Hair coloring. Technique of mixing paints and colors. Coloring rules. Names of hair colors with photos What shades of hair dye are there

Marina Ignatieva


Reading time: 16 minutes

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Millions of women all over the world are constantly faced with the problem of difficult choice of hair dye. The range of products is truly huge, and there’s no need to even talk about the future shade. On the box - one color, on the hair it turns out completely different. And few people know that you can determine the future shade simply by the numbers on the box...

What do the numbers in hair dye numbers mean - useful tables of dye shade numbers

When choosing paint, each woman is guided by her own criteria. For one, the decisive factor is brand awareness, for another - the price criterion, for the third - the originality and attractiveness of the packaging or the presence of a balm in the kit.

But as for choosing the shade itself, everyone is guided by the photo posted on the packaging. At least, on the name.

And rarely will anyone pay attention to the small numbers that are printed next to the beautiful (like “chocolate smoothie”) name of the shade. Although these numbers give us a complete picture of the presented shade.

So, what you didn't know and what you should remember...

What do the numbers on the box say?

On the main part of the shades presented by various brands, the tones are indicated by 2-3 numbers. For example, “5.00 Dark Blonde.”

  • Under the 1st number this implies the depth of the main color (note - usually from 1 to 10).
  • Under the 2nd number - basic color tone (note - the number comes after the dot or fraction).
  • Under the 3rd number - additional shade (approx. - 30-50% of the main shade).

When marked with only one or 2 digits it is assumed that there are no shades in the composition, and the tone is exceptionally pure.

Let's decipher the depth of the main color:

  • 1 - refers to the color black.
  • 2 - to dark-dark chestnut.
  • 3 - to dark chestnut.
  • 4 - to chestnut.
  • 5 - to light chestnut.
  • 6 - to dark blond.
  • 7 - to the fair-haired one.
  • 8 - to light brown.
  • 9 - to very light brown.
  • 10 - to light light brown (that is, light blond).

Individual manufacturers may also add 11th or 12th tone- these are already super-lightening hair dyes.

Next, we decipher the number of the main shade:

  • Under the number 0 a range of natural tones is assumed.
  • Number 1: there is a blue-violet pigment (approx. - ash row).
  • Number 2: there is a green pigment (approx. - matte series).
  • Number 3: there is a yellow-orange pigment (note - golden row).
  • Number 4: there is copper pigment (note - red row).
  • Under the number 5: there is a red-violet pigment (approx. - mahogany row).
  • Number 6: there is a blue-violet pigment (approx. - purple row).
  • Under the number 7: there is a red-brown pigment (note - natural base).

It should be remembered that 1st and 2nd shades are classified as cold, others - warm.

We decipher the 3rd number on the box - additional shade

If this number is present, it means your paint contains additional shade , the amount of which relative to the main color is 1 to 2 (sometimes there are other proportions).

  • Number 1- ashy shade.
  • Number 2- purple tint.
  • Number 3- gold.
  • Number 4- copper.
  • Under the number 5- mahogany shade.
  • Number 6- red tint.
  • Under the number 7- coffee.

Some manufacturers indicate color using letters, not numbers(specifically Pallet).

They are deciphered as follows:

  • Under the letter C you will find an ashy color.
  • Under PL— platinum.
  • Under A- super brightening.
  • Under N- natural color.
  • Under E- beige.
  • Under M- matte.
  • Under W- Brown color.
  • Under R- red.
  • Under G- gold.
  • Under K- copper.
  • Under I- intense color.
  • And under F,V- violet.

Has gradation and paint fastness level . It is also usually indicated on the box (just in a different place).

For example…

  • Under the number "0" paints with a low level of durability are encrypted - paint “for a while” with a short-term effect. That is, tinted shampoos and mousses, sprays, etc.
  • Number "1" speaks of a tint product without ammonia and peroxide in the composition. These products refresh colored hair and add shine.
  • Number "2" will tell you about the semi-permanence of the paint, as well as the presence of peroxide and, sometimes, ammonia in the composition. Durability - up to 3 months.
  • Number "3" - these are the most durable paints, radically changing the base color.

On a note:

  1. "0" before the number (for example, “2.02”): the presence of natural or warm pigment.
  2. The more "0" (for example, “2.005”), the more natural the shade.
  3. "0" after the number (for example, “2.30”): color saturation and brightness.
  4. Two identical digits after the dot (for example, “5.22”): pigment concentration. That is, enhancing the additional shade.
  5. The more "0" after the point , the better the shade will cover gray hair.

Examples of decoding of the hair color palette - how to choose the right number?

To understand the information obtained above, let’s look at it using specific examples.

  • Shade "8.13" , presented as light brown beige (Loreal Excellence paint). The number “8” indicates a light brown color scheme, the number “1” indicates the presence of an ashy shade, the number “3” indicates the presence of a golden shade (there is 2 times less of it than an ashy shade).
  • Shade “10.02” , presented as light light brown delicate. The number “10” indicates a tone depth such as “light blond”, the number “0” indicates the presence of natural pigment, and the number “2” is a matte pigment. That is, the color will end up being very cold, and without red/yellow shades.
  • Shade "10.66" , called Polar (approx. - Estel Love Nuance palette). The number “10” indicates a light-blond color scheme, and two “sixes” indicate the concentration of purple pigment. That is, the blonde will turn out with a purple tint.
  • Shade "WN3" , referred to as “golden coffee” (approx. Palette cream paint). In this case, the letter “W” indicates a brown color, the letter “N” indicates its naturalness (approx. - similar to the zero after a dot in conventional digital encoding), and the number “3” indicates the presence of a golden hue. That is, the color will ultimately be warm - natural brown.
  • Shade “6.03” or Dark blond . The number “6” shows us a “dark brown” base, “0” indicates the naturalness of the future shade, and with the number “3” the manufacturer adds a warm golden nuance.
  • Shade "1.0" or "Black" . This option is without auxiliary nuances - there are no additional shades here. And “0” indicates exceptional naturalness of color. That is, in the end the color turns out to be pure deep black.

