They say the eyes are the windows to the soul — and it’s true, they’re often the first thing we notice about someone. Whether it’s a captivating gaze, a flash of colour, or the first spark of eye contact, our eyes play a powerful role in attraction.
But which is seen as the most attractive eye colour? While beauty is subjective, research suggests that certain shades consistently catch our attention. From light blue to dark brown eyes, rare green and amber tones, let’s explore what makes each eye colour so mesmerising to behold — and how to choose the perfect pair of glasses that bring out your natural eye colour.
Eye colour and attractiveness
So, what do people believe is the most attractive eye colour? According to a 2019 All About Vision online survey of 66,000 participants, green eyes topped the list as the most attractive, followed by hazel and light blue. Here are the different eye colours in order of preference:
Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The most attractive eye colour will vary depending on where you are in the world, what movies and celebrities are popular, and current fashion trends. Positive experiences with role models in childhood may also have an influence.
A Lenstore study (2021) later revealed that perceptions of the most attractive eye colour vary notably by gender:
- For women, blue eyes were rated the most attractive eye colour in men (27%), followed by brown (22%) and green (17%)
- For men, hazel eyes topped the list of the most attractive in women (20%), with violet (19.8%) and black eyes or dark brown (18%) close behind
To gather this data, researchers created multiple dating profiles on three popular dating apps, using photos of a male and female participant. They digitally altered the eye colour in each profile between tests, while keeping the images and profile details identical. They then measured how many matches each version received.
Interestingly, although hazel and blue eyes scored highest in perceived attractiveness, Google search trends painted a different picture. Green contact lenses were the most searched, with brown lenses coming in second—despite green and brown being among the most common natural eye colours.
While the findings vary between surveys and search trends, one message remains consistent: every eye colour has its own appeal — it’s all about how you choose to express it.
Green eyes: rare and captivating
Despite their link to Shakespeare’s “green-eyed monster,” green eyes are widely considered one of the most beautiful eye colours. They are often celebrated on social media for their stunning versatility. In fact, only around 2% of the world’s population has them.
Most common in areas of the United Kingdom and Europe — particularly Scotland, Ireland, France, and Germany — green eyes can vary from a light, turquoise green to deep emerald tones. Their rarity gives them an irresistible sense of mystery and charm.
Green eyes often symbolise nature, creativity, and vitality. People with green eyes are thought to be imaginative, passionate, and adventurous. It’s no wonder ancient myths describe Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, as having green eyes.
🎬 Famous faces with green eyes: Emma Stone, Eddie Redmayne, Scarlett Johansson, and Paul Rudd.
What glasses make green eyes pop?
Enhance your emerald sparkle with earthy tones like deep brown, tortoiseshell, and warm gold. If you’re feeling bold, contrast your eyes with red, purple, or pink frames.
Blue eyes: calm, classic, and charming
As the second most common eye colour, blue eyes have long captured the world’s imagination — from film stars to love songs, they’re a timeless favourite. Associated with calmness, clarity, and confidence, blue eyes make up only around 10% of the world’s population, and are most common in countries like Iceland, Sweden, and Finland.
Varying from dark blue to light, they often stand out for their striking brightness, especially when paired with blonde or light brown hair colours. Historically, blue eyes have been linked with youth and innocence — hence the phrase “baby blue eyes.”
In ancient Greece, blue eyes were thought to possess magical powers. Today, they’re still seen as peaceful, empathetic, and deeply expressive. Blue-eyed people are often excellent communicators and have a real emotional depth to them.
🎬 Famous faces with blue eyes: Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, Chris Hemsworth, and Margot Robbie.
What glasses suit blue eyes?
Show off your baby blues with transparent, grey, or navy frames. Warm tones like tortoiseshell, beige, or light brown add contrast, while silver, red or orange accents make your eyes sparkle.
Brown eyes: warm and approachable
Brown eyes are the world’s most common eye colour — yet they’re anything but ordinary. Known for their warmth and depth, brown eyes are often believed to reflect a trustworthy and kind nature.
Shades range from light honey to rich chocolate tones, all of which look stunning in any light. Their universal nature makes brown eyes wonderfully versatile and easy to complement with different eyewear and makeup styles.
Brown-eyed people are often perceived as dependable and intelligent, with a natural charisma that makes others feel comfortable. They are well-grounded individuals who can stay calm in tricky situations.
🎬 Famous faces with brown eyes: Keira Knightley, Daniel Kaluuya, Olivia Rodrigo, and Tom Holland.
