What Color of Glasses Make You Look Younger? A Comprehensive Guide

According to eyewear and fashion experts, strategic frame color choices can instantly refresh your appearance, drawing attention upward toward your eyes. So, what color of glasses make you look younger and more vibrant? The key lies in selecting hues that complement your natural features, from your skin's undertone to your hair color, brightening your overall look.

Quick Summary

This guide reveals the best eyeglass frame colors for a more youthful appearance by matching shades to your unique skin undertone and hair color. Explore vibrant tones, tortoiseshell patterns, and flattering pastels to update your style.

Key Points

• Identify Your Undertone: Determine if your skin is warm, cool, or neutral to find frame colors that naturally harmonize with your complexion.

• Choose Warm or Cool Tones: Warm skin tones are best complemented by earthy colors like tortoiseshell and amber, while cool skin tones shine with jewel tones like deep blue and emerald.

• Opt for Bold or Vibrant Colors: Bright and vibrant shades like red, blue, or rich burgundy can add youthful energy and a pop of color to your face.

• Consider Tortoiseshell: A classic and versatile pattern, tortoiseshell is a safe and stylish option that can flatter a wide range of features.

• Embrace Modern Styles: Modern trends, such as oversized frames, transparent frames, and cat-eye shapes, can create a fresh, youthful appearance.

• Use High Contrast: For graying hair, dark or bold frames create a striking, stylish contrast, while lighter pastels can offer a softer, elegant look.

Understanding Your Skin's Undertone

Before choosing a frame color, identifying your skin's undertone is the most crucial step. Your undertone is the subtle hue beneath the surface of your skin, which can be warm, cool, or neutral.

How to Determine Your Undertone

There are a few simple tests you can perform to identify your undertone:

• Vein Test: Look at the veins on your inner wrist in natural light. If they appear green, you likely have a warm undertone. If they look blue or purple, you have a cool undertone. If you see a mix or can't tell, you may have a neutral undertone.
• Jewelry Test: Consider whether gold or silver jewelry is more flattering on your skin. Gold jewelry often complements warm undertones, while silver enhances cool undertones. If both look equally good, you are probably neutral-toned.
• Sunlight Test: Observe how your skin reacts to sun exposure. People with cool undertones tend to burn easily, while those with warm undertones tan more readily.

Frame Colors for Different Undertones

Once you know your undertone, you can use it as a guide to choose the most flattering frame colors.

Warm Undertones

If you have golden, peachy, or yellow undertones, opt for warm, earthy frame colors that bring a natural glow to your complexion.

• Recommended colors: Tortoiseshell (especially with honey or amber tones), warm browns, gold, olive green, and rich red.
• Pro Tip: Tortoiseshell is an especially versatile choice, as its mix of warm browns and amber reflects the richness of warm undertones.

Cool Undertones

For those with pink, red, or bluish undertones, cool-toned frames will create a crisp, polished, and youthful look.

• Recommended colors: Silver, black, gray, deep blue, purple, magenta, and emerald green.
• Pro Tip: Classic black and silver frames create a sophisticated contrast that complements cool features without overwhelming them.

Neutral Undertones

Having a balanced mix of warm and cool undertones means you can pull off a wider range of colors.

• Recommended colors: Most colors will work, including classic black, tortoiseshell, brown, soft pink, and pastels. Transparent or clear frames are also a fantastic, modern option that brightens the face.
• Pro Tip: Experiment with two-tone or patterned frames to find a fun, vibrant style that maintains harmony with your balanced coloring.

Matching Frames to Hair and Eye Color

While skin tone is the foundation, your hair and eye color can provide further guidance for finding frames that make your features pop.

• Brunette Hair: Warm-toned brown hair pairs well with tortoiseshell, bronze, and red frames. For cool-toned brunettes, consider deep blues, silver, or jewel tones like emerald.
• Blonde Hair: Honey or golden blondes look great in gold, light brown, and tortoiseshell. Ashier blondes are complemented by silver, navy, and pastels.
• Red Hair: Earthy shades like green, brown, amber, and gold are excellent choices that harmonize with red hair's warmth.
• Gray or White Hair: Gray hair offers great versatility. Consider bold colors like black, blue, or burgundy for a striking contrast, or light pastels and clear frames for a soft, modern look. Avoid dull browns and plain silver, which can wash out your features.
• Eye Color Enhancement: Blue eyes are accentuated by contrasting warm tones like orange or tortoiseshell. Brown eyes pop with bold colors like blue or green. Hazel eyes benefit from deep greens, warm browns, and golds.