Of course, in addition to the designations in the numbers indicated on the factory packaging, you should also take into account the characteristics of your hair. Be sure to take into account the fact of pre-coloring, highlighting, or simply.

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When choosing a hair dye, many people pay attention not only to the color that is written on the package, but also to the numbers next to it. And some even pick up the palette, study it, and then use the numbers to find the right package. What kind of code is this and why are numbers so important?

In organizing the color palette, each hair dye manufacturer must adhere to certain rules. The color shade may be distorted during printing, because what the buyer wants to receive and what is obtained in the end sometimes have significant differences. To avoid such an unpleasant outcome of events, universal digital designations for colors and their shades were introduced. They are equally important for both professional products and paints intended for home use.

What do the numbers mean?

Any hair color palette consists of two, three or three-digit numbers. Moreover, each number has its own meaning. The main thing is the first number. It can be separated from the following by a period, a fraction, a hyphen, or not at all. This is an indicator of color depth (pitch tone). It can be from 1 to 12 (from black to the lightest blonde). The code is deciphered as follows:

  • 1 - black;
  • 2 - dark dark chestnut;
  • 3 - just dark chestnut;
  • 4 - chestnut;
  • 5 - light chestnut;
  • 6 - dark blond;
  • 7 - light brown;
  • 8 - light brown;
  • 9 - blond;
  • 10 - light blond;
  • 11 - very light blond;
  • 12 - platinum blonde;
  • 0 - pure non-natural shade (blue, red, green).

Advice! Tones from 1 to 10 correspond to natural colors. To get hair of 11 or 12 tones, even light hair needs to be further lightened. However, unlike 0 tone, these colors look natural.

The next number indicates the main shade of the color, the last - the additional one. Sometimes these numbers may be replaced by zeros - this means that the tube contains paint of a pure tone - light brown, dark chestnut or, for example, light blond. If there is a number, you can decipher it according to the following scheme:

  • 1 - ash blue;
  • 2 - ash lilac;
  • 3 - golden;
  • 4 - copper;
  • 5 - violet-red;
  • 6 - red;
  • 7 — brown-green (khaki);
  • 8 - pearl ash;
  • 9 - pure ashy.

The numbers 3-7 indicate warm shades, and 1-2, 8-9 - cold shades. That is, if the digital code 4.45 is indicated on the package, this means that the color is chestnut, but with a copper and light violet-red tint. Knowing what the numbers on the palette mean, you can accurately choose the right color.

What do the letters mean?

Some manufacturers have abandoned the digital classification of paints and use alphabetic ones for these purposes. Each letter that is used for such a code is the first letter of the color name in English. That is:

  • A - Ash (ash);
  • B - Beige (brown);
  • C - Copper (copper);
  • G - Gold (golden);
  • M - Mokko (mahogany color);
  • N - Naturals (light brown);
  • R - Red (red);
  • V - Violets (purple);
  • W - Warm (warm yellow).

Combinations of these letters and their sequence allow you to more accurately determine the nuances of a particular tone. This classification is an opportunity to clearly identify each color in the shade palette. Therefore, even though each manufacturer has its own palette of paints, in order to get comfortable with each of them, it is enough to study one universal code.

Why do you need to know color symbols?

The question arises: why remember which number or letter means what, if you can choose a paint package based on the color on the package. Moreover, almost all manufacturers use a mini-palette in their packaging, demonstrating how the dye applies to the hair, based on its original tone. And yet, for those who wear makeup regularly, it is important to know the specifics of the code. There are at least two reasons for this.

  1. Even with a radical color change, experts recommend using shades that are no more than 3 tones lighter or darker than the original ones. Otherwise, the result may not be as successful as we would like.
  2. If the initial hair dyeing takes place in a salon, you can find out the exact dye code from the hairdresser and then do this procedure at home - both faster and cheaper. After all, the designations of professional paints and home paints are identical.

Advice! This option is good only if just painting was done. For example, uniform over the entire length of the hair or ombre. It is not always possible to repeat complex dyeing with highlighting specific strands at home.

Each manufacturer presents the entire range of shades of hair dyes in the form of a palette. This means that, armed with palettes from different brands (and they are easy to find on the Internet) and knowing the exact number of the color you want, it will not be difficult to choose the best dye for your hair.

At all times, hair is a special strength and pride for women. By caring for her hair, a woman accumulates the special energy necessary to realize her feminine attractiveness.

But their owners rarely like natural hair color. This is where experiments begin with the selection of the ideal hair color among the names of the palette of numerous trademarks and brands that sell colorants.

Professional hair color coding system

The modern palette of hair colorants includes dozens of different shade names, although their names differ significantly. It is for this purpose that a special coding system was created to determine hair color.

Professional coding distinguishes hair color according to two criteria - the level of tone depth and the direction of color.

By tone depth level

The level of tone depth is determined from the darkest pigment to the lightest on an increasing scale.

Modern colorists claim that the composition of natural hair color initially consists of bluish, reddish and yellowish colorants. There are 10 main levels of tone depth among natural hair colors:

Tone depth level Matching shade
1 deep black
2 black
3 intense brown
4 Brown variations - medium brown
5 light brown – light cognac
6 dark blond – dark blond
7 blond - medium blond
8 intense blonde
9 Nordic blonde
10 super light blond

However, this encoding is not always strictly observed by brands that produce dyes for curls. Each of them offers their own vision of the range of shades.

The table does not include the red color, which is also natural. Professional experts distinguish this color into a separate division. For better separation of hair colors, there is such a characteristic as color direction.

By color direction

The color direction is exactly the final result that the customer wants to receive at the end of the event. In other words, it is a variation of the primary color. Basically, numbers are used to determine the name of the color direction, but sometimes letters can also be used.

For many representatives of the fair sex, it seems difficult to choose the optimal hair color for themselves. Names, palette and rules for selecting suitable shades of paints - further in our article

The following colors are used in digital designation:

  • 0 – neutral;
  • 1 – bluish-violet, grayish-ashy;
  • 2 – greenish matte;
  • 3 – yellowish-orange or gold;
  • 4 – copper-red;
  • 5 – red, purple or mahogany;
  • 6 – blue-red, purple;
  • 7 – red-brown.

