What Eye Colors Are the Most Attractive?

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Explore what makes different eye colors so alluring

Co-authored by Maja Koziara and Amy Bobinger, BA

Last Updated: October 24, 2025 Fact Checked

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• Attractiveness of Each Color
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• Factors Affecting Attractiveness
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• The Science Behind Eye Color
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• Video

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People’s eye colors are as unique as they are—but which ones are most attractive? Spoiler alert: there’s no clear winner here. Beautiful eyes come in all colors, and preferences can vary a lot from one person to the next. In this article, we’re taking a look at what’s beautiful about every eye color. Plus, we spoke to color analysis experts Michelle T. Sterling and Maja Koziara to learn how attractiveness is determined and where your eye color comes from.

What’s the most attractive eye color?

Color analysis expert Maja Koziara says personal preference and cultural trends determine which eye color someone finds most attractive, and some people find green or amber eyes most attractive because they're less common. That said, there isn't one single eye color that is more attractive than all the rest.

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Section 1 of 3:

What Makes Each Eye Color Attractive

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1. 
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   Hazel Hazel eyes are a unique blend of gold, green, and brown. Hazel eyes can seem to change colors in different lighting, giving them a cool “chameleon” effect that people often find attractive. Hazel is frequently cited as the most attractive eye color because of these qualities.

   • Hazel eyes are often one color around the pupil, another in the center of the iris, and a darker shade around the edge.

   Meet the wikiHow Experts

   Michelle T. Sterling is a personal style and color analysis expert, and the founder of Sterling Style Academy and Global Image Group. She has over 20 years of experience and is formally trained in image, color, and style.

   Maja Koziara is a color analysis expert and the owner of ByMaja Color Analysis Services based in Houston, Texas. She has almost 10 years of experience in the field, working with individual clients and hosting group and corporate events.
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   Green Green eyes are the rarest eye color—only about 2% of people in the world have green eyes. Like hazel eyes, the appearance of green eyes can often shift based on lighting or even what the person is wearing. The beautiful color and rarity make green eyes one of the most attractive eye colors.

   • Green eyes are sometimes confused for hazel, but hazel eyes tend to have more brown.
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   Blue Blue eyes are often considered a classic sign of beauty—and no wonder. They can range from icy pale blue to a rich ocean blue and everything in between. This is another relatively rare color, with only 8–10% of people having blue eyes. Many people find blue to be the most attractive eye color because of the rarity and variety of lovely shades.

   • It’s believed that blue eyes have only been around for about 6,000 to 10,000 years.
   • In one study, men with blue eyes were found to prefer photos of women with blue eyes over those with brown eyes. Other participants, including women and brown-eyed men, did not demonstrate the same preference.
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   Brown Brown eyes might be the most common color, but that doesn’t mean they have to be plain. Brown eyes have depth and richness, and can even make people look more trustworthy. Many people find rich, dark brown eyes to be extremely alluring.

   • People with brown eyes have more melanin in their iris, resulting in the darker shade.
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   Amber Amber eyes are sometimes confused with hazel, but they’re actually a unique shade all their own. While hazel eyes have flecks of green or even blue, amber eyes are a rich blend of brown and gold. This unique golden hue is considered to be attractive by many.

   • This is a rare color—only about 5% of people have amber eyes.
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   Grey Grey eyes sometimes look pale blue, but they usually have hints of brown and gold. This unique shade can give eyes an attractive, intense look, and is especially striking in people with darker skin tones. The rarity of the grey eyes makes them quite attractive to many people.

   • Grey eyes are also rare, with only about 3% of people having this color.
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Section 2 of 3:

Factors Influencing Eye Color Attractiveness

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1. 
   Rarity and cultural preferences are the biggest factors. “I think a lot of it comes down to contrast, uniqueness, and personal preference,” says Sterling. “An eye color that’s rare in a certain area often feels striking, and how it pairs with someone’s hair, skin tone, or even what they’re wearing can really make it pop,” she explains. Koziara says, “There are a few key factors that influence the attractiveness of eye color. First of them is the contrast with skin and hair–eye colors that stand out against the skin or hair color are often considered more striking and interesting. Also, less common colors such as green and amber/dark yellow can be perceived as more attractive and unique.”

   • “Of course,” adds Sterling, “cultural trends and personal associations are a big factor, too—what we hear or see in media or connect with emotionally or find unique often shapes what we find appealing.” Koziara agrees, saying that “different individuals and nationalities value different eye colors and find them attractive.”
   • Some studies have found that people are most attractive to others with their own eye color. Some people might find certain eye colors more attractive because they’re the predominant color in their region.
   • “Lighting and makeup might also change the way we see eye color,” says Koziara. “It can appear a little more intense with certain colors of mascara, eyeshadows etc.”
   • Some studies have found that having a bright sclera (the white area outside of your iris) is actually a better predictor of attractiveness than the color of your eyes.
   • Conventional beauty standards in the West often tout blue eyes as being the most desirable. This, combined with the rarity of blue eyes, could play a part in why many people identify blue as the most attractive eye color.

Section 3 of 3:

The Science Behind Eye Color

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1. 
   Your eye color is determined by melanin and complex genetics. “It’s all about genetics and melanin levels in the iris,” says Sterling. “Brown eyes have more melanin, while lighter colors like blue and green have less, with the light scattering in the iris creating those shades.” She explains that there isn’t one eye color gene, either. “Several genes interact to determine the exact color, which is why it doesn’t always follow a simple pattern from parents to kids.”

   • Koziara agrees and says, “Eye color is determined by genetics and the amount and type of melanin that is in the iris.”
   • Specifically, scientists have discovered that eye color is actually controlled by at least 10 genes.
   • Interestingly, blue eyes are actually the result of a lack of pigment—the iris scatters light in such a way that it appears blue, much like the sky.
   • According to Koziara, “Sometimes, the eye color seems to change and it happens due to several reasons like lighting, colors we wear, [and] the type of makeup we use. It is also related to the pupil size–when pupils dilate or contract, it affects your eye color intensity.”
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