Wella Professionals has been a cornerstone of the hair colour industry for over 140 years. Renowned for innovation, precision, and an extraordinary shade palette, Wella hair colour is the choice of top colourists across the UK and beyond.
But with so many ranges and hundreds of individual shades, navigating the Wella colour portfolio can feel overwhelming. This complete shade guide breaks down every major Wella hair colour range, helping you understand which product to reach for and how to read the Wella numbering system.
Understanding Wella's Shade Numbering System
Before diving into individual ranges, it's worth understanding how Wella organises its shades. Most Wella colours follow a consistent numbering format:
- First number = depth (level of lightness/darkness, from 1 (black) to 12 (special blonde))
- Number after the / = tone direction (the colour character)
Wella Tone Numbers Explained
- /0 — Natural
- /1 — Ash (blue-based cool)
- /2 — Matt (green-based cool)
- /3 — Gold (warm yellow)
- /4 — Red
- /5 — Mahogany (red-violet)
- /6 — Violet
- /7 — Brown (natural warm)
- /8 — Pearl (blue-violet cool)
So a shade like 7/43 means: level 7 (medium blonde) with a red-gold tone direction. Once you grasp this system, navigating any Wella range becomes straightforward.
Koleston Perfect: The Gold Standard in Permanent Colour
Koleston Perfect is Wella's flagship permanent hair colour — the one you'll find in virtually every professional salon. It's renowned for pure, even colour results with exceptional longevity.
What Makes Koleston Perfect Special
- ME+ (Molecule Extension Plus) — a revolutionary dye molecule that delivers vibrant colour with reduced risk of new allergic reactions
- Pure Balance Technology — optimises the colour process for the hair's needs
- Up to 100% grey coverage
- Over 130 shades across multiple families
Koleston Perfect Families
- Pure Naturals — clean, natural-looking results
- Rich Naturals — deeper, richer versions of natural tones
- Vibrant Reds — intense, long-lasting red shades
- Deep Browns — luxurious chocolate and coffee tones
- Special Blonde — high-lift shades (levels 10-12) for lightening without bleach
Koleston Perfect is mixed with Welloxon Perfect developers and is the workhorse of professional colour services — from full-head permanent colour to root touch-ups and complete colour transformations.
Color Touch: The Demi-Permanent Favourite
Color Touch is Wella's ammonia-free demi-permanent colour, beloved for its natural-looking results and incredible shine. It's the perfect choice when clients want colour enhancement without full commitment.
Color Touch Highlights
- Ammonia-free formula — gentle on hair and scalp
- Fade-friendly — colour fades gradually over 6-8 weeks with no harsh regrowth line
- Exceptional shine — leaves hair looking healthy and glossy
- Up to 70% grey blending
Color Touch Sub-Ranges
- Color Touch — the core demi-permanent range
- Color Touch Plus — for enhanced grey coverage (up to 70%) with a slightly stronger formula
- Color Touch Relights — for refreshing and toning highlights (Blonde and Red families)
Color Touch is mixed with Color Touch Emulsion rather than standard developers, and processes in just 20 minutes — making it a time-efficient service for busy salons.
Illumina Color: The Luminous Choice
Illumina Color is Wella's premium permanent colour range, engineered for maximum light reflection and luminosity. It uses Microlight Technology to create colours that appear to glow from within.
Why Choose Illumina Color
- Microlight Technology — reduces metal build-up on hair, allowing up to 69% more light reflection
- Incredibly natural-looking results — even fashion shades look organic and wearable
- Up to 100% grey coverage (when mixed with specific shades)
- Multi-dimensional colour — avoids the flat, one-note look of lesser products
Illumina Color is particularly popular for balayage and freehand techniques, where the light-reflecting properties create stunning, sun-kissed effects. It's also superb for clients who want that "expensive blonde" look.
Shinefinity: The Zero-Lift Glaze
Shinefinity is Wella's newest innovation — a zero-lift, zero-damage colour glaze that delivers translucent, sheer colour with extraordinary shine.
Shinefinity Key Benefits
- Zero damage — no lift, no ammonia, no peroxide (used with Brush & Bowl Activator)
- Translucent colour — builds sheer, glass-like shine
- Versatile application — works on natural and pre-lightened hair
- Quick processing — 20 minutes at room temperature
Think of Shinefinity as the "glass hair" product — it's designed for clients who want mirror-like shine with a hint of colour. It's also excellent as a post-lightening finisher, replacing traditional toners for a more natural, multi-tonal result.
How to Read a Wella Shade Chart
When looking at a Wella shade chart, the shades are typically organised by family (naturals, reds, blondes, etc.) and then by depth within each family. Here's a quick guide to depth levels:
- 2 — Darkest brown/black
- 3-4 — Dark to medium brown
- 5-6 — Light brown to dark blonde
- 7-8 — Medium to light blonde
- 9-10 — Very light to lightest blonde
- 12 — Special blonde (high-lift)
Combine the depth with the tone number (after the /) and you can decode any Wella shade instantly. For example, 6/7 = dark blonde with a brown (natural warm) tone — a gorgeous chocolate blonde.
Choosing the Right Wella Range
| Client Goal | Best Wella Range |
|---|---|
| Full permanent colour with grey coverage | Koleston Perfect |
| Gentle colour enhancement, no ammonia | Color Touch |
| Luminous, light-reflecting colour | Illumina Color |
| Zero-damage shine glaze | Shinefinity |
| Toning highlights | Color Touch Relights or Shinefinity |
| Enhanced grey blending (demi-permanent) | Color Touch Plus |
Shop Wella Professional Hair Colour at Beauty Hair
At Beauty Hair, we carry the full Wella Professional hair colour range — from Koleston Perfect and Color Touch to Illumina Color and Shinefinity. Every shade, every developer, every accessory you need for perfect Wella colour results.
Explore our complete Wella Professional collection and find your ideal shade today.