@nikkilee901 / Design by Zackary Angeline
Going for a new hair color is no small commitment (time-wise or dollar-wise), so odds are youre motivated to do everything in your power to make sure that when that salon chair spins around and faces you toward the mirror, youre instantly feeling it. At Byrdie, were in the business of making your hair decisions easier, and this time, were here specifically in service of readers with brown eyes.
If youre on the hunt for the most natural-looking, overall best hair colors for brown eyes, youve landed in the right place. We consulted Team buuk.tops trusted celebrity colorist, Matt Rez from Mèche Salon in Beverly Hills, who helped us put together this handy gallery of hair ideas to show your colorist next time you head in for highlights.
Meet the Expert
Matt Rez is a celebrity colorist from Mèche Salon in Beverly Hills, CA and is a Redken Color Ambassador. His clients include Ashley Benson, Olivia Holt, and Camila Mendes, and his work has been featured in Allure, Refinery29,andWhoWhatWear.
Read on to find a bevy of hair colors that pair beautifully with brown eyes.
Darkest Dimensional Brown
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The base of this brunette is in the darkest brown category, says Rez, and touches of cinnamon and espresso highlights break up the color and add dimension. Rez created the above look on Eiza González knowing it would perfectly complement her brown eyes and olive skin tone.
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"Highlights will keep the color from looking flat," Rez explains, adding that the look works especially well for super–dark brown eyes.
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Out of the many daring hair colors Selena Gomez has sported, this dark dimensional brown strikes us as one of the most becoming.
Sun-Drenched Brunette
@kaiagerber
Looking to go a little lighter? This multidimensional look, which sits on the blonder side of brunette, is tailor-made for brown eyes. Exhibit A: Kaia Gerbers mesmerizing highlights.
@joansmalls
Going for this look? Make sure you ask your colorist for what Rez calls "mid-light ribbons of auburn that melt into medium and light golden highlights, and enough of the medium-brown base color throughout the silhouette to keep from being a bronde."
@annehathaway
According to Rez, this look is particularly ideal for medium-brown eyes. In addition, he says, "This brunette shade of hair has a multicolor and tonal dimension to complement those with more of the lighter olive to fair skin colors."
True Auburn
@zendaya
Branch a little further out of the brunette family with a fun, rich auburn. This look is great for "brown eyes that tend toward more honey, hazel, and olive," Rez says.
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You can play with the levels of red in your auburn (and, of course, it will look a little different depending on the light). Emma Watsons look above, for example, is more of a subtle, brunette-leaning take.
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Out of all of Julia Robertss hair eras, her timeless 2007 auburn is undoubtedly one of our favorites.
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Those with fair skin tones tend to choose auburn for their locks, but who could forget when Halle Berry proved that it can look killer on darker complexions, too?
Solid Golden Blonde
@jlo
If youre looking for a blonde option, this golden honey shade looks particularly smoldering with brown eyes.
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Singer-songwriter Tori Kelly is one of our favorite brown-eyed blondes. Her incredible curly texture and bright golden strands get all yeses from us.
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If youre looking for more dimension in your color, try asking your colorist for the "4D blonde" technique, which guarantees a stunning level and tone.
@beyonce
Beyoncés slightly cooler-toned take on the shade pairs beautifully with her complexion.