In order to decipher the future shade, you need to carefully study the packaging and correctly determine the direction of the hair color according to the coding on it. Professionals recommend choosing tones that are as close as possible to the natural color type.

It is important to emphasize here that numbers 1 and 2 indicate cold shades, but starting with number 3 there are already warm shades.


Numbers and letters are used to indicate hair colors and shades.

Letters are used more often by higher-end foreign manufacturers, and the letter is capitalized in the name of the shade in the language of the country of origin. For example:

  • N (natural) – natural direction;
  • G (gold) – golden;
  • O (orange) – orange-gold;
  • P (pearl) – pearl-pearl;
  • M (mocca) – coffee with milk.

Hair dye palette categories

The range of each brand that deals with hair dyes is divided into three leading subcategories among palettes:

  1. Neutral direction;
  2. Warm direction;
  3. Cold direction.

Each of these categories is provided with a wide range of shades. Choosing a shade of hair dye, you need to determine your skin color type as accurately as possible for the correct harmony of the image.

Neutral tones

According to modern fashion trends, experts recommend dyeing your hair in neutral tones. A neutral palette suits almost everyone except those with warm skin tones. This subgroup does not include glare of either a warm or cold direction.

The palette of neutral tones is not characterized by a large presence of names. After all, natural hair colors are divided into only three types: light brown blond, all shades of brown and natural black.

You can recognize the neutral tone of the dye by the letter “N” on the box, and you can achieve the right neutral shade by using a pure shade “0”.

Warm colors

The warm color scheme includes all shades of golden and chestnut. This palette will decorate those with warm and neutral body types. except cold. Professionals recommend playing with the saturation of a warm shade and choosing the best option.

Also Don’t forget about proper care for colored hair– sun glare can often turn yellowish and look very unattractive.

According to the international designation, warm colors begin with the number 3 and also include all shades of red or copper. In the lettering on the packaging, after the digital designation, the letters “w” and “rb” will appear.

Cool tones

Cool colors are not for everyone.

All the hair colors of the cold palette in the name have an ashen or grayish slant and are suitable exclusively for ladies with a cold skin type; on all other types, such shades will look very ridiculous.

It is sometimes difficult for even professionals to achieve the desired shade on their curls. Almost always The hair is first lightened and only then dyed in cool tones.. This is primarily due to the red pigment in the hair of almost every person.

Cold tones are indicated on the packages by numbers 1 and 2; in the letter designation they correspond to the letters “a”, “aa”, “i”. Cold shades are accompanied by the inscriptions blond, cold blond, ash, beige, pearl.

Color palette for blondes

Blondes have a wide range of options to experiment with when choosing the desired hair shade. A fashionable trend today - the effect of faded natural hair color suits blondes like no other.


A wonderful coloring option for blondes is balayage.

It should be highlighted The most fashionable trends in the names of shades of the palette for blondes:

  1. Balayage in light brown tones;
  2. Honey notes on hair;
  3. Platinum highlights combined with a dark base;
  4. Unusual strawberry pink highlights;
  5. Ombre in gray tones.

Palette of colors for brunettes

Dark hair colors undoubtedly have a considerable number of fans, and the names of shades in the color palette for dark-haired beauties are varied.

Brunettes have always been considered more responsible and reliable representatives of the female gender. It is girls with dark pigment that men often choose as their permanent life partners, and their bosses entrust them with important tasks.


Brunettes really look good with the now fashionable bronding.

It is believed that it is difficult to significantly change a dark shade, but thanks to modern dyeing techniques, this is not a problem. A professional master will always find something to surprise his brunette clients:

  • Toning using several shades;
  • Booking– application of two or more shades of the same hair color, names and palette, as a rule, close to the main color;
  • The effect of burnt ends or as professionals call it - California style highlighting.

Color palette for redheads

The palette of shade names for red-haired girls is diverse and includes all shades of gold - from light, golden to rich copper.


Red-haired beauties suit different shades of red and copper colors

The most popular among lovers of red hair today are:

  1. Trendy carrot color with delicate tints;
  2. Ash-red color, difficult to color;
  3. Deep copper tone;
  4. Fashionable in all shades - the effect of burnt hair.

The main thing for owners of red hair is to maintain a beautiful golden hue so that it does not turn into an unattractive rusty dull color. Here you need to choose the right professional hair care, better with the help of a competent colorist.

Top 6 best hair dyes with color palette

Modern manufacturers of hair dyes try to cover the entire palette of hair colors as much as possible, calling them differently.

Marketing moves of advertising campaigns offer a huge variety of shades: from simple variations to fantastic comparisons and names of cities and countries. The composition of the dye is also important, because in addition to a chic shade, the hair should have a healthy and radiant shine after acquiring color.

Read the popular site article:

L'Oreal hair color palette

L'Oreal hair dye has always been particularly popular and has a wide range of colorants in its arsenal. L'Oreal paint is characterized by an excellent quality composition and takes care of curls during coloring.

The L'Oreal brand always follows fashion trends in the field of hair coloring and provides a wide selection of colors:

  • L'Oreal Sublime Mousse– long-lasting mousse dye, does not spread, covers gray hair deeply; the palette of this paint is presented in natural tones from light to rich dark;
  • L'Oreal Excellence Cream– characterized by the presence of a wide palette of shades and contains a caring keratin complex;
  • L'Oreal Ombre– one of the new products, allows you to simulate a gradual color transition: from the crown to the tips in the direction of lightening; the composition includes a special comb to create a transition;

  • L'Oréal Prodigy– the latest innovation, the paint contains a special oil, which is a color activator, thanks to which the color is deeper and more saturated;
  • Casting Sunkiss Jelly– dye in the form of a gel for lightening strands of hair to create the effect of sun-bleached hair;
  • L'Oreal Glam Lights– special emulsion paint for highlighting procedures at home; the palette is provided by two types of emulsion: from light brown to light brown and from dark brown to chestnut;
  • L'Oreal Casting Creme Gloss– the first of L'Oreal paints that does not contain ammonia; the palette is characterized by natural, natural shades;
  • L'Oreal Recital Preference— has about 40 shades, the most requested paint among buyers, characterized by special durability, more than 6 weeks;

