20 Men’s Hair Color Ideas That Are Trending This Year

Regardless of your gender identity, your hair is an expression of your identity, lifestyle, and sometimes even your culture. Embracing your natural color and texture can make you feel more in touch with your roots (pun intended), while experimenting with a bold new hue may give you a renewed sense of confidence.

While hair dyes for men were, in the past, primarily designed for gray coverage, today, we know that guys crave the freedom of self-expression—and the confidence boost that comes with embracing a new look—just as much as anyone else. Luckily, hair color for men has come a long way in recent years, with more options available than ever before. Because of the more widespread availability of men’s hair dyes, there are also plenty of men’s hair color trends to choose from. Whether you favor natural hues or love bold brights, keep scrolling. You’ll find inspiration for your new ‘do—whether it’s salon-created or DIY-ed—below.

Classic Hair Colors for Men

We revisit the classics in beauty and fashion for a reason: because they’re always flattering. If you prefer timelessness rather than trendiness, discover a few men’s hair colors that’ll never go out of style below.

1. Jet Black Hair

Shiny, jet-black hair is sleek, stunning, and timeless. For an intense men’s hair color that also covers grays, reach for the L’Oréal Paris Men Expert One-Twist Hair Color in Jet Black. It’s easy to use at home and the results last up to seven weeks.

2. Platinum Blonde

Platinum blonde hair makes a striking statement that’s equal parts edgy and wearable. DIY the look with a hair color kit like L’Oréal Paris Féria Hyper Platinum Advanced Lightening System Bleach in Absolute Platinum Extreme Platinum, and keep your color true by using a brass-fighting purple shampoo once per week or as needed.

3. Copper Brown

Copper brown features a blend of two go-to men’s hair colors—medium brown and warm red—to create an inviting, dimensional color. Get the look in as little as an hour at home with L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference Fade-Defying Shine Permanent Hair Color in Medium Auburn Brown.

4. Golden Blonde

Golden blonde is a warm, vibrant hair color that suits both warm and cool skin tones thanks to the presence of both undertones in this modern men’s hair color. Give your strands an upgrade at home with L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference Fade-Defying Shine Permanent Hair Color in Golden Blonde.

Bold and Vibrant Hair Colors for Men

If you’re looking to spice things up and go all out with a new look, there’s no time like the present. Below are some of our favorite ways to make a foray into fantasy color.

5. Turquoise Hair

Turquoise hair is unique and fun—just like you. Experiment with this playful men’s hair color with L’Oréal Paris Colorista Semi-Permanent Hair Color in Turquoise. It lasts approximately 10 washes, so you can sport the vivid hue sans any long-term commitment.

6. Pastel Blue

Icy pastel blue is a great color to try, especially if you’re used to darker hues. Try it out at home with L’Oréal Paris Féria Multi-Faceted Shimmering Permanent Hair Color in Sapphire Smoke. As is the case with many fantasy colors, you’ll get the best results when you apply this silvery-blue dye to pre-lightened hair.

7. Blackberry Hair

If you’re not quite ready to dive in with pastel or neon hair but still want to play with color, consider blackberry. The unexpected hair color for men reads as black in low lighting, but the shade’s cool violet undertones become evident in brighter lighting. Embrace the unexpected hue with L’Oréal Paris Féria Midnight Bold Multi-Faceted Permanent Hair Color in Orchid Glow, which is designed for use on brown hair—no bleach needed.

8. Two-Tone Hair Color

You don’t have to commit to one hair color. This men’s hair color trend involves dying either side of your head a different color for a half-and-half effect. Because it’s a bit more involved than just dying your entire head a single hue, we recommend booking an appointment with your colorist to nail this color-block hair look.

9. Navy Blue Hair

Navy blue has the shine and striking appearance of a jet-black hair color with a bit more pop. It’s an appealing shade because it’s playful but wearable enough for the everyday. Get the look with L’Oréal Paris Féria Multi-Faceted Shimmering Permanent Hair Color in Downtown Denim.

Natural-Looking Hair Colors For Men

Sometimes the best men’s hair colors are the ones that appear subtle and natural. If that’s your vibe, these are the shades for you.

0. Auburn Hair

Auburn is at the top of the men’s hair color trends this season, and fortunately, there’s a shade of this warm hue to flatter anyone. If you’re fair-skinned or favor lighter hair colors, try L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference Fade-Defying Shine Permanent Hair Color in Lightest Auburn, a rich, golden coppery hue. For those who prefer deeper shades, we recommend L’Oréal Paris Féria Multi-Faceted Shimmering Permanent Hair Color in Cherry Crush. This dark, cool-toned red is a great option for medium and dark skin tones.

