Working With the Redken Shades Eq Chart: What You Actually Need to Know
The Redken Shades EQ color chart is Debossé's demi-permanent gloss system, and it's one of the most-used services in salons because it deposits color without lifting. That distinction matters more than people realize. The chart maps out 37 main shades across six categories—naturals (N), beiges (B), coppers (C), golds (G), reds (R), and ash or ice tones (A/I)—each with an underlying pigment key. Understanding the undertone system is where most people get tripped up. I keep a printed copy at my station, but for the most current version you can download the official Redken Shades Eq Chart directly from the brand's professional portal. It's usually behind a login, which means you need a valid salon account. If you're a client trying to reference it, the PDFs floating around the internet are often outdated—shades get reformulated, names shift, and the tone family mappings change occasionally. Verify against your current supply bottle before making any decisions from an old chart. Here's the thing nobody talks about enough: the chart numbers don't map 1:1 to what you see on the card. The Redken Shades Eq Chart uses a double-number system where the first digit is the depth level and the second is the tone. So 6NV is a level 6 natural violet. The "V" at the end is part of the tone designation, not a separate modifier. Beginners will sometimes read that as "level 6, natural, plus violet" when it's actually one single tone identifier. I've seen this cause a lot of unwanted purple toning on clients who didn't ask for it.
The processing logic here is different from permanent color. Shades EQ is a demi that processes with 0 Volume conditioner or the 1% (3 Volume) development solution. Using the wrong developer volume changes the deposit intensity significantly. 0 Volume gives you pure gloss and deposit only. The 1% (3 Volume) handles minimal deposit with a tiny amount of lift capability—really just enough to open the cuticle slightly for better penetration. Going beyond 1% won't give you more lift; it'll just cook the hair because there's no ammonia buffer in the formula. One edge case I run into constantly is when a client comes in with previously colored hair and the colorist just looks at the depth number. Say someone has a level 6 with a cool tone already in the portfolio, and the chart suggests 6A for ash. That's where you hit the overlap problem. Depositing an ash tone over existing ash pigment in a previously colored zone doesn't cancel anything. It compounds it. The hair goes muddy or green-gray depending on the base. The workaround is simple but requires actually checking the history first. I use a sectioning technique where I apply the formula to a small strip away from the main color and let it process before committing to the full head. Sometimes I even do a strand test. It adds ten minutes to the appointment but saves the job. On one specific case last year, a client came in after a box dye that claimed to be "medium brown." The strand test revealed underlying orange pigments from previous bleaching. The chart would have suggested a natural shade, but a natural over orange would still look warm. I switched to 5BV—a beiges violet base—which neutralized the orange without going ashy. That's the kind of decision the chart alone won't make for you.
Common Pitfalls With This System
The biggest mistake is treating Shades EQ like a toner that lifts. It doesn't. You cannot use this on virgin dark hair expecting any lightening. Clients who leave with brassiness after a "Shades EQ treatment" usually had the service misapplied or misunderstood. Another pitfall is the mixing ratios. The standard ratio is 1:1 with the developer, but some colorists eyeball it and end up with a runny consistency that drips or a thick paste that doesn't distribute evenly. The correct texture should coat the hair smoothly without pooling. Timing matters too. The chart suggests 20 minutes, but that's a baseline. Fine, porous hair will process faster. I routinely pull fine textures at 15 minutes to prevent over-saturation. Over-processing isn't dangerous with this formula since it's ammonia-free, but it does lead to excessive deposit and color that looks flat or overly dark. The gloss effect—the shine and smoothness that makes this product popular—comes from the precise balance of dye intermediates and the conditioning agents. Push the time too far and you compromise the finish. For clients with significant gray coverage needs, Shades EQ isn't the right tool. It covers approximately 50-70% of grays depending on the shade and hair porosity. If a client wants full gray coverage, you should recommend a permanent color instead. Using Demi on heavy gray is a quick way to lose a client's trust. Similarly, if someone is going more than two levels lighter than their current depth, this formula will struggle. The chart has no built-in correction mechanism for that scenario.
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Advanced Mixing Considerations
Custom blending is where this chart really shows its value. Mixing 6N with a touch of 6A on a warm olive complexion can create a more balanced result than using 6A alone. The trick is understanding which tones cancel each other. Red neutralizes green, blue neutralizes orange, and violet neutralizes yellow. But the chart's tone letters don't always align with traditional color wheel theory. The "C" coppers carry red-orange bias, not pure red. The "B" beiges are warm neutral, which means they lean slightly yellow-orange compared to a true natural. Knowing this prevents unwanted warmth shifts in the final result. The developer choice between 0 Volume and 1% is the most impactful decision point after selecting the shade. I use 0 Volume for Gloss applications—when the goal is shine, tone refresh, or subtle depth enhancement on already lightened hair. I use 1% when there's a slight gray blending need or when the hair is resistant and needs a little cuticle opening for better penetration. Never switch to a higher volume developer expecting more lift. It won't work that way, and you risk damaging the hair structure for no benefit.
