Skip to Content

The 18 Best Hair Color Ideas for Men in 2024

If you’re going to dye your hair soon but need a little inspiration, check out our list of hair color ideas for men. We’ve compiled examples of every color of the rainbow to show you different ways to hue your ‘do.

See the best hair color ideas for men and discover your next shade in our guide below! Then, learn about things to consider before dyeing and then how to care for it after you leave the salon.

18 Trendy Hair Color Ideas for Men in 2024

Guy holding a color palate sample in front of his face for a piece on the best hair color ideas for men

Xavier Gallego Morell/Shutterstock

Guys who dye (and those who are thinking about coloring their hair for the first time) might need a little photo inspiration to find their next shade. Coming up with a good hair color to try starts with seeing real examples of different colors. 

Will you go for a natural look with jet black, warm brown, dimensional red, or bright blonde? Maybe vivid, bright colors are more your speed, with electric blue, magenta, orange, or yellow on your list.

Maybe you’re not sure where to start and are open to just about any tone that will look good on you. Whatever your color of choice is, we’ve got a list of great hair color ideas for men to check out below.

These are our favorite shades and tones for guys who want to mix things up a bit with a new hue. Which colors do you like best, and which ones will you steer clear of? Take a look below to start honing in on your next hair color. 

1. Inky True Black

Inky True Black hair color idea for men

puhhha/Shutterstock

Black might seem like an easy color, but nailing a true inky black without hints of blue or brown can be a challenge. This jet black color is perfect for brunettes who want to go a little darker or for lighter-haired guys to experiment with the mysterious allure of black hair. 

A word to the wise: Stick to temporary black dye if you’re planning to DIY. Black box dye is next to impossible to remove and can make changing your color very difficult in the future. 

2. Medium Chocolate Brown

Medium Chocolate Brown hair color idea for men on a guy in a plaid shirt

Rido/Shutterstock

Shades of brown are popular for guys who want to wear a darker color without going all the way into the black end of the color spectrum. With so many different brunette shades to choose from, may we recommend this rich, medium chocolate brown?

It’s got a little warmth in it, making it perfect for skin with warm or neutral undertones. The depth of the color makes it flattering and a nice fit for wavy or curly hair. 

3. Light Golden Chestnut Brown

For a piece on hair color ideas for men, a guy with Light Golden Chestnut Brown

wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock

On the lighter end of the brunette spectrum, you’ve got a warm-toned golden chestnut brown. What we like about this color is the dimension and depth.

It features hints of auburn, brown, and gold to create a truly unique and flattering color that suits a variety of skin tones. Try it on longer hair to get the best effect, though it would look great on shorter crops and fades as well. 

4. Dimensional Ginger Red

Dimensional Ginger Red hair color idea for men

Lipik Stock Media/Shutterstock

A copper-toned ginger may be the perfect hue for you if you’re looking for something truly unique. It’s more natural than vivid tones, but stands out just as much.

You might find out that redheads have more fun than blondes when you try this color, and the dimensional red color features speckles of golden blonde and a little chestnut brown for depth. 

5. Bold Candy Apple Red 

Bold Candy Apple Red  men's hair color idea

ViDi Studio/Shutterstock

If you’re searching for a bold shade that still fits under the “natural” color umbrella – sort of – we love this candy apple red. It’s especially intense on thick, coily hair cut short to keep the focus on the shade, not the cut.

Red is notoriously difficult to maintain, so prepare with some pigmented conditioner and sulfate-free shampoo to maintain the depth and brightness of the hue. 

6. Vivid Fiery Orange

Vivid Fiery Orange men's hair color idea

Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock

Harness the power and might of fire with a vivid orange color that heats things up a bit. If you’re thinking about trying a bright color that grabs attention and stands apart from more subtle, natural shades, consider orange.

It’s a lesser-used color that suits a surprising number of men, especially if you play around with the undertones to make it more red, blonde, or brown to suit your skin tone. 

7. Dark Honey Blonde

Dark Honey Blonde hair color idea for men

Kiselev Andrey Valerevich/Shutterstock

Dark blondes aren’t really dark at all. They’re just the deepest shades of blonde before you get into the light brown territory. We love this deep honey shade, which can work for guys with warm or neutral undertones equally well.

Honey blonde is the perfect shade for a man who wants to lighten up his color without going full-on light blonde. It’s also a great option if your hair is lighter and you want to dry a deeper shade without going brown or black. 

