Redken Shades EQ Chart

A Shades EQ code reads level first, then tone family: 010AG is level 010 in the Ash Gold family, and Redken calls it Misty Beige. Note that 010 is lighter than 09 — the leading zero is part of the level, not decoration. Every Shades EQ shade mixes 1:1 with Shades EQ Processing Solution, or Processing Solution for Precision Application, processing 20 minutes, with no lift.

The 1001 Blondes collection

Redken groups this collection by how the shade behaves rather than by level — cool, neutral and warm. That grouping is the one that matters at the bowl: it tells you whether a shade cancels warmth or adds it.

Redken Shades EQ 1001 Blondes shades, with code, name, level and tone family
CodeShade nameLevelFamilyBonder
010AGMisty Beige010CoolBonder Inside
09VPlatinum Ice09CoolBonder Inside
010VVLavender Ice010CoolBonder Inside
09AGGlossy Greige09CoolBonder Inside
08VIridescent Quartz08Cool
09VVLilac Ice09CoolBonder Inside
07AGSmokey Beige07CoolBonder Inside
010NDelicate Natural010NeutralBonder Inside
010VGBaby010NeutralBonder Inside
010NBCaramel Cloud010NeutralBonder Inside
010NWIced Piña010NeutralBonder Inside
09NCafé au Lait09NeutralBonder Inside
09NBIrish Creme09Neutral
09NWCream Soda09Neutral
08NMojave08Neutral
07NBChestnut07Neutral
07NWMilk Tea07Neutral
07NMirage07Neutral
010GITahitian Sand010WarmBonder Inside
010GLemon Icing010WarmBonder Inside
010WGHoney Gold010WarmBonder Inside
010AAButternut010WarmBonder Inside
010GRoSparkling Wine010WarmBonder Inside
09GIHamptons09Warm
07AATurmeric07WarmBonder Inside
09GRoBlush Spritz09WarmBonder Inside
08GISt. Barths08Warm
07GRoGolden Fizz07WarmBonder Inside
Cool · 7 shades
Violet and ash-based. These cancel yellow and orange, which is what most toning appointments are actually for.
Neutral · 11 shades
Balanced deposit. Used to refresh without pushing the result cool or warm.
Warm · 10 shades
Gold, iridescent and rose. These add warmth rather than removing it.

This page covers the 1001 Blondes collection — the toning shades most of these lookups are about. The dark blonde and brown collections run to roughly another seventy shades; for those, use Redken’s own shade charts. We would rather send you to the manufacturer than publish a table we could not verify shade by shade.

What tone do you need at each level?

Lifting exposes pigment, and which pigment depends only on how light you have gone. This is Redken’s Traditional Level System: the undertone you uncover at each level, and the tone that cancels it.

Level, tone, exposed undertone and corrective tone
LevelToneUndertone exposedCorrective
10Ultra Pale BlondePale YellowViolet
9Very Light BlondeYellowViolet
8Light BlondeYellow/OrangeBlue/Violet
7Medium BlondeOrangeBlue
6Dark BlondeRed/OrangeBlue Green
5Light BrownRedGreen
4Medium BrownRed/VioletYellow Green
3Dark BrownViolet
2Darkest BrownBlue/Violet
1BlackBlue
Levels 1–3 carry no corrective on Redken’s chart: at those depths there is no lifting stage whose undertone you would be cancelling.

How do you mix and process Shades EQ?

1:1 with Shades EQ Processing Solution, or Processing Solution for Precision Application, processing 20 minutes. Usage is gloss, refresh, correct; lift is none. The Processing Solution is an acidic 2% solution that holds the system’s pH and viscosity — it is part of the system, not a developer chosen for strength, and a standard alkaline cream developer at the same volume is not a substitute.

  • For resistant hair or more vibrant results: process 15 minutes with a plastic cap under a pre-heated warm dryer, then remove the cap and cool for 5 minutes at room temperature.
  • For resistant gray: process 15 minutes with a plastic cap under a pre-heated warm dryer, then remove the cap and cool for 5 minutes at room temperature.
  • For a sheer result: process 20 minutes at room temperature with a diluted formula.
  • Shades EQ can be diluted with 000 Crystal Clear, or with an 09 or 010 shade, to lessen or lighten the tone of any formula. Use 000 Crystal Clear when less deposit is wanted; use an 09 or 010 shade when lighter deposit is wanted.

Frequently asked questions

What is the mixing ratio for Redken Shades EQ?

1:1 with Shades EQ Processing Solution, or Processing Solution for Precision Application, processing 20 minutes. The ratio does not change by shade.

Is 010 lighter or darker than 09 in Shades EQ?

010 is lighter. Shades EQ writes levels with a leading zero, so 010 is the lightest level in the line and 01 the darkest. Reading 010 as ten and 09 as nine gets the order right; reading the leading zero as a decimal point does not.

Which Shades EQ shade cancels yellow?

A violet-based one. At level 9 and 10 the exposed undertone is yellow or pale yellow and violet is the corrective, which is what shades like 09V Platinum Ice and 010VV Lavender Ice are for. At level 7 and 8 the undertone moves to orange and yellow-orange, so the corrective moves to blue and blue-violet.

Can I use a normal developer with Shades EQ?

No. Shades EQ is an acidic system and the Processing Solution holds its pH and viscosity. A standard alkaline cream developer at the same volume is not a substitute and changes how the gloss deposits, how even it is, and how it fades.

How do you make a Shades EQ formula sheerer?

Shades EQ can be diluted with 000 Crystal Clear, or with an 09 or 010 shade, to lessen or lighten the tone of any formula. Use 000 Crystal Clear when less deposit is wanted; use an 09 or 010 shade when lighter deposit is wanted.

How we sourced this

Every shade code, shade name, level and mixing instruction on this page was read off Redken’s own 2024 Shades EQ wall chart, published at redkenpro.com, and checked on . Nothing here is inferred: shades we could not read off the chart with confidence are absent rather than guessed, which is why this page covers one collection instead of claiming the whole line.

Redken revises the line, and regional ranges differ. Confirm against the chart in your salon before mixing. Color formulation is a chemical service performed by licensed professionals.