Why is it important to choose the correct tone?
Hair color is a result of the natural underlying pigment plus the shade used. Underlying pigment must be taken into account when the desired hair color is more than 2 levels lighter than the natural level.
For example, choose a Color Brilliance™ shade with an ash base to help neutralize the extra red or orange tones of the underlying pigment. If red is the desired tone, then the warm underlying pigment will add to this result.
The color wheel shows this neutralization. Colors that are opposite each other neutralize each other and can be helpful in eliminating unwanted warmth or reducing too much ash.
Exposed Contributing Pigment Guide
| Level | Natural Hair Color | Underlying Exposed Pigment | Balancing Tone | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 |
Lightest Blonde | Pale Yellow | Violet | |||||
9 |
Very Light Blonde | Yellow | Violet | |||||
8 |
Light Blonde | Yellow-Gold | Violet | |||||
7 |
Medium Blonde | Gold | Blue-Violet | |||||
6 |
Dark Blonde | Orange-Gold | Blue-Violet | |||||
5 |
Light Brown | Orange | Blue | |||||
4 |
Medium Brown | Orange-Red | Blue-Green | |||||
3 |
Dark Brown | Red | Green | |||||
2 |
Darkest Brown | Red-Brown | Green | |||||
1 |
Black | Dark Red-Brown | Green | |||||