Garnier hair color palette

Garnier paints are distinguished by their special caring properties, both during coloring and after the procedure itself. The manufacturer produces four series of hair dyes:

  • Garnier Color&Shine– the palette includes 17 types of classic colors;
  • Color Naturals– the composition contains three types of oils that take care of the hair during coloring and give it a deep color. The palette has about 40 shades - the coffee collection and the mirror black collection are distinctive;
  • Color Sensations– the paint is characterized by an oil-based pearlescent base, which guarantees long-lasting color and pearlescent tint; the palette consists of 20 shades - in addition to traditional shades, the collection includes precious pearls;
  • Olia– a new product from the company, the effect of the coloring base is activated by special oils, and does not harm the curls when dyeing. The palette is divided into four directions - blondes, black and red colors, chestnut shades.

Schwarzkopf hair color palette

The history of Schwarzkorf paint production is more than 100 years old; once upon a time it all began with the opening of a small pharmacy kiosk. The manufacturer's color range has a wide range and will allow you to find even the most sophisticated shades.

Today, the German brand Schwarzkopf offers several lines of paints with unchanged quality composition:

  • Schwarzkopf NectraColor– characterized by the presence of floral bio-oils, which makes the dyeing process pleasant and useful.
  • Schwarzkopf Perfect Mousse– mousse paint is ideal for carrying out procedures at home; it does not contain ammonia.
  • Palette Color&Gloss– a dye with macadamia nut oil, which provides curls with tremendous care and a glossy surface.
  • Palette Deluxe– the coloring composition includes silk proteins and pearl extract, which provide special color fastness.
  • Palette Fitoliniya– the presence of marine collagen in the composition helps to provide high-quality hair care.

Syoss hair color palette

Syoss paints are simple and easy to use and are especially popular among young people. Also, the correct composition allows you to completely dye all the strands and provides a rich, vibrant color.

The Mixing Colors line is presented for progressive young girls. The coloring composition includes paint with a basic tone and a special composition that gives a special tint. The palette has 15 shades.

Gloss Sensation paint contains a special base that gives hair a fashionable lamination effect.

The Olia Intens palette, true to its name, includes several types of oils and allows you to provide a deep, noble color.

Estel hair color palette

The Russian brand Estelle has long made a name for itself by producing high-quality, inexpensive paints for salon and home use. The brand’s assortment is extremely rich and is distinguished by the presence of frosty purple shades.

Estelle paints guarantee high-quality, long-lasting hair color. The brand names and palette are divided into 2 main subgroups:

For use at home;
for salon use.

Professional palettes include such palettes as De Luxe, Sence De Luxe, De Luxe Silver, Essex. The palette for home use includes the lines Estelle Celebrity, Love Intense, Only Color, Estelle Color.

FitoColor hair color palette

Phytocolor paints are produced using a larger number of plant components, and The color range also includes the most natural shades. Natural herbal remedies, which are the main base of the dye, provide strengthening of the hair follicles.

The palette of shades of this brand is as close as possible to the main palette of professional hair coding used. Only golden shades were added to it, namely caramel brown and golden brown.

How to choose the right hair color? Simple rules for choosing the perfect hair color

The problem of choosing hair color is always relevant for women. Some people can easily cope with this decision, while others have to put in a lot of effort to choose the right shade. In pursuit of fashion, girls use many coloring options on themselves, some successful and some not so good, without thinking that with the rules of coloring this is much easier to do.


Hair color should be selected according to many criteria, and one of them is the woman’s age

With a change in hair comes a change in the overall appearance of a person.: age begins to be emphasized, if the new color begins to age, visible skin imperfections appear, the saturation and brightness of the natural colors of the face are lost.

To avoid unpleasant phenomena, there are several tips from professional colorists.

Rule one. Absolutely respect the similarity of skin and hair color

Genetically, each type of appearance has its own hair shade. For example, blond is ideal for fair skin, brunette is ideal for olive skin, and red color is ideal for girls with white or pink skin tones.


Hair color should match your skin color, i.e. differ from the color of natural curls by 1-2 tones

If the new shade of hair is 1-2 shades lighter than natural hair, the color can perfectly decorate the face.

Rule two. Thoroughly select hair shade according to skin and eye color

The first step is to set the color type. Using it you can highlight the main colors for yourself. For example, representatives of brown-eyed, green-eyed and hazel-eyed eyes, as well as warm-toned skin, will be well suited for warm-toned options: honey-chestnut, copper and golden tones.

For women and girls with brown eyes, the only option would be options no lighter than red. If there is always a blush on the cheeks, the colors are chosen in cool tones.

Rule three. Hair tone is determined by skin texture

If there are any flaws on the skin, light and very dark shades of hair are not chosen. When using such coloring methods, all places on the face that are always hidden will be emphasized and visible.

To maintain a presentable appearance, you will need decorative products and other types of cosmetics.


In case of a radical change in image, in particular hair color, coloring is carried out gradually

Rule four. A balanced and thoughtful decision

During a radical image change changing the style of strands is done in stages, no more than 2 tones per coloring, since returning to the original color option is very slow and problematic.

When completely covering gray hair, the most advantageous option would be to use light-colored paint. The older the woman is, the lighter the shade of paint is chosen. Thanks to light strands, the face becomes fresh and youthful; in the dark version, severity and seriousness appear.


You can remove gray hair and rejuvenate your face using light-colored paints

If gray strands appear only in some places, a lightweight paint is purchased that is a tone lighter than the natural one or the same shade.

Rule six. A palette of colors is the perfect assistant

To identify and analyze different hair shades, the best option is a color chart. It can be purchased in women's stores, and it is not necessary that this store be specialized.


A color palette will help you decide on the optimal hair color.

Rule seven. Studying the instructions helps to avoid unpleasant surprises

When choosing the desired coloring option (technique), pay attention to the quality and durability of the dye itself. If you are purchasing paint for the first time, and have never used it before, then read the instructions and composition before use.

