Streax Hair Colour Shade Card: A Practical Guide for DIY Colorists
The Streax Hair Colour Shade Card has become a staple for home‑hair‑dye enthusiasts looking for reliable colour matching. Whether you are covering gray roots, experimenting with a new festival shade, or simply refreshing your everyday hue, the shade card helps you select the right tone before you open the tube. This article explains how the card works, compares it with other professional references such as the L’Oréal Majirel Highlights shade card, and offers tips for using Streax safely and effectively.
What Is a Shade Card?
A shade card is a printed guide that displays the full range of colours a brand offers. Each swatch is labelled with a numerical code, for example 3.16 for a deep brown with warm undertones. The card shows the colour in both dry and wet states, giving you a realistic preview of the final result. For Streax, the shade card also indicates:
- Base level (1‑10) – the lightness of the colour.
- Underlying tone (e.g., 16 for warm brown, 46 for ash brown).
- Recommended processing time.
- Compatibility with different hair types.
Because the cards are printed on glossy paper, they retain colour accuracy for months when stored away from direct sunlight.
How to Read the Streax Shade Card
Understanding the code is essential for a successful DIY colour job:
- Identify the base level. Numbers 1–5 are dark (black to dark brown), 6–8 are medium (medium brown to light brown), and 9–10 are light (blonde).
- Check the secondary digits. These indicate the undertone: 16 = warm brown, 46 = ash brown, 78 = cool blonde, etc.
- Match your current hair. Compare a small section of your hair to the swatches under natural light. If your hair is already dyed, hold a strand next to the wet swatch for a more accurate match.
- Choose the processing time. Streax recommends 30–40 minutes for most shades; the card will note any exceptions.
When in doubt, start with a lighter shade and deepen it with
