Colour - Depth and tone

• Hairdressing
• Further Education (Key Stage 5)

Colour 

Depth & Tone 

The ICC - international colour chart

The ICC means, if you bought a colour in the UK eg 9.7 it would be the same colour if you purchased it in America ​

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Each number corresponds to a particular depth or tone​

The number before the dash relates to depth ie how light or dark the colour is​

• The number/s after dash relates to tone or pigment added ie the colour you can see red, violet ​
• ​The first number after dash is :- primary tone​
• ​The second number (if any) after dash is :- secondary tone​
• Some also have a third tone
• ​The primary is the strongest tone in the colour​ as its the first after the - or / or .

Mood depth

1  black

3  dark brown 

4  brown

5  light brown 

6  dark blonde 

7  medium blonde 

8  light blonde 

9  extra light blonde 

10 Platinum  blonde 

.01 Natural ash

.1 Ash 

.11 Intense Ash 

.23 Beige

.86 Chocolate

.82 Mocha

.3 Gold

.34 Copper

.88 Intense Chocolate

.87 Pearl brown

.17 Pearl ash 

.4 Copper

.5 Red

.6 Mahogany 

.7 Violet

7-34
Which number represents the depth

8-11
Which number represents the primary tone?

6.55
Which tone represents the strongest tone?

Navigating the numbers

The depth is always before the point or dash etc 

Tones will be after this 

Some manufacturers have 1-3 numbers representing balance of tones but the tone that sits first will always be more dominant

Some manufacturers also have letters 

Salt & pepper hair - this still has some colour pigments 

White hair has no influencing undertones 

Using the numbering system ​

Base colours (naturals) eg 5/0, 6/0 etc can be used on their own or used for normal grey coverage ​

Double base or intense bases eg 4/00, 5/00 these are used for resistant grey coverage (this tends to be thick and coarse)​

Most manufacturers recommend up to base 9 to 100% grey coverage 

These bases can be used on their own or mixed into another shade

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Grey and white coverage 

This is the bread and butter of hairdressing 

Grey and white coverage can be tricky - 

Not all colours will give you the coverage you need/want 

Client is a base 7 & is 90% grey and wants her hair fully covered staying on same level- what do you mix?

A client is 100% white- she would like 7.34 - what would you mix?

Client is a base 4 - very thick hair, 80% grey, wants to stay on the same level-what do you mix?

Client is base 6 - 80% gr5y wants 6-55

www.instagram.com

www.redkensalon.com

www.joico.com

NXT tones 

1 - blue 

2 - violet

3 - gold

4 - copper

5 - mahogany 

6 - red

7 - chocolate 

8 - green