What is a Natural Contributing Pigment in Hair Coloring?

November 27, 2025 •

4 min read

Over 75% of the world's population has naturally dark hair, meaning a large amount of a pigment called eumelanin is present. This inherent melanin distribution is known in cosmetology as the natural contributing pigment, which becomes visible during the hair lightening process.

Quick Summary

A natural contributing pigment is the underlying warmth of a person's hair, composed of melanin. This pigment, which becomes exposed during the lightening process, dictates the final color result and must be considered for accurate color formulation.

Key Points

Underlying Pigment: The natural contributing pigment is the underlying warmth within hair, determined by its natural melanin, specifically pheomelanin.
Exposed by Lifting: This pigment is revealed during a chemical lightening process as the darker eumelanin breaks down, leaving behind warmer tones.
Melanin Types: Eumelanin (black/brown) is easily lifted, while pheomelanin (red/yellow) is more resistant and becomes the visible undertone.
Hair Level Correlation: A standard chart predicts the specific contributing pigment (e.g., orange, red, yellow) that corresponds with each hair level as it's lifted.
Crucial for Professionals: Stylists use this knowledge and the color wheel to formulate colors that neutralize unwanted warmth or enhance desired tones for a controlled final result.
Foundation of Color Theory: Understanding natural contributing pigment is a fundamental principle of hair color chemistry, preventing common issues like brassiness and ensuring color accuracy.

The Science Behind Your Hair's Natural Color

Your natural hair color is determined by a complex combination of genetic and environmental factors that govern melanin production within your hair follicles. The pigments that color your hair are produced by specialized cells called melanocytes, which deposit melanin into the cortex, or middle layer, of the hair shaft. The specific color and depth are controlled by two main types of melanin: eumelanin and pheomelanin. The total amount and distribution of these pigments are what create your hair's unique natural shade.

Eumelanin vs. Pheomelanin

The two main pigments are the foundational building blocks of all hair color. Their ratio and concentration determine everything from jet black to golden blonde.

Eumelanin: This pigment is responsible for black and brown tones. Higher concentrations of eumelanin result in darker hair. There are black and brown subtypes, with more brown eumelanin leading to brown hair and more black eumelanin leading to black hair. Eumelanin is also generally easier to lift, or break down, during chemical processes.
Pheomelanin: This pigment is responsible for red and yellow tones and is known as the diffused pigment. Pheomelanin is more resistant to lifting than eumelanin, which is why when dark hair is lightened, it reveals warm red and orange undertones.

The Role of Natural Contributing Pigment in Lightening

When a hair color service involves lifting, such as with bleach or permanent color, the existing natural pigment in the cortex is affected. As the developer and lightener break down the melanin, the warmer pheomelanin pigments become more visible. This newly exposed warmth is the natural contributing pigment that a hair professional must consider when formulating the final color. It is the color that remains after the lifting process, not the client's starting natural hair level. For example, if a client has a natural level 6 (dark blonde) and wants to be a lighter level 8 (medium blonde), the lifting process will expose a red-orange undertone that must be neutralized to achieve a balanced, medium blonde result. Ignoring this contributing pigment is a common cause of brassy or unwanted color results.

Understanding the Natural Contributing Pigment Chart

Professional colorists use a standard hair level system (1 to 10) in conjunction with a contributing pigment chart to predict the undertone that will be exposed at different lift levels.

Here is a simplified version of the chart:

Level 10 (Lightest Blonde): Pale Yellow
Level 9 (Very Light Blonde): Yellow
Level 8 (Light Blonde): Yellow-Orange
Level 7 (Medium Blonde): Orange
Level 6 (Dark Blonde): Red-Orange
Level 5 (Light Brown): Red
Levels 4, 3, 2 (Medium to Dark Brown): Red

By knowing the client's starting hair level and the desired final level, a stylist can use this chart to accurately formulate a color mixture that will either neutralize or enhance the exposed warmth. For instance, a stylist trying to achieve a cool, ash-toned medium blonde would add a blue-based toner to counteract the orange contributing pigment at level 7.

