{"id":8332,"date":"2026-03-16T13:01:17","date_gmt":"2026-03-16T10:01:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.connecthair.fi\/?post_type=ch_news&p=8332"},"modified":"2026-07-02T10:13:21","modified_gmt":"2026-07-02T07:13:21","slug":"extension-color-codes-shade-numbers-explained-2026","status":"publish","type":"ch_news","link":"https:\/\/www.connecthair.fi\/en\/blog\/extension-color-codes-shade-numbers-explained-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Extension Color Codes 2026 \u2013 Shade Numbers Explained"},"content":{"rendered":"

How to Read Hair Extension Shade Numbers<\/h2>\n

Opening an extension colour chart for the first time can feel like decoding a secret language: “1B”, “4\/27”, “R2”, “T18\/613”. The good news is that these numbers and letters are not random. Almost every extension range is built on the same underlying logic that professional colourists have used for decades, so once you learn the depth scale and the tone markers you can glance at any code and picture roughly what the hair will look like. This guide explains each part of a shade number so you can match your own colour with confidence.<\/p>\n

The Depth Scale: 1 to 10<\/h2>\n

The first (and sometimes only) number in a shade code describes depth \u2014 how dark or light the hair is. This universal scale runs from 1, the deepest black, up to around 10, the palest blonde. On its own it says nothing about warmth or coolness; it is purely a measure of lightness. Learning this scale is the single most useful step, because it lets you place any shade instantly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Level<\/th>\nDepth<\/th>\nHow it usually looks<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
1<\/td>\nBlack<\/td>\nTrue, deep black<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2\u20133<\/td>\nDarkest brown<\/td>\nAlmost black, soft espresso brown<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4\u20135<\/td>\nMedium brown<\/td>\nChestnut to mid-brown<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6\u20137<\/td>\nLight brown to dark blonde<\/td>\nCaramel, dark blonde<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8\u20139<\/td>\nBlonde<\/td>\nMedium to light blonde<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10<\/td>\nLightest blonde<\/td>\nPalest, near-platinum blonde<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Tone Letters and Reflect Numbers<\/h2>\n

After the depth number you will often see a letter or a second digit that describes the tone \u2014 the direction of warmth or coolness, sometimes called the “reflect”. A cool, ash direction pulls colour towards blue or grey and calms brassiness, while warm reflects lean gold, copper, mahogany or red. A common example is “1B”, which means a black base with a soft, neutral-brown reflect rather than a stark jet black. Because letter systems differ slightly between ranges, always check the individual brand’s key, but the principle stays the same: depth first, tone second.<\/p>\n

Blended, Rooted and Ombr\u00e9 Codes<\/h2>\n

Multi-dimensional colours add extra markers so a single code can carry more than one shade:<\/p>\n