8. Warm Golden Blonde

Warm Golden Blonde hair color idea for men

Giorgiomtb/Shutterstock

Warm golden blonde shades are perfect for natural brunettes who want to lighten up a bit without the resulting color looking too unnatural. With a warm shade of blonde like this, you can even rock your natural beard color for a little contrast!

Golden blondes look best on men with warm to neutral undertones, so try it if you look best in gold jewelry or find that gold and silver look equally flattering on your skin. 

9. Light Blonde With Dark Roots

Light Blonde With Dark Roots men's hair color idea

alexanderwhite/Shutterstock

For easier maintenance that doesn’t require as many touch-ups, opt for a darker shadow root or leave your natural dark roots uncolored for the same effect.

Here, light blonde is painted onto the midshaft to ends, leaving the roots untouched for a deeper root color that nicely contrasts with the lighter ends. As your roots grow out a bit, they’ll look like they’re just part of the style.

You may be able to go without touch-ups for 3 months or more with this color pattern, which is one of the lowest-maintenance ways to rock blonde. 

10. Dramatic Platinum

Dramatic Platinum hair color idea for men

Huzarska/Shutterstock

Platinum blonde isn’t as common as you’d think – a lot of very light blondes with very slight yellow undertones are mistakenly identified as true platinum.

This dramatic platinum color has the violet-silvery undertones of true platinum and is a great option for guys who want a bold color. Note that platinum is hard to maintain.

It’s more difficult than light blonde, but not as challenging as vivid colored hues. You’ll require frequent root touch-ups and toning to keep this dramatic shade intact. 

11. Gleaming Silver With Shadow Root

Gleaming Silver With Shadow Root hair color idea for men

Perechulia/Shutterstock

Silver hair on men is really trendy right now, but it can be tough to actually nail this elusive metallic shade. Don’t go too white-blonde with your color, which will make it more platinum than silver. You need some very slight violet undertones and a little gray to perfectly capture the silver sheen. 

Use purple shampoo and conditioner religiously to keep any brassiness and yellow undertones away. This will help maintain your silver shade longer and keep it purely metallic. 

12. Metallic Violet-Toned Silver

Metallic Violet-Toned Silver hair color idea for men

Kobrin Photo/Shutterstock

Cool-toned colors like silver and violet are popular for guys who like to mix things up a bit with their color. This violet-toned metallic shade is a unique twist on popular platinum and works well for men with cool undertones.

You’ll know if your undertones are cool if silver jewelry looks better on you than gold and cool shades of color look better on your skin than warm hues. 

13. Violet Dyed Fade and Beard

Violet Dyed Fade and Beard

Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock

Even if purple wasn’t the first color on your list, it definitely bears consideration. Violet hues are unique and trendy with a little less maintenance than other vivids and brights.

We love how a fade highlights and accentuates the color, especially on the shortest sections over the ears and in the back. 

The faded areas appear lighter due to the shorter length and give the look an ombre effect. Go whole hog and dye your beard or let your mane do all the work!

14. Ice Blue With Frosty Violet Tips

Ice Blue With Frosty Violet Tips

Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock

You’ve seen (and maybe rocked) frosted tips, but this brings a whole new meaning to the look! This neatly tapered cut leaves plenty of length up top to show off the cool color gradient while keeping the sides and back short enough for easy manageability.

Go with icy blue for the roots and midshaft, leaving the tips open for a pop of bright violet color. This pattern would work well with warm colors as well, or try platinum with a pop of color at the tips.

15. Vivid Electric Blue

Vivid Electric Blue hair color idea for men

freya-photographer/Shutterstock

Take a walk on the wild side with a bright, electric blue shade like this! You’ll love the rich saturation of color that people can’t help but take notice of. It’s tempting to try and DIY fun colors like this.

But it’s easy to end up with splotches and uneven color since this color requires you to bleach your hair first. Go to a professional – preferably someone with experience dying vivid colors for the best results.  

16. Bright Lime Green 

Bright Lime Green hair color idea for men

Anna Barash/Shutterstock

It’s the color of nature, money, envy, and growth – give yourself the green light to try this vivid shade! Lime green hair stands out from the crowd and is a color full of energy and life.

You’ll find yourself trying new things and getting out of your comfort zone when you’re rocking this funky hue. Again, for bold colors like blue, green, and purple, you’ll want the skill and experience of a professional for good results. Don’t try this at home!

