The Beginner's Guide to Hair Color Levels: How to Find Yours

Have you ever asked a hairdresser about changing your hair color and they excitedly respond with a bunch of letters and numbers while examining your hair like you're a contestant on an ultimate makeover show? You gaze back at them in utter confusion and say I'm a number what? Keep reading to learn the ins-and-outs of hair color levels, plus how to find yours! 

We want everyone's experience selecting their exact match bobby pins to be seamless and that's why we've put together this ultimate beginners guide to shade matching. You're going to learn all about:

What Are Hair Color Levels

What Are Tones

How to Find Your Current Hair Level

Find Your Exact Match Bobby Pins

What Are Hair Color Levels?

In the hair world, knowing your hair color level is so important. This system of determining hair color levels is used universally by colorists, cosmetologists, and manufacturers worldwide. So knowing this specific hair-language makes talking about your hair color much more comfortable, plus it simplifies shopping for our bobby pins as you know exactly what color you need.

Simply put, hair color refers to the composition of pigments and chemicals (either naturally occurring or artificially dyed) that heighten or change your hair's color. Hair color is then specified by its levels and tones.

Your hair color level is determined by how light or dark your hair is. There are light, medium, and dark levels for each color family (blondes, browns, blacks, grays, and coppers).

The lower the level means the darker the hair. For example, black hair is generally level 1 while the lightest, whitest color has the highest level number. While certain brands may have their own color numbering system, here is the chart we reference:

            Level 1: Black

            Level 2: Very Dark Brown

            Level 3: Dark Brown

            Level 4: Medium Brown

            Level 5: Light Brown

            Level 6: Dark Blonde

            Level 7: Medium Blonde

            Level 8: Light Blonde

            Level 9: Very Light Blonde

            Level 10: Lightest Blonde

            Level 11: Platinum / White

What Are Tones?

Hair tones refer to the "finish" of a shade and define how warm or cool that hair color shade is. They are categorized as either warm, cool, or neutral. Warm hair tones will have gold or copper highlights, while cool hair tones will have absolutely no gold or red.

There are five basic hair tones:

             Red (Warm): is a color that adds red tones

            Gold (Warm): is a color that adds golden tones

            Beige and Champagne (Warm or Cool): depending on the base color, these colors can either be warm or cool

            Ash (Cool): is a color that has no red or golden tones and will minimize red, gold, and brassy tones

            Neutral: colors with equal amounts of red, gold, and ash tones that create a balanced shade

How to Find Your Current Hair Level

Finding your current hair level can be short and sweet if you follow this simple two-step process:

1. Choose a section of your hair that is farthest from the crown of your head and hold it up and out, separating it from the rest of your hair. Extending this section of hair out and away from the rest of your hair allows you to see it most accurately in the light since strands of hair typically look darker when they're layered on top of other hair. Plus, it's essential to take a section of hair that is farthest from your crown since the lightest parts usually frame your face right along the hairline.
2. Take a close look at the shade of hair and match it to our hair color chart. The shade that best fits your current natural hair color is the one you want!

            P.S. It's best to do this in natural daylight as it gives the most accurate reading! 

Find Your Exact Match Bobby Pins  

We've made it easy for you to find and match your bobby pins to your hair color. First, you'll want to determine your current hair level (as outlined above), and the rest is a breeze.

The packaging on each of our bobby pins features its matching hair level, making it easy for you to shop. To see all our full shade-range, browse our product page here.

Magic: 1B - Black

Magic, the blackest bobby pin in our collection, was designed for those black-haired beauties who identify with 1B on our hair color chart.

Espresso: 2 - Darkest Brown

Espresso, our darkest brown bobby pin, was specifically designed for deep, brown hair shades and is the perfect hair accessory for brunettes who identify with 2 on our hair color chart.

Chocolate: 3 - Dark Brown

Chocolate, our dark brown bobby pin, was made for those brunettes who identify with 3 on our hair color chart.

Cinnamon: 33 - Dark Red

Cinnamon, our darkest red bobby pin, was designed for those auburn redheads who identify with 33 on our hair color chart.

Acorn: 6 - Medium Brown

Acorn, our medium brown bobby pin, is ideal for those with warm, medium brown hair who identify with 6 on our hair color chart.

Caramel: 9 - Light Brown

Caramel, our light to medium brown bobby pin, is perfect for those warm, golden brown brunettes who identify with number 9 on our hair color chart.

Honey: 12 - Lightest Brown

Honey, our light brown bobby pin perfectly locks into place golden tresses. It is perfect for those who identify with 12 on our hair color chart.

Cali: 22 - Golden Blonde

Cali, our warmest blonde bobby pin, was designed for those golden blondes who identify with 22 on our hair color chart.

Bubbly: 613 - Blonde

Bubbly, one of our warm blonde bobby pins, is perfect for those beach babes who identify with 613 on our hair color chart.

Sugar: 60 - Ash Blonde 

Sugar, our lightest blonde bobby pin, was designed for those ash-blonde babes who identify with 60 on our hair color chart.

Storm: S2 - Dark Grey 

Storm, our darkest grey bobby pin, was perfectly designed for those with dark grey shades and who identify with S2 on our hair color chart. Storm also looks stunning contrasted against dark or light tones.

Smoke: S1 - White

Smoke, our white bobby pin, was designed for those with light grey and white shades and who identify with S1 on our hair color chart. Smoke can also be used in darker hair tones to create interest and contrast.

In Conclusion...

Now you can speak hairdresser lingo with your stylist and even pick out the hair accessories that will suit your current color and whatever colors you want to try in the future.

For more information on using our bobby pins, check out the how-to-use section located in each product description. You can also find more tips and tricks in the Bobby Pins Tips and Tricks section of our blog. In the meantime, keep striving for your (hair) goals, beautiful.

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Resources:

https://www.madison-reed.com/blog/dear-color-crew-what-level-is-my-hair

https://ultimatelooks.com/blogs/news/an-introduction-to-hair-levels-and-tones-finding-your-perfect-hair-color

https://www.wella.com/retail/en-AR/article/text/hair-color-levels-tones