It is important to pay attention to the shade - cold or warm. To obtain the desired result, at a minimum, use palettes with strands - samples and names of tones. It is also necessary to familiarize yourself with painting recommendations from the paint manufacturers themselves in advance.

After all, hair for a woman is one of the most important things in her image and style!

Hair colors - names, palette:

How to choose the right hair dye:

There are countless shades in nature. A person can distinguish about ten million tones. Therefore, modern coloristics (as the science of color is called) uses digital notations.

The color rendering system uses a scale from 0 to 12, where 0 is a transparent tone that has no color at all, 1 is the darkest and 12 is bright white. In accordance with this, mixed tones are designated by two or even three numbers. This is how all hair dye colors are designated.

Professional and household paints

While professional paints are labeled according to strict color definitions, household paints may not have an accurate digital marker. The commercial side of the matter plays a large role in their definition and name. In the salon, the colorist will accurately determine the natural tone, degree of gray hair and areas of weakened hair. Based on these data, it will select the most suitable mix, taking into account the percentage of oxidant. In the vast majority of cases, paints bought in a supermarket attract women because they like the photo on the box. At the same time, color rendition in advertising depends entirely on how conscientiously the printing house treated this.

How sad it is to see girls with burnt hair of gray shades, to notice the border of regrown hair by the difference in tone and gray hair that has not been painted over in elegant older ladies! To learn how to read digital symbols, let’s turn to the “Palet” and “Garnier” hair color palettes. The first is produced by the Schwarzkopf concern, which is known for the most beautiful blondes. This is not surprising - he creates mixes for European women, who often have thin brown hair, which is light in childhood, and over time darkens to a steel color. In Russia, this type of hair is also very common. The second is produced by the world-famous concern L'Oreal, which specializes in imparting natural beauty.

What are hair colors called?

All hair dye colors at the household level are divided into three types: blond, brown-haired and brunette. Red hair can be found in all three groups. Moreover, black-haired people can also have a reddish tint. Therefore, we won’t talk about redheads for now. Let's stop at the tone level. This is how light or dark the hair is. For example: everyone will be able to determine this level in black and white. There will, of course, be some discrepancies - after all, everyone’s individual perception is different, but very small. In color schemes, tones 1 to 3 are considered the darkest, 4 to 7 medium, and 8 to 12 light. This corresponds to the scientific definition of brunettes, brown-haired and blondes.

The names are given based on the same principle. But with the diversification of the palette, the advent of tinted paints and specially released trendy shades, it was not possible to maintain strict numbering. The paint index in color terms would have to be written on the tube like a recipe: so many percentages of the main tone, so many additional shades, so many shades. And with a variety of tones, these numbers would differ quite a bit. It was decided to indicate the tone not only in numbers, but also to give it a clear name and supplement it with an advertising picture. Each box additionally contains a test plate, which indicates the initial hair color and the possible result.

How the Palette palette is composed

Hair responds differently to coloring. Someone can use their paint every month, while others will get tow on their heads from such actions. For some people they paint well, but they lose their color just as quickly. And the gray hair may not be covered at all. This happens because hair has a complex structure. It has a core, a color layer (cortex) and a shell. In order for the shell to pass the pigment into the cortex, an oxidant of at least 6% is required. A 3% concentration can give a slight tint of color, but it will wash out just as quickly. To cope with glassy gray hair, you need to take an oxide of at least 12%.

The Pallet hair color palette takes these principles into account and is composed of three lines. They are called endurance levels. The first level is tint balms. They help preserve the pigment that is constantly leaving the shell and do not penetrate deeper. The second level is semi-permanent Color & Gloss paints, which can change the tone level up to 2-3 units. And the third level is permanent paints, which will not only securely fix the color, but also get rid of gray hair. Several series are produced in this category that solve various color problems.

Palette "Garnier"

Another manufacturer of household dyes is the French company Garnier, whose hair dye colors were developed by a hairdresser. She was the first in this field. The L'Oreal concern bought this brand. Since 2003, when the “100% color” series was released, the company has been developing innovative products to preserve pigment in colored hair. Now there are already four lines from this brand that help change the natural color. These are the following lines of this dye for hair:

  • "100% color." This is an innovation that contains many more artificial pigments than before.
  • Color Naturals. A line that reflects the natural beauty of hair.
  • Color Sensation. In this line, fashionable coloring complements care, so the hair has an amazing mirror shine.
  • Olia. It contains oil that protects against harmful effects.
  • Color & Shine. Ammonia-free paint, the healthiest of all.

They are designed for any situation in which a change in hair color may be necessary: ​​from a simple refreshment of tone to a radical change in image. All hair dye colors are digitally marked, indicating a specific line, shade and durability.

The most popular tones

The fashion for everything natural continues to hold its ground this year. This means that lines of beautiful natural shades are in demand. These are the following hair dyes:

  • Brown and chocolate tones for brown-haired women and brunettes.
  • Light colors - ash and beige-brown.
  • Fashionable black tones.

Let's take a closer look at all these shades and their numbering in the Palette system.

How to determine a light shade

Light shades of hair dye in the color system occupy numbers 8 to 12. Professional products can be easily identified by these numbers. The Palette brand is represented by the following persistent light shades of cream color, which allows you to radically change the tone by several units and covers gray hair well.

Light hair dye colors that raise the initial level by several tones:

  • E20 - "Brightening". This cream is used to lighten the natural hair tone by several levels. Some shades cannot be obtained without first applying this paint. This two-stage system is not new - American Matrix paints are also based on it. Typically, bleached hair has a natural yellowish or pinkish tint and looks lifeless. Therefore, they need additional color.
  • No. 12 - “Cold light blond.” This composition contains a pigment that works in the last ten minutes and gives a natural shade to bleached hair. They already look natural, but this shade is not suitable for everyone. Such hair is very rare in nature. They occur in blonde children at an early age.
  • C12 - "Arctic Blonde". A similar shade to the previous one, which is even cooler.

