray and silver hair.
Color Extend Graydiant Conditioner for Gray Hair
A color-depositng conditioner to tone and nourish gray and silver hair.
