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21 Best Summer Hair Colors to Wear in 2024

The best summer hair colors will flatter your sun-kissed skin and give you a breezy-yet-luxe look. Multi-toned shades, coppery blondes, golden browns, cool blondes, and silky bronze tones are all must-have hues for the summer. 

Whether you’re planning on adventuring abroad, taking care of business as usual, or jetting off to a sandy beach somewhere warm, rocking the best summer hair colors will get you into a sunnier state of mind! 

Check out the most gorgeous options for summer hair color and get inspired for your next seasonal color transformation in our guide.

What Are the Best Summer Hair Colors?

  • The best summer hair colors are warm with a few cool-toned exceptions
  • Gold, rose gold, copper, bronze and cool blondes reign supreme
  • Achieve a summery effect with balayage, highlights, and/or lowlights

Multi-toned balayage colors or highlights/lowlights with varying shades of blonde, brown, and red are perfect for summer months.

This year, the spotlight is also on light coppery and strawberry blondes, warm, golden browns, icy-cool blondes, and shiny rose gold and bronze tones are at the top of the best summer hair colors list.

These colors are perfectly suited for summertime because they either emanate a captivating warmth or exude cool, muted tones that nicely contrast with the heat of the summer months. 

Pairing multiple warm or cool shades together is a fail-proof way to pull off gorgeous summer hair color. You can do this with ombre color, hand-painted balayage or foiliage color (balayage done with foils), subtle highlights, or contrasting lowlights. 

For highlights and balayage, timeless cool blonde shades, like platinum and ash blonde, are definitely on the summer color list. These cooler, muted shades pack a ton of brightness while flattering cooler undertones. 

For warm undertones, we’re really loving the shimmering gold, rose gold, copper, and bronze tones in summery blonde shades like strawberry blonde, light copper blonde, and golden blonde shades like honey and caramel. 

Work these colors into a warm base with a little more depth, like dark blonde, bronde, golden brown, or copper for a look that feels resort-ready.

These deeper tones also work amazingly well for summery lowlights in a lighter base color. Warm, metallic tones are super dimensional and appear to sparkle and shimmer in the sunlight. That makes hues with tones like gold, rose gold, copper, and bronze some of the best summer hair colors.

If you’re into lighter shades, look for flaxen gold blondes, strawberry and copper blondes, and light rose gold blondes. For a little more depth, shades like golden brown, medium bronze, and true rose gold are beautiful in summertime.

Even darker tones can be beautiful summer hues, including antique bronze, ginger colors like true copper and auburn, and warm brunette shades with red or golden undertones. There’s so much range and variety among the best summer hair colors!

You can pick a general color (blonde, red, or brown) that suits your undertones (warm or cool), then choose pretty tones (ash, platinum, gold, copper, rose gold, etc.) to layer in with the hue for a summer-perfect shade. 

Here’s a look at the trending summer hair colors this year – get ready to gather some vacation hair inspiration!

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21 Best Summer Hair Colors for All Skin Tones

The spotlight is on warm colors with metallic tones and extra dimension – shimmering gold and rose gold, copper, and bronze are heating up this summer.

Cool tones are also trending for the summer months, with classic icy platinum, white blonde, and ash blonde shades providing the perfect antidote to the summer’s hot temperatures. 

Check out some of the golden blondes and browns, dimensional metallic shades, and fiery red tones that are absolutely perfect for the hottest months of the year. These are the best summer hair colors we’ve found and you’ll want to try them all! 

1. Golden Brown to Flaxen Blonde Ombre

Golden Brown to Flaxen Blonde Ombre for a piece on the best summer hair colors

New Africa/Shutterstock

Mirroring a light golden brown root tone in golden blonde ombre color at the ends creates a really cohesive, flattering color that looks amazing on warm undertones. Fair, medium, and deep skin tones can rock this summery shade!

2. Gilded Strawberry Blonde Reverse Ombre

Gilded Strawberry Blonde Reverse Ombre, one of the best summer hair colors

Rohappy/Shutterstock

Strawberry blonde is a gorgeous, dimensional color on its own. But when you add golden undertones and reverse auburn ombre color? Whew, this brings the summer heat!