Numbers of ash hair dyes in the lightest tones

Ash color is characterized by the presence of blue pigment. It neutralizes the yellow tint in the hair, and is therefore in demand as a corrector. In all blondes it is added in the amount of one or two centimeters of cream squeezed out of a tube. In paints that have the word “ash” in their name, the manufacturer has already added an additional amount of it.

Among them are the following shades:

  • C10 - "Silver Blonde".
  • A10 - "Pearl Blonde". A shade similar to the previous one, shimmering pink.
  • C9 - "Ash Blonde". Gives very light natural hair a silvery color. It is slightly darker than C10. To get it on hair several tones darker, you will have to use E20 dye. Otherwise you will get unwanted yellowness.
  • C8 - "Diamond Blonde". The very last of the blondes. After him there are already brown-haired men. It is a rich, rich ash color.

How to determine the ashy color of brown hair

There is a type of hair that becomes ashen with age. In childhood, when there is still little pigment, their color is light, sometimes almost white. For many it is wheat, very beautiful. During puberty, hair begins to become densely saturated with pigment and darkens. The hair tone decreases by two to three units and acquires an ashen tint. It can be darker or lighter, for some it is more towards a steel shade.

With the appearance of gray hair, you have to resort to dyeing, and an interesting feature of this type of hair becomes clear: almost all dyes leave a yellow tint. This happens because there is very little red pigment in them. The base is a persistent yellow pigment, which is neutralized by a small amount of blue. When exposed to hair dye, the natural pigment is destroyed. Blue is destroyed first, followed by yellow. This is why bleaching never produces an ashy color - there is no blue pigment. To correct the situation, artificial pigment is introduced.

The Palette system has a C8 tone - "Diamond Blonde". It is a rich, rich ash color. It allows this type of hair to look flawless, since the regrowth line is not visible.

Beige-brown hair dye

Natural ones fade very quickly in the sun, especially at the ends. The now fashionable ombre coloring imitates exactly this process. Suitable blonde hair dyes for ombre or balayage are:

  • No. 9 - "Light Blonde". Very delicate, almost pastel caramel color. They are used to color the ends, make highlights and accents.
  • B9 - "Beige Blonde". Light caramel color for the main hair.
  • H8 - "Honey Blonde". Beautiful caramel color, closer to the roots.

This tone combines pigments so harmoniously that when painting with it there is no unwanted yellowness. By adding a blue corrector, you can achieve an ashy tone. On hair prone to red, this color will have a pink tint. Painting them always looks good.

Dark hair is dyed this color using the balayage technique. Since brown-haired women always have a reddish tint when lightening, this is used when creating a palette in caramel tones. Anti-yellow corrector is not used in such cases.

Brown hair dyes

The brown color owes its name to the spice cinnamon, which is the cut and dried bark of twigs of a tree of the laurel family. It varies from the sixth to the fourth tones, and in the “Palette” palette is called chestnut. Interestingly, “chestnut” in French is “brown-haired” (châtain). This fruit has a wide variety of shades of brown. Therefore, many dye manufacturers use chestnut shades for the names of their products - they would not be enough - but chestnut shades. And, of course, the richest tones can be found in the French brand Garnier.

There are eleven chestnut colors in her “Garnier Olia” line:

  • 6.3 - "Golden dark blond." Very rich color, reminiscent of dark gold.
  • 6.43 - "Golden-copper". This color is very close to the previous one, only copper was added to the gold.
  • 6.0 - "Dark brown". Sixth tone natural hair color.
  • 6.35 - "Caramel dark blond." It resembles the color of chestnuts.
  • 5.3 - "Golden chestnut". Chestnut color in a ray of sunshine.
  • 5.25 - “Mother-of-pearl chestnut.” It looks like a normal color, but at a certain angle it shines with a pearlescent sheen. Gives the impression of healthy, well-groomed hair.
  • 5.5 - "Mahogany". Indispensable for those who have an unhealthy complexion.
  • 5.0 - "Light brown-haired." It could be called chocolate. In general, brown hair dyes correspond to different types of chocolate. This color is reminiscent of cold chocolate.
  • 4.15 - "Frosty chocolate". Refrigerator chocolate color - no warm shine at all.
  • 4.0 - "Brown-haired". Warm chocolate color.
  • 4.3 - "Golden dark chestnut." Spectacular natural color, very dark, shimmering with gold.

The Palette brand also has chocolate-colored hair dye - this is W2 “Dark Chocolate”. It is similar to 4.15 in the Garnier palette, but with a pearlescent sheen. The remaining brown shades are more decorative than natural.

Dark hair dye colors

According to statistics, the most common hair tones are black. After them, the second most numerous are brown ones. By tone level these are numbers from one to six. Most dark hair tones are called light brown or chestnut. It depends on what shade they have predominates. If there is a golden undertone, it will most likely be a dark brown color. If they have a reddish sheen, then they are dark chestnut.

The blue pigment, which gives an ashen tint, visually lowers the natural color by one tone. Therefore, paints with the words “cold”, “frosty” and the like in their names are better to choose for women with reddish hair. This choice will allow you to extinguish excess red hair.

On the contrary, warm hair color will fade and appear darker than in the advertising photo from the box. This happens when they are going to tint only the roots - they take paint from the supermarket, which seems to show the right color. Apply to the roots, then extend along the entire length, and the blue pigment neutralizes the warm color. The hair color is now called "deep graphite". Fortunately, this pigment is not permanent. After two to three weeks it will wash out, and then, after a month, it is better to use a paint with a name that includes “gold” or “warm”.

How black is indexed

The darkest hair dye is not black. This color, like white, does not exist in nature. It is formed from very rich pigment. There are only three of them: red, blue and yellow. The shade depends on the proportions in which they are mixed. This is a low tide, clearly visible from a certain angle. It can be rich wine if red pigment predominates, blue or violet if there is more blue or it is half and half with red.

This color is indexed by two numbers: one is the lowest tone, black. And the second number indicating the shade. The “Palette” palette contains two long-lasting shades:

  • N1 - just black, no halftones.
  • C1 - black with a blue tint.