Comparison Table: Frame Colors by Undertone

Feature	Warm Undertone (Yellow/Peachy)	Cool Undertone (Pink/Blue)	Neutral Undertone (Balanced)
Best Colors	Honey, Tortoiseshell, Gold, Olive Green, Warm Reds, Brown	Silver, Black, Gray, Navy, Deep Blue, Purple, Magenta	Tortoiseshell, Black, Clear/Transparent, Pastels, Soft Pink, Burgundy
Colors to Avoid	Silver, Icy Blue, Stark White	Yellow, Orange, Earthy Browns	Extreme Brights, Overly Muted Shades
Effect	Warmth, Sun-Kissed Glow	Polished, Crisp, Bright Contrast	Versatile, Balanced, Modern
Good For	Bronze Skin, Golden Hair	Fair Skin, Ashy Blonde/Gray Hair	All-Around Versatility

Beyond Color: The Influence of Frame Style

While color is a powerful tool, other aspects of your glasses can contribute to a more youthful appearance. The right frame style can create a subtle 'lift' to your face.

• Cat-Eye Frames: The upswept, outward-sweeping shape of cat-eye glasses creates an elegant and playful lift to the face, emphasizing the cheekbones. This style works on many face shapes and is a timeless choice.
• Oversized Frames: Bold and oversized frames draw attention away from fine lines and can create a fresh, dynamic look. However, ensure they fit your face comfortably and aren't too bulky.
• Thicker vs. Thinner Frames: Thicker, more substantial frames can add a youthful, adventurous flair, especially in bold colors or classic black. In contrast, thin, wire, or rimless frames can sometimes appear more delicate or dated, but clear frames in these styles can look modern and fresh.
• Avoiding Downward Lines: Steer clear of styles that feature downturned lines, as they can create the illusion of a sagging or sad face. Opt for frames with a slight upward tilt for a more natural lift.

Conclusion

Choosing the best color of glasses to make you look younger is a personalized process that begins with understanding your skin's unique undertones. Warm complexions are naturally enhanced by earthy tones like amber and tortoiseshell, while cool skin comes alive with cool, jewel-toned frames like deep blue and magenta. For those with versatile neutral undertones, the color possibilities are wide open. By combining the right color with an uplifting frame shape, such as a cat-eye or a bold, oversized style, you can create a vibrant and refreshed look that showcases your personality. The most important thing is to choose frames that make you feel confident and stylish, so don't be afraid to experiment and find the perfect match for you.

Authoritative Outbound Link

For more information on pairing frames with your features, explore the in-depth guides at Warby Parker on selecting the right colors for your eyewear needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which specific colors are known to make you look younger?

Warm tones like rich browns, honey, and amber, along with vibrant shades such as red, blue, and emerald green, are often cited as colors that can create a more youthful appearance by brightening your complexion and drawing attention to your eyes.

Do tortoiseshell glasses make you look younger?

Yes, tortoiseshell frames, with their warm, multifaceted patterns, are considered a timeless and flattering choice that adds richness and depth. They are particularly effective for individuals with warm skin undertones.

What colors should people with cool skin tones wear for a youthful look?

People with cool undertones should choose frames in cool, complementary colors such as silver, gray, black, deep blue, or jewel tones like purple and magenta.

How do transparent glasses affect a person's appearance?

Transparent or clear glasses can create a modern, minimalist look that brightens the face without overpowering your features. They are a great option for a fresh, youthful vibe and are especially versatile for neutral skin tones.

Should I match my glasses color to my hair color?

Matching your glasses color to your hair color is one strategy for a harmonious look, but contrasting colors can also create a more dramatic, youthful effect. For example, a warm-toned redhead might choose earthy greens, while a brunette could opt for a pop of vibrant blue.

Are black frames considered youthful or aging?

Black frames are highly versatile and can be youthful, especially when chosen in a thick or boxy style. For a more dynamic look with dark hair, choose textured or shiny black frames to avoid a flat or drab appearance.

What colors should someone with gray hair avoid?

For gray hair, it is often best to avoid dull browns, plain silver, and overly washed-out shades, as they can sometimes emphasize a muted complexion. Instead, opt for bold, contrasting colors like black or blue, or soft pastels.