Taking proper hair samples and understanding hair system color graduation

To communicate hair color, it's highly recommended that you use the tone-on-tone coloring or hair samples provided by your hair replacement studio (also available in our custom fitting kit).

How to take a good hair sample

To take the best hair sample from your own growing hair, it is imperative that each sample consist of approximately 200 hairs each about 2-3" in length (or at least 1/2 the amount of hair in one of the swatches on your color ring).

Random hair clippings from a hair cut will not work well because they reflect light differently then longer stands of hair all together in a line. Also, do not cover all the hair samples with tape, even clear tape because light reflection through the tape will not show accurate color. For best results, it's recommended you take hair samples from:

• Back - as close to the center of the back of your head as possible
• Sides - approximately 1-2" above the top of your ear
• Temples - at the front most part of your hair on the sides
• Crown - the back, top of your head (if possible)
• Top - the front, top of your head (if possible)
• Front - at the hairline or bang area (if possible)

Choosing colors from a hair replacement color ring

Most hair replacement studios (Hair Direct included) can provide a natural color ring containing 100 to 150 preblended tone-on-tone color swatches. All you need to do is choose the one that best matches your growing hair.

To choose your color, pick the closest three to five color swatches from the hair system color ring. Then through process of elimination choose the proper color swatch that best matches your own growing hair. Hair Direct takes this selection process by only requiring a color match at the back of your head.

We then use our own in-house color graduation formula to choose the right colors throughout the rest of your hair replacement system.

More about natural hair color graduation

In a natural head of growing hair there is always a graduation of highlights, color and/or percents of grey. The hair is darkest in the back and gradually gets lighter toward the front and acts as a natural frame around the face. If you have any grey hair at all, the highest percentage will always be in the temple area.