Professional hair color brand converter

A hair color brand converter is a tool that helps you find the equivalent shade from one professional brand in another. If you use a Koleston Perfect 7/1 and need the closest shade in another brand, this tool finds it.

Each line marks the level and reflect with its own sign (slash, dot, dash or letter). And the same number doesn't always mean the same reflect.

Professional hair color is identified by two components:

• Level (the first number): the depth of the shade, from the darkest shades to the lightest blondes. Each brand has its own names for the levels: check the ones on your brand's chart.
• Reflect (what comes after): the tone of the color, written differently by each line: Koleston Perfect with a slash (7/1), Majirel with a dot (7.1), Igora Royal with a dash (7-1) and SoColor with letters (7A).

There's no reflect key that works for every brand: the same number can be a different reflect in another brand. Two examples from the US:

• Wella (US store blog, for Koleston Perfect, Color Touch, Illumina Color and Shinefinity): /1 ash, /2 matte, /3 gold, /4 red, /5 mahogany, /6 violet, /7 brown, /8 pearl, /9 cendré.
• Igora Royal (US wall chart): -1 Cendré, -2 Ash, -3 Matte, -4 Beige, -5 Gold, -6 Chocolate, -7 Copper, -8 Red, -9 Violet.

Look at the 1, the 4 and the 7: Wella's /1 is ash, its /4 red and its /7 brown; Igora's -1 is Cendré, its -4 Beige and its -7 Copper, and its Ash is the -2. So don't swap a Wella /1 for an Igora -2 just because both say "ash".

When switching brands, compare both shades' names and swatches on each brand's chart and do a strand test.

The most common situations where you'll need to find equivalences:

• Distributor change: The salon switches suppliers and all existing formulas need to be replicated with the new brand.
• Out of stock: The usual shade isn't available and an immediate alternative from another brand is needed.
• Client brings a reference: The client says "I use 7A from Matrix at my other salon" and the salon works with Wella.
• Cross-training: Learning techniques with one brand and wanting to apply them with the salon's brands.

It's important to understand that no conversion is 100% exact. Each brand has:

• Proprietary pigments: An "ash" from Wella doesn't have exactly the same pigments as an "ash" from Matrix. The visual result may vary.
• Different intensity: A shade written the same way can carry more or less pigment depending on the brand.
• Different base: Each shade's base can differ from one brand to another, which affects the final result.

That's why this tool provides professional guidance, not a guarantee. For a complete formula tailored to each client and the salon's brands, access Blendsor.