How to Control Contributing Pigment for Desired Results

Controlling the natural contributing pigment is a cornerstone of advanced hair coloring. A professional stylist uses the principles of the color wheel to achieve specific results.

Neutralization: This technique uses complementary colors to cancel out unwanted warmth. For example, using a color with a blue base will neutralize orange undertones. This is essential for achieving cool, ashy, or natural-toned results.
Enhancement: Sometimes, a client desires a warmer result, such as a rich auburn or a golden blonde. In this case, the stylist will formulate a color that enhances, rather than neutralizes, the underlying warmth.

Comparison of Natural Level vs. Contributing Pigment

Understanding the distinct difference between a hair's natural level and its contributing pigment is key to achieving predictable and desirable color results. The natural level is the starting point, while the contributing pigment is the warm tone revealed during the lifting process.


Feature	Natural Hair Level	Natural Contributing Pigment
Definition	A hair strand's starting lightness or darkness, on a scale of 1-10.	The underlying warmth (red, orange, yellow) exposed during the lifting process.
Appearance	How the hair looks in its natural state, without chemical service.	The visible underlying tone after the lightening process is complete.
Chemical Impact	Is the canvas; it is removed by the chemical process.	Is what remains after the melanin removal; it must be addressed in the color formula.
Function in Formulation	Determines the amount of lift needed to achieve the target shade.	Dictates which neutralizers or enhancers must be added to the formula.

The Essential Role for Hair Professionals

For a hair stylist, mastering the art of controlling the natural contributing pigment is what separates an amateur from a professional. This knowledge allows for the correction of mistakes like brassiness and ensures a smooth, even color application. It is a skill that requires a deep understanding of hair color chemistry and color theory. By accurately assessing a client's contributing pigment, a professional can anticipate the chemical reaction and create a customized formula for flawless, consistent results. It ensures a reliable and predictable outcome, turning a potentially difficult service into a successful one. Learn more about advanced color theory for hairdressing at The Hair & Makeup Artist Handbook.

Conclusion: Mastering the Underlying Hue

In summary, the natural contributing pigment is the underlying warmth of a person's hair, composed of different ratios of eumelanin and pheomelanin. This warmth is revealed when hair is lifted, making it a critical factor for hair professionals to consider during any coloring service involving lightening. Understanding the contributing pigment chart and applying the principles of color theory to either neutralize or enhance these underlying tones is essential for achieving a precise and desirable final color result. This foundational knowledge is key to the craft of expert hair coloring and ensures the integrity of the client's hair while delivering stunning, predictable outcomes.

Frequently Asked Questions

The primary substance is melanin, a naturally occurring pigment in the hair shaft. It consists of two types: eumelanin (black/brown) and pheomelanin (red/yellow), which exist in varying concentrations.

Hair becomes brassy because the red and orange pheomelanin pigments are more resistant to lightening than the darker eumelanin. When hair is lightened, the eumelanin is removed first, leaving behind the warm, red-orange tones of pheomelanin that cause a brassy appearance.

Colorists use knowledge of the contributing pigment to formulate color. By identifying the underlying tone that will be exposed, they add a complementary neutralizing color to the formula to cancel out unwanted warmth and achieve the desired shade.

No, they are different. Natural hair color is the starting shade, while the natural contributing pigment is the underlying warmth that becomes visible only after the hair is lightened. The contributing pigment is what remains after some melanin is removed.

A hair stylist can determine your natural contributing pigment by referencing a standard hair level chart. The level you wish to lift to will correspond to a predictable underlying tone, such as red at a level 5 or yellow at a level 9.

The term 'contributing pigment' is primarily used when discussing lifting hair color, as the natural warmth is exposed through the lightening process. However, the same principles apply to depositing color, where the hair's natural undertones will still affect the final result.

It is harder to lift dark hair to a cool blonde because dark hair contains high concentrations of both eumelanin and resistant pheomelanin. As the hair is lightened, the stubborn red and orange pheomelanin is exposed, requiring more toning and careful formulation to neutralize the warmth effectively.