The shimmering strawberry blonde color gets all the attention on top while a deeper auburn shade at the ends provides balance and depth with the same coppery tones. 

3. Dimensional Medium Copper 

Dimensional Medium Copper, one of the best summer hair colors

Dean Drobot/Shutterstock

It’s not summertime without Coppertone (okay, copper tones)! Natural redheads in search of a more vivid hue and anyone who loves the fiery dimension of copper color should try this shimmering shade for summer. 

4. Bold Caramel Blonde

Bold Caramel Blonde hair color on a woman with curly hair

WAYHOME studio/Shutterstock

Hair the color of delicious caramel screams summer and is a great way to take dark hair lighter without lifting all the way to level 10+. This deeper blonde tone is a very warm color with golden undertones that look amazing against warm undertones with fair, medium, or deep skin tones.

5. Cool Dusty Rose Blonde

Cool Dusty Rose Blonde, a top pick for the best summer hair colors

galyakiss/Shutterstock

Rose gold is always a gorgeous choice for summer, but what about this silvery dusty rose tone? It’s a great match for cool undertones and will look ah-mazing next to your summer tan, whether it’s all natural or from your favorite self-tanner. 

6. White-Hot Silver Platinum

White-Hot Silver Platinum, a great summer hair color

Nadya Krobkova/Shutterstock

Subtle silvery undertones are the foundation for this white-hot platinum blonde shade. With a cool undertone that contrasts nicely with sun-tanned, medium, or deep skin tones, this is a stunning hue for the hottest months of the year if you’re rocking cool undertones. 

7. Bronde With Buttery Blonde Balayage

Bronde With Buttery Blonde Balayage for a piece on the best summer hair colors

Look Studio/Shutterstock

Bronde with buttery blonde balayage is a mouthful, but it’s one of the prettiest color blends for summertime! A dark blonde/light brown shade dominates the base and light golden-buttery blonde balayage gives the color a naturally sun-kissed effect.

8. Melted Milk Chocolate Brown

Melted Milk Chocolate Brown summer hair colors

Dean Drobot/Shutterstock

Long strands pack a powerful punch with all-over dye that doesn’t visually break up the length. Melted (it’s summer, right?) milk chocolate tones are warm and vibrant, perfect on medium and deep skin tones for summer, and match well with warm and neutral undertones. 

9. Warm Golden Blonde

As an idea for the best summer hair colors, Warm Golden Blonde pictured on a thin woman throwing up the peace sign

Halay Alex/Shutterstock

All-over color can be anything but basic when you opt for a stunning, bright hue like warm, golden blonde. This intense shade has heavy yellow-golden undertones that are built for ladies with warm undertones and give major vacation vibes. 

10. Medium Chestnut Sombre

Medium Chestnut Sombre pictured on a woman next to a pool floatie for a piece on the best summer hair colors

VAndreas/Shutterstock

subtle ombre (sombre) chestnut brown color is such a great option for the summer months. This natural-looking hue gradually and ever-so-slightly lightens toward the ends to reveal strands that look like they’ve been lightened by the sun. Medium chestnut tones show auburn and copper tints in the sunlight. 

11. Coppery Caramel Blonde

Coppery Caramel Blonde summer hair color that we think is the best

Raisa Kanareva/Shutterstock

Deeper blonde shades with extra warmth are absolutely essential summer colors for women with warm undertones. This coppery caramel blonde combines a little depth and shadow with lots of dimension and shine for a luxe, multi-toned color. 

12. Bronzed Caramel

Bronzed Caramel Summer Hair Color

ShotPrime Studio/Shutterstock

Hints of deep, metallic bronze tint a warm caramel blonde color for added depth and dimension. Like you need it with bouncy ringlets like these!

You can stare at this color for ages and continue to see new undertones leaping out at you – copper, caramel, gold, bronze, and is that violet?! We’re loving this multi-toned shade for summer color. 

13. Violet-Silver Ash Blonde

Violet-Silver Ash Blonde, one of the best hair colors for summer, pictured on a woman in sunglasses

Diana Indiana/Shutterstock

Cool tones can definitely work for the summer months, especially when you play around with different undertones! Here, violet and silvery tones accentuate cool-toned ash blonde with varying brightness and depth. It’s a cute color for cool-toned ladies who want to brighten their mane! 

