Natural bases and underlying pigment
An introduction for new colourists, a refresh for others, or simply an idea to teach clients about their natural hair.
By Humankind Hair Co-founder Anneliese Hesse.
< 3 minute read.
I remember when I first started training in colour and the whole numbering thing was like a totally different language.
I couldn’t imagine ever being fluent in it, and then someone threw undercoats into the mix too and I was like whatttttttt.
It felt like a lot.
I’ve found that the trick is rather than trying to memorise it, you have to fully understand it.
So let’s go.
Hair colour, be it natural or artificial, is categorised into levels of light and dark.
This usually ranges from 1-10, with some brands referencing up to a level 12.
However, this does NOT mean that there are only 10 (or 12) different hair colours. In fact, every head of hair is unique, meaning the number of shades of natural hair is truly unlimited!
This however can make for quite a confusing time analysing the hair, hence the need for a reference guide to help us make choices when colouring.
As you can see, levels range from Black to Lightest Blonde, and are labelled from 1-10.
What actually determines how light or dark your natural hair is, is the amount of eumelanin pigment it contains.
More pigment = darker hair
Less pigment = lighter hair
You can think of this like making instant gravy. The more spoonfuls of the granules you mix with the water, the darker colour it will be. And, like your gravy, the thicker it often is, too! But that's another story.
So what's with the red/orange/yellow column on the right?
Beneath each natural level there is a layer of warmth within it - often called an 'undercoat'.
This undercoat becomes visible when oxygen is applied to the hair - be that within a permanent colour formula, lightening product or even natural lightening.
Natural lightening on tightly curled hair creating an orange/red undercoat vs. when artificially lightened up to a level 7 - a bold, yellow/orange undercoat is revealed.
Why does this matter to a colourist?
It's vital to understand undercoats because they will always have an effect on results when using permanent colour, lightening the hair, or even just explaining fade to a client and managing their expectations.
Generally speaking, the majority of colours will have some warmth shining through if not immediately, then over time as the colour fades. Cooler and natural shades are achievable, but special measures may need to be taken to get there. This is why most home colouring attempts go orange or yellowy!
Just like natural levels of hair colour, natural undercoats vary in intensity - some people have more warmth than others. A colourist can learn to spot this by analysing the hair, skin and through questioning and consultation.
Sometimes our clients can give us a hint when they say things like 'my hair always fades warm' or 'it always seems to end up yellow'.
This would suggest a higher amount of natural warm underlying pigment.
In contrast to this, you may have a client who wants a copper or red shade, but they tell you it never has enough vibrancy. This could indicate less natural warm underlying pigment - although be mindful that other factors may be at play here, too.
We hope this is a useful intro for new colourists but also that it helps to explain a little about our world to our clients.