For Garnier hair the following are different:

  • 3.0 - Dark chestnut. Black with a reddish tint.
  • 2.0 - Black with gold shimmer.
  • 1.0 - Deep black - anthracite color.

Instead of a conclusion

All hair dye colors are represented by their numbers, by which they can be distinguished. Manufacturers do everything so that the buyer can understand the products. But mistakes still happen. To avoid them, you need to understand the laws of color and have a good idea of ​​how a particular tube will change the color of your hair. And yet, the most reliable way to get the color you intended is to visit a salon. By using the services of an experienced professional, you will certainly get the desired result.

Hair coloring is based on a scientific basis - knowledge of color and chemical laws, the skill of a hairdresser-colorist.

Modern coloristics – fashion for uniqueness and absolute individuality

Colors are divided into several varieties, the main ones of which are:

  • armoring;
  • highlighting;
  • balayage;
  • ombre

When blonding, the master carefully distributes various shades of light tones over the entire length of each strand of hair. This look looks beautiful on light brown hair.

Bronzing on light brown straight hair. Results before and after coloring

When performing hair highlighting, the hairdresser bleaches the selected strands. The number of light strands depends on the client’s wishes and can range from 10% to more than 50%.


Highlighting on dark hair

Sometimes, for dyed strands, the shades obtained during dyeing are additionally neutralized using color rules.

When performing the ombre technique, the master achieves a smooth transition, starting from the very dark root zone to the lightest ends of the hair.


Long straight hair dyed using the Ombre technique

Features of color according to appearance color types

To obtain the required tone, the paint is diluted with certain pigments:

1 package of paint (60 ml) corrects the color with 4 grams of pigment. If you get an ugly or not the desired hair color, experts do not recommend lightening it; you will end up with a dirty, unattractive color.

In this case, it is better to correct the coloring by professional craftsmen who have extensive experience and the necessary funds.

Why is it important to know color theory, about color combinations, how to apply it in coloristics

It is important to know! For hair coloring, mixing dyes and colors, it is important to select matching tones and combine them in exact proportions. Professionals mix paints that are similar in tone and that meet the rules of correct combination:

  • copper shade with brown;
  • eggplant with dark purple;
  • caramel with golden brown.

It is not allowed to mix more than 3 paints of different colors. The hairstyle will gain contrast if you apply white strands to dark hair.

Note! Proper mixing of paints and colors in color scheme can visually change the shape of the face and adjust parts of the hairstyle with certain color shades.

Rules for mixing paints of different shades

Experienced professionals who know the rules of the most complex technology for mixing different shades of paints know how to evaluate:

  • hair – condition, structure;
  • scalp – sensitive, dry, irritated.

Experts note 4 color types: cold - summer and winter, warm - autumn and spring.

It is undesirable to change the natural color type to the opposite one.

For fair-haired women belonging to the “summer” color type, it is better to dye with wheat, ash and platinum tones. Dark-haired representatives of the fair sex belonging to this color type will suit various brown tones.

Blonde hair of the “spring” color type is dyed with dyes that match the natural color, golden and honey tones. For dark hair of this color type, choose caramel and walnut.

Bright representatives of “autumn” are especially suitable for rich tones of colors – red, golden, copper.

Experienced stylists determine the color scheme of hair dyes based on the eyes.


For those with gray-blue eyes, light hair colors are best suited.

Green-eyed women are offered warm shades. If there are yellowish inclusions in the iris of the eyes, paint in the orange and red palette is recommended. If the eyes have a malachite tint, a chestnut, dark brown tone will harmonize.

Light colors look beautiful with blue eyes. Brownish inclusions on the iris of blue-eyed people suggest coloring with caramel or red shades. Bright blue eyes - brown tones work well. Gray-blues are best painted in light colors.

For dark brown eyes with dark skin– chestnut or chocolate tones. If you have dark brown eyes and light skin, you should paint them with red shades. For light brown eyes, golden tones are recommended.

All shades suit gray-eyed women, but it is better not to use too dark shades.

Mix dyes for hair coloring with colors of the palette that are similar in tone, exact selection is carried out using the attached color shade tables.

You cannot mix paints produced by different companies.

Manufacturers have their own palette, different from others. The desired result is obtained by correctly calculating the proportion and amount of paint.

For unevenly colored and gray hair, experts recommend that you first dye it a natural color, and then select and mix shades. On hair of different types and textures, the same shades look different, and time exposure affects the color saturation.

It is forbidden to dilute paint in metal containers; glass, ceramics, and plastic are suitable.

In what proportions should you mix paints?

Different amounts of dye are used for hair of different lengths:

  • short hair – 1 package (60 ml);
  • medium hair – 2 packs (120 ml);
  • long hair – 3 packs (180 ml).

To obtain the shade indicated on the package, add a 3% oxidizing agent when diluting the paint. When mixing hair coloring dyes, take them in equal proportions or add more dye, the color you want to achieve.

For example, when mixing caramel and golden brown, adding more golden brown creates a richer golden shade.

Important to remember! The color palettes developed by manufacturers are paints that are complex in tone, containing different quantitative contents of pigments: gray-green, blue, red and yellow.

The molecules of these dyes vary in size:

  1. The smallest molecule belongs to the gray-green pigment, which colors the hair and is the first to be distributed in it.
  2. Next in size is blue, which will be the next one to take up space in the hair structure.
  3. Red is larger than the first two, it still has a small opportunity to take up space in the colored hair.
  4. The yellow pigment is the largest pigment; it has no place at all in the inner part of the hair, it envelops its outer side. The shampoo quickly washes away the yellow pigment.

Composition of dyes - what is important to know?

Undyed natural hair contains 3 primary colors. Their different combination determines the natural hair color.

Three primary natural colors: blue, red and yellow

In hair coloring, when mixing dyes and colors, the range of colors is distributed according to levels from 1 to 10: starting with 1 - very black and ending with 10 - the lightest. Hair from levels 8-10 contains 1 yellow pigment, from levels 4-7 there is red and yellow color, resulting in brown shades.