17. Ombre Lemony Yellow

Ombre Lemony Yellow men's hair color on a guy in a salon

giorgiomtb/Shutterstock

If blonde is a little played out to you, why not go for a unique yellow hue? Bright, lemony yellow with deeper roots that gradually lighten toward the ends is such a cool look for guys who don’t mind being the center of attention.

Yellow dye is much easier to maintain than ultra-light platinum and definitely steals the show. The ombre effect makes it a little more polished. 

18. Bold and Bright Magenta

Bold and Bright Magenta hair color idea for men

Jeremy Gable/Shutterstock

They say real men wear pink, and we can’t think of a better way to do it than with bright and bold magenta hair! This hue features undertones of blue that make it appropriate for cooler skin undertones, but its overall warmth helps it suit neutral and warmer undertones as well. 

Take this color all the way down to the roots as shown, or make it lower maintenance by leaving your roots natural and having the color hand-painted from the midshaft to ends. 

Things to Consider Before You Dye

Before you dye your hair, there are a few things you need to think about and consider carefully. Coloring your hair involves potentially damaging chemical processes that could lead to disastrous results if you’re doing it yourself or if your hair’s already damaged.

Here’s what you need to think about before you decide to dye:

  • Don’t color or bleach damaged hair. If you regularly dye or bleach your hair, there’s a chance you’re dealing with some long-term chemical damage. Every chemical process forces your hair’s outer layer – the cuticle – to open and accept bleach or dye molecules. This harsh process can leave your hair brittle, weak, and dry – too damaged to dye. If you’re seeing breakage, weak or gummy hair, more frizz than usual, or other signs of damage, don’t color your hair just yet. Instead, learn how to fix damaged hair and give your mane some time to heal. 
  • Hair color will fade over time. When you dye your hair, you want it to last as long as possible, but you’re always going to deal with fading. Shampooing, exposure to sunlight, swimming, and hair care products all contribute to hair color fading over time. Start using a shampoo for colored hair, limit your UV and chlorine exposure after dying, and start using a moisturizing mask once every two weeks to slow down fading. 
  • Know how much it costs to dye your hair. Getting your hair colored professionally can be relatively cheap or expensive, depending on where you go to get it done or if you do it yourself at home. Check out our guide on how much it costs to dye your hair to get a sense of the price you’ll pay for a great color in a salon, barber shop, or at home. 
  • Think about the type of dye you want to use. Start thinking about what type of dye will be best for the job. This will depend on how long you want your color to last, how damaged or healthy your hair is currently, and whether or not you need to cover grays. Semi-permanent color lasts the shortest amount of time, making it a true temporary color. It can’t lift your hair to lighter shades. Neither can demi-permanent color, which lasts a little longer than semi-permanent. Permanent color is the best choice for covering grays and lasts until your hair grows out and the colored sections are cut off. 
  • Be careful if you plan to DIY. Coloring your own hair at home is usually not recommended unless you have plenty of experience. When you dye your own hair, you can end up with patchy hair dye, over-processed hair that turns gummy, a color too dark or light for your liking, or permanent dye on your skin. You’ll need to know how long to leave dye inwhat developer to use, and what type of dye will work best for your needs. Use our guide on how to dye your hair at home to get the best results if you’re still planning to DIY your color. 

What’s Your Favorite Hair Color Idea for Men?

We’ve shown you hair color ideas for men that range from subtle and bold natural shades to vivid, bright hues straight from the rainbow. With a little photo inspiration to give you ideas for your next color, what are you thinking about doing with your mane?

Make sure you’re clear on the risks of doing your own hair color at home before you grab all the supplies and dye your hair. It’s always better to get your hair colored professionally, but it’s more expensive this way. 

If you can closely follow instructions and research the process with our helpful guides in advance, you should be able to do a great job dying your own hair, even if it’s your first time.

Use the right developer for the type of dye you’re using, watch the clock like a hawk while it’s processing, and be thorough in your color application and rinsing. In any case, take the time to find a color that you’re truly excited about trying.

A new hair color can be exactly the change you need to boost your confidence, see yourself in a new light, and perfectly suit your skin tone and undertones for a flattering look. 

We hope these hair color ideas for men have left you with just the inspiration you needed for your upcoming color change! If you’re still on the hunt for ways to shake up your ‘do, check out our guides to mens’ haircuts next.