14. Warm Copper Blonde

Warm Copper Blonde hair color for summer on a woman on a jetty in jeans

Diana Indiana/Shutterstock

Medium copper blondes don’t really look blonde at all – the copper tones lend medium-light (level 7-8) blonde shades a little depth. A few white blonde highlights around the face add some brightness but let the reddish copper tones steal the spotlight in this color. 

15. Golden Bronde

Golden Bronde summer hair color on a woman in a hat in an orange room

Maria Markevich/Shutterstock

Mixing brown and blonde tones gives you bronde, and with golden tint in the color, it’s the quintessential summer shade. Warm, dimensional, and balanced with brightness and a little depth, this golden blonde/brown shade is always a winner. 

16. Golden Brown Balayage With White Blonde Highlights

Golden Brown Balayage With White Blonde Highlights, a top pick for the best summer hair colors

sivilla/Shutterstock

Keeping your balayage color subtle leaves you plenty of room to shake things up with a couple of chunky, high-contrast highlights. Here, a deep espresso natural base is subtly lightened with golden brown color while white-blonde streaks perfectly frame the face. 

17. Light Copper Brown Ronze

Light Copper Brown Ronze, one of the best summer hair colors

MillaF/Shutterstock

“Ronze” hair color is a blend of copper and light brown tones that is perfect for summertime. This color has been sported by the best — like Beyonce and J.Lo.

It also has all the warmth and shimmering metallic tones you’ll want for summer. It’s dimensional without being dark and bright without requiring you to go blonde for the summer. 

18. Cocoa Base With Chunky White & Honey Blonde Highlights

Cocoa Base With Chunky White & Honey Blonde Highlights, one of the best summer hair colors

Look Studio/Shutterstock

Everything from the Y2K era is coming back, including bold, chunky highlights. A dark, warm cocoa brown base is the perfect high-contrast color for eye-catching honey and white blonde highlights woven throughout from midshaft to ends. 

19. Subtle Pink-Toned White Blonde

For a piece on the best summer hair colors, a woman wears Subtle Pink-Toned White Blonde color

Krakenimages.com/Shutterstock

This color is so hot – perfect for summer days! White blonde gets a subtle cotton candy pink tint for a fun twist on basic platinum. Hints of gold and white make the shade oh-so-luxurious, especially with this enviable length. 

20. Sun-Lightened Honey Blonde Balayage

Sun-Lightened Honey Blonde Balayage for a piece on the best summer hair colors

New Africa/Shutterstock

A skilled stylist can hand-paint honey blonde tones into lightened strands for a sun-kissed effect that looks natural. This bright, golden-toned shade is slightly deeper at the roots with a very light golden brown color that seamlessly transitions into gilded honey tones midway down. 

21. Subtle Rose Gold Blonde

Subtle Rose Gold Blonde, an idea for the best summer hair colors

Halay Alex/Shutterstock

Tint a basic golden blonde with subtle rosy undertones to get a beautiful, metallic shade practically built for the summer months: Rose gold blonde! This warm hue plays well against fair and medium skin tones and looks amazing on anyone with warm undertones. 

Choosing the Best Summer Hair Colors for Your Complexion

Now that you’ve seen some of the best summer hair colors for the season, let’s talk about finding one (or a few!) that will work with your complexion without clashing. 

First, we need to get a few things straight. There are 2 complexion elements to consider when you’re searching for the perfect summer color: Your skin tone and your undertone. 

Your skin tone (fair/light, medium, or deep) can help you find a color depth (light, medium, or dark) that will work for your complexion. 

  • Fair/light skin tones typically opt for light to medium blondes, reds, and browns that won’t overwhelm a fair complexion or look too harsh against the skin. 
  • Medium skin tones look best in medium shades, but light colors can also work if they have the right undertone. Consider medium to dark blondes, medium reds, and light to medium browns. 
  • Deep skin tones look best with medium to dark red, brown, or black color. Deeper skin tones can rock light shades when the color undertone matches the skin’s undertone. 

