Hair Color Chart: Levels 1 to 10 with Shade Names
Every hair color level from black to platinum, with the names colorists use, the tones inside each level, and how big a change really is before you book.
Colorists do not talk about “light brown” or “dark blonde.” They talk in levels, from 1 for black to 10 for the lightest blonde. Once you know your level and the level you want, you know how big the change is, how many appointments it takes and how much upkeep it will need.
Tap a level below to see the shade, the names it goes by, and what to know before you book.
Hair color chart: levels 1 to 10
| Level | Name | Also called |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black | Jet black |
| 2 | Darkest brown | Soft black, espresso |
| 3 | Dark brown | Dark chocolate |
| 4 | Medium brown | Chestnut, chocolate |
| 5 | Light brown | Mocha, caramel brown |
| 6 | Dark blonde | Dirty blonde, bronde |
| 7 | Medium blonde | Honey, caramel blonde |
| 8 | Light blonde | Golden, beige blonde |
| 9 | Very light blonde | Butter, pearl blonde |
| 10 | Lightest blonde | Platinum, icy |
Swatches on a screen are a guide, not a promise. Real hair has many shades in it, and screens add brightness. Always check a physical swatch in daylight at the salon.
What levels and tones mean
The level is how light or dark the hair is. The tone is the color you see inside that level: warm (gold, copper, red), cool (ash, violet, blue) or neutral.
Box dye and salon formulas are often written as a number, a dot and a letter or second number, like 6.1 or 7G. The first number is the level. What comes after is the tone. So 6.1 is a dark blonde with an ash tone, and 7G is a medium blonde with a gold tone. Brands use slightly different codes, so check the chart on the box.
How to find your natural level
Look at your roots in daylight, not your ends. Ends fade and lighten from the sun. Hold your roots next to the chart and pick the closest level. If you sit between two, pick the darker one, because hair almost always looks lighter than it is.
How many levels can you change at once?
Going darker is easy. You can go several levels darker in one visit.
Going lighter is the hard part. Two to three levels in one session is safe for most hair. Bigger jumps need bleach and more than one appointment, spaced a few weeks apart, to keep your hair healthy.
As hair lightens, it shows its hidden warmth. Dark hair goes red, then orange, then yellow. That is why lightening always needs a toner to finish, and why going from level 3 to level 9 is a project, not an afternoon.
Which level suits you?
Stay within two or three levels of your natural shade for the most natural look and the easiest grow-out. Then pick the tone by your undertone: warm skin suits golden and copper tones, cool skin suits ash and pearl tones. Not sure? Our hair color quiz picks a shade family for you, and the undertone finder tells you warm or cool.
Frequently Asked Questions
Keep going: pick your shade family with the hair color quiz, see the balayage shades we love, or browse more hair color ideas.
