American Board Certified Haircolorist Exam 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Test

The tone characterized by the dominance of greens, blues, violets, or grays is known as a cool tone. Cool tones are typically associated with a calming and soothing effect and are often used to create an overall feeling of tranquility in color applications. These tones are often found in shades of color that are derived from the cool side of the color wheel, such as blue and green, and can also include cool variations of other colors, resulting in shades that do not carry the warmth typically associated with reds, oranges, and yellows.

In practical hair coloring, cool tones are particularly effective in neutralizing unwanted warmth or brassiness in previously colored or naturally warm hair. For example, a violet toner may be applied to yellow-toned hair to produce a cooler, more balanced result. Understanding these characteristics helps haircolorists create the desired effects when working with different hair types and tones.

Warm tones, in contrast, are based on reds, oranges, and yellows and produce a different aesthetic effect. Neutral tones are a balance of warm and cool tones, while bright tones typically refer to colors that have high saturation and vibrancy without necessarily indicating their warmth or coolness.