Match dry, in daylight, at the mid-lengths
Wet hair reads one to two levels darker. Salon spotlights push warmth. Take the client to a window, dry the section, and match against the mid-lengths rather than the root — the root is the one part the extension will never sit next to.
Photograph the match in daylight for the client file. When a question arises later, the photograph resolves it in seconds.
Read tone before level
Getting the level right and the tone wrong looks worse than the reverse. Establish whether the client's hair is ash, neutral or warm first, then place the level. Blending two adjacent shades in a row is standard professional practice, not a compromise.
For lifted clients, expect to blend at least two shades to avoid a flat curtain effect.
Ordering against a library
Work from a physical shade ring rather than screen images — no monitor reproduces hair colour reliably. Record the shade codes you use per client so reorders are exact.
Our shade library is held against reference standards and each lot is recorded, so a repeat of shade 6/613 in November matches the one you installed in March.
Buyer Questions
Do you send a physical shade ring?
Yes, to trade buyers. It is the only reliable way to match, and it prevents most colour disputes.
Can you match a competitor's shade code?
Usually. Send a physical swatch rather than a code and we will match to it.