PROFESSIONAL COLORING

Professional Hair Colour for Hairdressers

Tre Pi Profumerie supplies salons with all the leading oxidative, tone-on-tone and direct colour lines. Over 20,000 products in catalogue, discounts of up to 60% with the professional price list, no minimum order, delivery within 24-48 hours across Italy.

How to Read a Hair Colour Code

The code on a professional tint follows a logic common to almost every brand: depth of tone . primary reflect secondary reflect.

The Number Before the Dot: Depth of Tone

This indicates how light or dark the colour is, on a scale from 1 to 10 (up to 12 in some lines):

• 1 black
• 2 very dark brown
• 3 dark brown
• 4 brown
• 5 light brown
• 6 dark blonde
• 7 blonde
• 8 light blonde
• 9 very light blonde
• 10 lightest blonde / platinum

The Numbers After the Dot: The Reflects

The first digit after the dot is the dominant reflect, the second is the secondary one, present at half intensity. The most widely used coding is:

• .0 natural
• .1 ash (blue-green)
• .2 violet/irisé
• .3 golden
• .4 copper
• .5 mahogany
• .6 red
• .7 brown or khaki

A 7.13 is therefore a blonde with a dominant ash reflect and a secondary golden one. A 6.34 is a dark golden-copper blonde.

Note: the number-to-reflect correspondence is not identical across every line. Some brands use 8 for pearl and 9 for green, others swap violet and ash. Before replacing a tint with one from another brand, always check that line's colour chart.

Colour Theory: Neutralising Unwanted Reflects

The rule is the colour wheel: every tone is neutralised by its opposite.

• Green neutralises red
• Violet neutralises yellow
• Blue neutralises orange

During lightening, hair passes through red, orange, yellow and pale yellow in sequence. The reflect to neutralise depends on the stage you've stopped at: on an orange base you need blue, on a yellow base you need violet. Applying violet on a still-orange base produces a muddy grey result, not a cool blonde.

The amount of corrector should be dosed according to the residual tones: generally an eighth or a quarter of a tube is added to the main mix, never more, so as not to flatten the colour.

Covering White Hair

White hair lacks melanin and often has a more compact cuticle that resists penetration. Some practical rules:

• Use 20 volume: with lower volumes the cuticle doesn't open enough and the colour fades after just a few washes.
• Mix in a share of the natural series (.0) with the fashion colour: from a third to half if white exceeds 50%, up to a pure natural shade beyond 70%.
• Apply to the regrowth first, where white is concentrated, and leave on for the full processing time specified by the line.
• The front sections and temples are usually the most resistant: apply to these first.

Fashion series without added natural shade don't cover white hair, they merely veil it: this is the most common cause of complaints after a colour service.

Colour Families in Catalogue

Permanent Oxidative Colour

Contains ammonia and requires an oxidant, penetrating the cortex, covering white hair 100% and lightening up to 3-4 tones. Typical ratio 1:1, or 1:2 with high-lift colours.

Ammonia-Free Colour

Uses alternative alkalising agents, usually ethanolamine. Gentler on the scalp and free of pungent odour, with more limited lightening power. Some lines, such as oil-delivery systems, require a dedicated oxidant that isn't interchangeable.

Semi-Permanent and Tone-on-Tone

Low-volume oxidant, doesn't lighten, fades gradually over 20-25 washes. Ideal for refreshing colour, toning after bleaching and working on fragile hair.

Colour Bath

Acidic pH colour without ammonia, adds shine and reflect. Partial white coverage, no lightening.

Direct Colour

Pigments that deposit without oxidant and without chemical reaction. Lasts just a few washes, best results on bleached bases. This is the fantasy colour family.

Colour Masks and colour sprays

Maintenance between services and temporary effects.

Professional Lines in Catalogue

• L'Oréal Professionnel — including ammonia-free oil-delivery lines
• Wella Professionals
• Matrix
• Dikson
• Helen Seward
• Koster
• Lisap
• Eugène Perma
• Alama
• Altissima
• Taboo
• Tocco Magico
• Kapetil
• Kerashine
• Eslabondexx
• Zingus
• Crazy Color — direct colour and fantasy shades

See all brands in catalogue.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you choose the oxidant volume?

10 volume for tone-on-tone and darkening, 20 volume for white coverage and standard colouring, 30 volume for lightening 2-3 tones, 40 volume only with high-lift colours and never applied directly to the scalp. Complete guide to oxidants.

Can you mix colours from different brands?

Technically yes, but it's not recommended: pH, pigment concentration and mixing ratios differ, so the result is unpredictable. Within the same line, mixing between shades is instead standard practice and documented.

Why does colour fade quickly?

The most common causes are an oxidant volume too low for the service, reduced processing time, porous hair that doesn't hold the pigment, and washing with water that's too hot or harsh shampoos in the following days.

How long does permanent colour last?

The pigment remains in the cortex, but regrowth becomes visible after 3-4 weeks and reflects oxidise progressively. The service is usually repeated every 4-6 weeks.

Is a skin test necessary?

Yes, it must be carried out 48 hours before the service on new clients and on anyone who has had previous reactions, as required by European cosmetic regulations on oxidative colouring.

Related Products

• Oxidant emulsions
• Bleach and lightening powders
• Olaplex — bond rebuilding during and after the technical service
• Colour maintenance
• Bowls, brushes and technical accessories

Activate the professional price list: discounts of up to 60%, no minimum order →

For information: 0823 838002, Monday to Friday 9:00 AM-6:00 PM, or WhatsApp.