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 7/1 from Wella and need the same result with Matrix, this tool shows you the closest match.

All professional brands use the international level system (level/reflect), but each has its own naming convention. An "ash" in Wella might be .1, while in Matrix it's "A" and in Goldwell it's "A". This tool translates between all these systems.

Professional hair color is identified by two components:

• Level (1-10): Indicates depth (darkness/lightness). 1 is black, 10 is platinum blonde. This number is universal across all brands.
• Reflect: Indicates the undertone or shade. This is where brands differ: Wella uses numbers (7/1), Matrix uses letters (7A), L'Oreal uses numbers with dots (7.1), Schwarzkopf uses dashes (7-1).

The main reflects are:

• .0 / N = Natural
• .1 / A = Ash (blue-green)
• .2 / V = Violet / Iridescent
• .3 / G = Gold
• .4 / C / K = Copper
• .5 / M = Mahogany
• .6 / R = Red
• .7 = Matte (green-based)

Understanding this logic lets you navigate between brands confidently, though we always recommend doing a strand test when switching brands.

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 products.

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: Some brands deposit more pigment than others at the same number. A 7.1 from L'Oreal may be more ashy than a 7/1 from Wella.
• Different natural base: The underlying natural base varies between brands, affecting the final result.

That's why this tool provides professional guidance, not a guarantee. For exact formulas tailored to each client and the products in the salon, download Blendsor.