The Hair Color Numbering System
Understand color codes like a pro — and find your perfect shade
Skip to the quiz →Hairdressers often refer to hair color products by numbers. Here's what the numbers used to code hair colors mean.
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Take the quiz →1. Your hair's base color
1Black
2Darkest brown
3Dark brown
4Medium brown
5Light brown
6Dark blonde
7Blonde
8Light blonde
9Very light blonde
10Platinum blonde
For blonde or white hair above level ten, there is no official numbering since these hair strands have almost no pigment left.
A decimal point is always placed before the number in the hair color code to indicate the natural or artificial undertone of your hair.
2. Highlights & Undertones
Colors and their hair color equivalents:
.1
Ash (blue)
.2
Iridescent (violet)
.3
Golden (yellow)
.4
Copper (orange)
.5
Mahogany
.6
Red
.7
Green
☀️ Warm undertones
Yellow, orange, mahogany, red — best suited for warm or golden/peachy complexions.
❄️ Cool undertones
Blue, violet — flatter fair or rosy complexions.
Examples
6.3= dark golden blonde
4.6= medium red brown
1.1= blue-black (ash)
The higher the first digit, the more dominant the undertone will be. Above 6, undertones become the predominant effect.
Summary:
- First number = tone level (e.g. 5 = light brown)
- Second number = primary undertone (e.g. 3 = golden)
- Optional third number = secondary undertone (e.g. 4 = copper)
Result: light golden brown with a slight copper undertone (5.34)
A 0 before the undertone softens it (5.04 = light brown with a subtle copper undertone)
A 0 after the undertone intensifies it (5.40 = light brown with an intense copper undertone)
Doubling (.44, .66) = intense undertone
To master hair color, you need to understand color theory and the complementary colors on the color wheel.
Now that you understand the numbers...
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3. Complementary colors on the color wheel
Colors that cancel each other out:
↔
Blue (.1) ↔ Orange (.4)
Think vacation! The sea and the sun ☀️
↔
Yellow (.3) ↔ Violet (.2)
Think Easter 🐣
↔
Red (.5/.6) ↔ Green (.7)
Think Christmas 🎄
Practical example: hair too yellow with 8.3 — add some 8.2 (about 1 part 8.2 for every 3 parts 8.3). The violet cancels out the yellow.
That's why purple or blue shampoo is recommended for blondes with too much yellow.
4. Peroxide volume
Hair peroxide = hydrogen peroxide in an activating cream developer.
10
Semi-permanent hair color
20
Opens cuticles, lightens ~2 levels
30
3 levels of lightening
40
4 levels of lightening
Example: natural level 2 hair aiming for level 6 = level 6 hair color + 40 volume peroxide
You now know the secrets of hair color numbering!
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