The highest levels 1-3 have a blue pigment combined with red, yellow is completely absent.

Hair dyes from all manufacturers are indicated by numbers, and their tone is determined by them:

  • the first is belonging to the degree of lordship;
  • the second - to the main color (up to 75% of the paint composition);
  • the third is the nuance of color.

Secondary colors

By mixing adjacent colors they acquire secondary colors:

  • orange – yellow and red;
  • purple – red and blue;
  • green – blue and yellow.

Each of the 3 primary colors has an opposite color (countercolor), helping to neutralize various shades:

Each of the 3 primary colors has a countercolor
  • red is extinguished by green;
  • blue – orange;
  • yellow – violet.

Professionals calculate and remove unsuccessful shades using this principle.

Tertiary colors

By connecting primary and secondary color boundaries, tertiary shades are acquired.

When coloring your hair, mixing dyes and colors, you get beautiful shades, for example, combining a beige shade with a cold violet - exquisite platinum. A blonde with gray-green hair is corrected by adding red, the redness is neutralized with a tobacco tint.

Important to remember! On completely bleached hair, the desired shades are not obtained; they become lighter, for example, a purple tint on white hair turns into lilac. With a low content of yellow pigment in the hair, the result is:

  1. The pink color takes on a reddish tint.
  2. Lilac neutralizes yellowness, platinum remains.

Darker shades appear on natural, undyed hair.

Harmonious colors

The harmony of nearby colors is the presence of one primary color. Harmonious colors are taken from the intervals of one main color to the next main color. They have 4 subspecies.

The harmony of these colors leads to balance, changing their lightness and saturation when coloring the hair, mixing paints and colors. When adding white or black colors to them, the combination becomes harmonious, highlighting one rich color.


The Oswald circle is the basis of color, which determines the laws of shade formation. Mixing dyes and colors to change hair color is carried out in accordance with its recommendations

Monochrome colors

With a monochrome combination, colors of the same color scheme are combined with light and rich shades. In hairdressing, a similar calm combination is often used.

Achromatic colors

An achromatic combination of colors is essentially close to a monochromatic combination; in some sources it is not distinguished separately. It is based on two or more achromatic colors.

The classic combination of this harmonic series is a gradual transition from white to black. Hairstyles done in this style emphasize dignity and stability.


Achromatic color combination

Each manufacturer produces complex color shades using different proportions, which gives the product its own shade.

Some companies add a neutralizing pigment, but not always. The difficulty of painting to obtain the desired effect is to carefully study the composition of the paints.

Ash shades

Ash shades are popular in hair coloring in salons, especially with ombre.

The results of staining with ashy shades may differ from those expected. Therefore, a number of nuances should be taken into account :

  • an ashy shade on bleached hair looks overly gray or dirty;
  • it darkens the hair;
  • in the presence of yellowness it creates a green tint;
  • suitable for young girls, other women look older.

Ash shade is most suitable for young girls

The skillful hands of a professional will help you avoid side effects and get the desired result by taking into account the following features of ash paint:

  • the ashen shade contains a lot of blue pigment;
  • a feature of the paint is that different manufacturers have different shades;
  • ash shades from different companies vary in pigment density;
  • This paint, when lightened, removes the orange tint.

Before you start coloring your hair, you should determine a few points:

  • correctly set the depth of tone in the hair;
  • understand what hair color the client wants to get;
  • decide on additional hair lightening;
  • understand whether after the procedures there will be an unnecessary shade that needs to be neutralized, and determine the color.

It is important to correctly determine the level of hair tone depth

Hair coloring, mixing several dyes of different colors in a hairstyle helps create a unique individual image. This type of coloring is suitable for hair of different lengths: from short creative haircuts to beautiful curls.

Experts insist on maintaining a sense of proportion so that there is no overflow of tasteless bright spots. The theory of color, an invaluable practice that brings experience, helps masters maintain balance.

Qualified hairdressers warn - You cannot experiment thoughtlessly without a clear knowledge of the laws for obtaining color combinations.


Hair dye mixing table

How to properly dye your hair using color techniques

Before coloring your hair, mixing dyes and colors, follow the advice of experts:

  1. It is not recommended to use masks for a week before coloring, as the special substances they contain envelop the hair and can change the expected coloring result.
  2. Do not wash your hair before dyeing: the skin on your head will not be damaged by the oxidizing agent, thanks to the released fat.
  3. The dye is applied to dry hair; wet hair dilutes it; the color will lose its saturation.
  4. For easier distribution of dye, the hair is divided into strands and the dye is applied evenly and quickly.
  5. The paint is reapplied, first to the root zone, after 20 minutes, spread over the entire length.
  6. Perform the procedure wearing gloves to protect your hands.
  7. Wash off the paint gradually, moisten, foam. Then rinse your hair with shampoo and apply conditioner.

Paints must be intended for professional use and belong to the same manufacturer .

Mixing dyes and colors in hair coloring should be done step by step:

  1. Read the instructions carefully. Mix the colors separately.
  2. Mix paints together in the selected proportion.
  3. Stir the composition thoroughly and distribute the mixture throughout your hair. The paint is applied immediately after preparation, because... The shelf life of the diluted coloring composition is short.
  4. Keep the dye on your hair according to the instructions, then wash your hair.

Note! Diluted and mixed paints cannot be stored. After 30 minutes, a reaction will occur with air masses and the paint will deteriorate. The multi-colored mixture must be used in one go.

The records determine:

  • the color you like, no need to remember what shades were used when mixing;
  • duration - how long the coloring does not wash off;
  • unsuitable shade - which colors should not be mixed.

Professionals warnIt’s difficult to get rid of some color tones. First, you will need to remove the color you don’t like, and then dye your hair again. These actions will affect the condition of the scalp and hair.

By consulting with experts, you can understand which colors best suit your skin type and face shape and find a special individual hair color that emphasizes a unique female image. Be healthy and beautiful!

Useful video materials on the topic: Hair coloring. Mixing paints and colors

How to mix hair dyes correctly:

A short course on the basics of color:

You can see how to choose a hair shade here:

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