Note that your skin tone can change when you get a tan or spend time out of the sun for a while. So if you’re typically fair or light-skinned and spend a lot of time in the sun this summer, you may become more of a medium skin tone.

Or if you’re usually medium, you may end up in deep skin tone territory once you’re tanned and more melanin pigment is present in your skin. The second element to consider is your skin’s undertone, which can be warm, cool, or neutral. 

Your undertone may be warm with hints of golden, peachy, or yellow color. It can be cool with barely noticeable pink or blue undertones. It can be neutral without true discernible undertones or a balanced blend of both cool and warm undertones. 

  • Warm undertones look best with warm colors featuring golden, yellow, or red undertones. These shades include golden, strawberry, honey, and caramel blonde, golden brown, chestnut brown, and all shades of red. 
  • Cool undertones look best with cool colors featuring violet, rose, blue, ash, or silver undertones. These shades include platinum, ash, and silver blonde, ash, mushroom, and mocha brown, blue-toned true reds, and blue or violet black.
  • Neutral undertones look great with warm or cool colors across the spectrum. Neutral colors are also a good choice, including white, taupe, and beige blonde, espresso brown, and true black. 

It’s easy to piece together the summer colors and shades that will work best for you now! Your skin tone tells you how deep or light your color should be to best flatter your complexion – light, medium, or deep.

Your undertones tell you which specific shades and color undertones will flatter your complexion without clashing or washing you out. 

More Things to Consider

Hair dye kit with samples of the colors in the background for a piece on the best summer hair colors

Africa Studio/Shutterstock

We’ve looked at the hottest and best summer hair colors, lots of pretty examples, and how to choose the right color for your complexion. What’s next?

Check out these helpful tips and considerations to land on – and maintain – the perfect hue for summer you. 

  • Pick a color you won’t easily tire of. Choosing the perfect summer hair color requires a little forethought – how will you feel about this color once you’ve rocked it for a couple of weeks? If you’re picking a shade that’s pretty but not quite your style, you’ll probably get sick of it quickly. Opting for shades closer in line with your usual choices will likely be a better choice – you can shake things up by adding in trendy tones instead of going for a color you’re really unsure about. 
  • Consider a cut to go with your color. When you decide to transform your strands for summer, why not get a cute new haircut to go with it? You don’t have to get a major cut to make a big impact. A few face-framing layers, some long bangs, or a quick trim with some shaping can be a great accompaniment for your new hue. 
  • Protect your hair from the sun. Sunshine is unavoidable in the summer months, so get ahead of the issue and start protecting your strands now. You can buy hair sunscreen that is easily spritzed all over your strands without leaving them weighed-down and greasy. Don a hat whenever you can to protect from UV rays and consider wrapping your hair in a scarf if you’ll be spending extended time outdoors. 
  • Keep your summer color from fading fast. Summer fades fast, but your hair color doesn’t have to! UV rays and chlorine from pool water are major fading culprits, so make sure to take preventative steps if you’ll be swimming a lot. You can apply conditioner before you swim, wear a swim cap, and always do a post-swim shampoo to remove excess chlorine. Switch to a sulfate-free shampoo for colored hair for even more fade protection!
  • Reconsider coloring if your hair is damaged. It’s not what you want to hear, but if your hair is already damaged right now, summer color is not the way to go. If you’re seeing signs of damage like split ends, breakage, increased frizz and tangles, or a straw-like texture, you should wait on color and focus on nursing your strands back to health. Here’s how to fix damaged hair.

You’ve seen the best summer hair colors the beauty world has to offer and have a few helpful tips to take into consideration before you commit to your new hue.

With tons of gorgeous color options like sparkling strawberry blonde, icy platinum, golden blonde, dimensional copper, golden brown, and cool ash blonde on the table, there’s no shortage of hues to choose from. 

Keep your skin tone and undertones in mind as you pick out your next summery shade to ensure it’ll be a good fit. Warm undertones need warm shades, cool undertones need cool shades, and neutral undertones can rock either one. 

Here’s to a summer full of adventure, relaxation, and sunshine – with your new hair color, it just might be your best summer yet!