11.2 Tone, Intensity, the Level System and Underlying Pigment
Key Takeaways
- Level describes the lightness or darkness of a colour on a scale from 1, black, to 10, lightest blonde.
- Tone or hue describes the warmth or coolness of a colour: gold, copper and red are warm; ash, violet and blue are cool.
- Intensity describes the strength or saturation of a tone.
- Underlying contributing pigment is the warm colour exposed when melanin is diffused, and it appears in a predictable order as the hair lightens.
- Lifting from level 4 to level 8 exposes orange and then gold, which must be neutralised by the target formula or a toner.
Tone, Intensity, the Level System and Underlying Pigment
Exam Focus: The contributing pigment sequence is the item candidates most often lose. Learn what colour is exposed at each level, and learn the inference: the natural level determines the underlying pigment you must neutralise, not the level printed on the swatch the client is holding.
1. Color Tone (Hue) and Intensity
When formulating haircolor, a cosmetologist evaluates two distinct characteristics of color: tone and intensity.
Color Tone (Hue)
Tone (also referred to as hue) describes the balance of color. Tone answers the question: Is the color warm, cool, or neutral?
- Warm Tones:
- Characterized by red, orange, and yellow reflections.
- Warm tones reflect light and make hair appear lighter, brighter, and more radiant.
- Industry terminology includes: golden, copper, auburn, bronze, warm honey, strawberry, amber.
- Cool Tones:
- Characterized by blue, green, and violet reflections.
- Cool tones absorb light and make hair appear slightly darker, deeper, and flatter.
- Industry terminology includes: ash, platinum, drab, matte, smoky, pearl, silver.
- Neutral Tones:
- Balanced blends of warm and cool pigments.
- Industry terminology includes: natural, beige, sand, neutral, nude.
Color Intensity
Intensity refers to the strength, purity, or saturation of a color tone. Intensity is described as mild, medium, or strong:
- A strawberry blonde has a mild red-yellow intensity.
- A vibrant fire-engine red or deep copper has high color intensity.
2. The Standardized Level System
The Level System is the standardized numerical scale used by cosmetologists and color manufacturers to identify the lightness or darkness of a hair color, completely independent of its tone. Levels are classified on a scale from 1 to 10 (some manufacturer systems extend to Level 11 or 12 for high-lift blondes):
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 Level 6 Level 7 Level 8 Level 9 Level 10
[ Black ] [Very Dark] [ Dark ] [Medium ] [ Light] [ Dark ] [Medium] [ Light] [V.Light] [Lightest]
Darkest ◄────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────► Lightest
Standard 1 to 10 Level Scale
| Level Number | Level Description | Visual Depth Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black | The darkest possible level; maximum melanin density. |
| 2 | Very Dark Brown | Extremely dark; appears near black with soft brown sheen under direct light. |
| 3 | Dark Brown | Deep, rich brown with heavy melanin concentration. |
| 4 | Medium Brown | Standard classic brunette base. |
| 5 | Light Brown | Light brunette; boundary between brunette and dark blonde. |
| 6 | Dark Blonde | Deep honey/dark blonde; often mistaken for light brown. |
| 7 | Medium Blonde | Classic warm medium blonde. |
| 8 | Light Blonde | Bright, sunny blonde tone. |
| 9 | Very Light Blonde | Pale blonde with minimal natural pigment remaining. |
| 10 | Lightest Blonde (Platinum / Extra Light) | The lightest natural level; pale yellow/cream shade. |
3. Underlying Contributing Pigment (Undertone)
Underlying pigment (also called contributing pigment or undertone) is the varying degree of natural warm pigment that is exposed during the chemical lightening or lifting process.
The Fundamental Law of Melanin Lightening
Natural hair contains two types of melanin:
- Eumelanin: Granular brown and black pigment. Eumelanin is easily oxidized and lifted during the first stages of lightening.
- Pheomelanin: Diffuse red and yellow pigment. Pheomelanin is much smaller, tightly bound, and resistant to oxidation. As eumelanin is dissolved, the underlying warm pheomelanin is exposed.
Contributing Pigment at Each Level
| Level | Hair Level Name | Underlying Contributing Pigment | Corrective Neutralizing Base Tone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Black | Dark Red-Brown | Green-Blue |
| Level 2 | Very Dark Brown | Dark Red | Green |
| Level 3 | Dark Brown | Red-Brown | Green-Blue |
| Level 4 | Medium Brown | Red | Green (Matte/Ash) |
| Level 5 | Light Brown | Red-Orange | Blue-Green |
| Level 6 | Dark Blonde | Orange | Blue (Ash) |
| Level 7 | Medium Blonde | Yellow-Orange (Gold) | Blue-Violet |
| Level 8 | Light Blonde | Yellow (Pale Gold) | Violet |
| Level 9 | Very Light Blonde | Pale Yellow | Soft Violet / Pearl |
| Level 10 | Lightest Blonde | Lightest Pale Yellow / Platinum | Pale Violet / Platinum Silver |
The Universal Formulation Equation
When formulating artificial haircolor, the final resulting color is the mathematical sum of the natural hair's underlying pigment plus the artificial pigment added:
Example Formulation: If a client with natural Level 5 hair wishes to achieve a neutral Level 7 Medium Blonde, lifting 2 levels exposes an underlying Orange pigment at Level 7. If the cosmetologist applies a neutral Level 7 color, the resulting hair will appear brassy orange. To achieve the target neutral blonde, the cosmetologist must add a Level 7 Ash (Blue-based) color to cancel the exposed orange undertone.
On the standardized 1 to 10 haircolor level system, what do the numerical values represent?
What is the underlying contributing pigment exposed when natural hair is lifted to a Level 8 (Light Blonde)?