11. Salt and Pepper Hair

If you’re going gray, consider embracing salt-and-pepper hair. This distinguished men’s hair color typically includes a mix of black, gray, and silver strands (like, well, salt and pepper). If your roots are more white than gray, you can disguise them with L’Oréal Paris Men Expert One-Twist Hair Color. The twist-and-click dispenser allows for an easy, mess-free application so you can blend your grays with ease in as little as five minutes.

12. Chocolate Brown Hair

Many turn to men’s hair dye to change up their current color, but it can also be used to enhance what you’ve already got. Give your brunette strands a dose of added warmth with a rich, chocolatey hue with warm golden or reddish undertones.

13. Silver Hair

Hello, silver fox. Many opt to go gray prematurely because the color is edgy and handsome. The luminous finish of a silver hair color adds instant brightness to any hairstyle and screams confidence. If you’re not naturally gray, DIY the metallic hue with L’Oréal Paris Féria Multi-Faceted Shimmering Permanent Hair Color in Smokey Silver.

14. Silver Blonde

If you’re not ready to go full silver yet, this men’s hair color trend adds hints of silver to an ashy blonde base for a natural-looking, dimensional hue. Get the look with L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference Fade-Defying Shine Permanent Hair Color in Soft Silver Blonde.

Lowlights and Highlights for Men

Whether you want to brighten it up or add depth and dimension, there are subtle ways to tweak your hair color to achieve the results you’re looking for.

15. Lowlights

Lowlights are a great way to add natural-looking dimension to your mane without altering your existing color too much. The key is to find the right shade for your hair. Generally, you want something a few tones deeper than your base color. For example, if your natural hair color is dirty blonde, consider soft caramel-colored lowlights. Those with golden brown hair, meanwhile, may opt for a deeper chocolate brown shade.

16. Highlights

With highlights, the goal is to brighten your base color rather than darken it. For those sun-kissed, post-vacation vibes, add streaks of blonde to your mane with L’Oréal Paris Colorista At-Home Hair Bleach and Lightener. The easy-to-use kit includes a three-pronged highlighter comb that makes applying your lightener a breeze.

Ombré and Balayage for Men

Experiment with a new color without making a full commitment by opting for an ombré or balayage look.

17. Ombré Hair

Opting for ombré hair is an easy way to brighten up your mane without having to commit to frequent touch-ups. Ask your colorist to leave your roots as-is, then brighten up the ends with a color a few shades lighter than your natural color.

18. Balayage Hair

Balayage is a technique that involves hand-painting highlights onto the hair for a natural-looking, sun-lightened effect. Like ombré, this is a technique best left to the pros, so we suggest visiting an experienced colorist to nail this men’s hair color trend.

Temporary Hair Colors for Men

Some of us have commitment issues when it comes to hair color, and there’s nothing wrong with that—temporary hair colors offer more room to play. Here are some on-trend hair color ideas you can love and leave.

19. Green Buzzcut

Go green—temporarily—with L’Oréal Paris Hair Makeup Temporary 1-Day Hair Color Spray in Green. This spray-on hair lasts until your next wash, so you can experiment with color as often as you’d like.

20. Multi-Color Printed Buzzcut

With a bleached buzz cut as your canvas, you can use a temporary hair dye for men to create a design on your hair. The end result is innovative, experimental, and completely customizable. For more intricate designs, we recommend booking an appointment with a colorist who has experience with this sort of look. However, if you’re game to try the look at home, we recommend bleaching your hair with the L’Oréal Paris Féria Hyper Platinum Advanced Lightening System Bleach in Hyper Platinum and creating your design with the L’Oréal Paris Colorista Semi-Permanent Hair Color in whichever shade (or shades) speak to you. Use a stencil while painting on your design to ensure you get the most precise results.

Maintenance Tips

Like any hair color, men’s hair dye looks involve a certain level of upkeep, especially if bleach is involved. Bleach always damages hair to some degree, so you’ll want to reach for products that can help repair your hair. Try L’Oréal Paris EverPure Bond Repair Shampoo with Citric Acid and the coordinating Conditioner to help strengthen weak hair bonds and keep your color looking vibrant.

Lastly, if you find your color looking dull but you’re not quite ready to dye it again, snag a hair gloss. L’Oréal Paris Le Color Gloss One-Step In-Shower Toning Gloss comes in 14 tinted shades to enhance your existing color, as well as one clear option for a boost of shine (without added pigment).

Next Up: The Different Types of Hair Dye, Explained

Photo Courtesy of L'Oréal Paris