What glasses complement brown eyes?
Bring out the warmth in your gaze with gold, green, or yellow frames. Tortoiseshell and black designs add depth, while purple or emerald hues can add a playful touch.
Hazel eyes: mysterious and versatile
Hazel eyes are a stunning blend of green, gold, brown, and sometimes even blue tones— which shift in colour depending on the light. They’re among the most photogenic on social media. Only around 5% of people in the world have this eye colour.
This chameleon-like quality gives hazel eyes their allure. They also pair effortlessly with nearly any hair colour, while offering incredible versatility when choosing glasses frames or eye makeup.
People with hazel eyes are often described as open-minded, problem-solvers, adventurous, and intuitive — they see the world from multiple perspectives.
🎬 Famous faces with hazel eyes: Rihanna, David Beckham, Kelly Clarkson, and Tom Cruise.
What glasses will bring out hazel eyes?
Hazel eyes naturally suit a variety of different hues. They pair beautifully with tortoiseshell, green, and brown frames. Add warmth with gold accents, or highlight your natural flecks with amethyst, cherry red, or berry pink for a bolder statement.
Grey eyes: cool and enigmatic
One of the rarest eye colours, grey eyes exude mystery. Less than 1% off the population has this unique eye colour. Often mistaken for blue, they can appear to change in different lights — from an intense, icy hue to a warm, deep shade — which adds to their charisma.
Grey-eyed individuals are admired for their wisdom and calm, relaxed nature. They often have a mysterious side to their personality and can have a real competitive streak. It’s widely believed that the Greek goddess of Wisdom, Athena, had grey eyes — a fitting symbol for intelligence and mystery.
🎬 Famous faces with grey eyes: Daniel Craig, Saoirse Ronan, Meg Ryan, Katy Perry, and Ian Somerhalder.
What glasses are best for grey eyes?
Cool tones like grey, silver and blue will naturally complement the subtle colour of your grey eyes. To highlight the unique, distinctive qualities of this rare eye colour, select dark and rich shades like black, deep purple, olive green and dark red. Grey also works as the perfect foundation for bright, multi-coloured frames.
Amber eyes: unique and fiery
Amber eyes are rich and radiant, often glowing with a golden or honey hue. Sometimes called “wolf eyes,” this rare shade appears in only about 5% of individuals worldwide. They are most common in people of Spanish, South American, South African, and Asian descent.
Their luminous quality gives amber eyes a sense of individuality and strength. They are a standout choice in beauty discussions on social media. Some cultures view them as a symbol of confidence and creativity — a reflection of a fiery inner spirit.
People with this captivating eye colour are very passionate and have a natural ability to light the spark of inspiration in others.
🎬 Famous faces with amber eyes: Jennifer Lopez, Justin Bieber, Nicole Richie, and Darren Criss.
What glasses enhance amber eyes?
Highlight your golden tones with brown, honey, gold, or warm tortoiseshell frames. To create contrast, go for dark purple, navy, or forest green for an elegant, eye-catching finish.
Violet eyes: the rarest eye colour of them all
Violet or purple eyes are extremely rare. They result from unusual genetic variations that reduce pigment in the iris, allowing light to reflect off underlying blood vessels. This creates a distinctive violet hue, often seen in people with very light eyes or albinism.
Pop culture icon Elizabeth Taylor was famous for her so-called violet eyes, though they were actually a brilliant blue that appeared purple in different lights. True violet eyes are rare but undeniably striking.
The science behind eye colour
Your eye colour is determined by genetics — specifically the amount of melanin in your iris. Melanin is the same pigment that affects your hair colour and skin tone. Brown eyes have the most, while blue and grey eyes have less melanin levels — the collagen fibres in the eye scatter and reflect light, which creates those cooler shades.
Sometimes, people even have two different eye colours (a condition called heterochromia), which adds to the uniqueness of our natural palette.
Whatever your shade, eye care is very important. Regular check-ups with an eye care professional will help you maintain long-term eye health, particularly if you have a lighter eye colour that is more sensitive to light. Also, make sure you’re wearing UV-protective lenses in bright sunlight.
Let your eyes shine
At the end of the day, the most attractive eye colour is the one that’s yours. Confidence, kindness, and a great pair of glasses will make your eyes sparkle more than any statistic ever could.
Explore frames that bring out the best in your eye colour — from classic tortoiseshell to bold transparent styles — at Glasses Direct.
