Natural Hair Pigments

Hair has a natural color-producing factory, simply by varying the proportion of only two melanin pigments; it can produce a surprising diversity of shades. Only two melanin pigments give hair its color: Eumelanin and Pheomelanin.

In all, there isn’t more than 1% of melanin in each hair, even in the darkest hair. While we know that melanin is what gives hair its color, the range of natural variation remains astounding.

The wide range of natural hair colors is determined by the total amount of melanin (either Eumelanin or Pheomelanin, or a mixture of the two) present in the cortex of the hair fiber.

Two Types of Natural Hair Pigments

Eumelanin (left) Pheomelanin (right)

The 2 types of melanin found in hair:Eumelanin and Pheomelanin. Eumelanin is black to brown pigment. Black to brown hair contains predominantly Eumelanin. Pheomelanin is yellow to red pigment.blonde hair contains predominantly Pheomelanin.

Light brown hair contains a mixture of Eumelanin and Pheomelanin. The less Eumelanin contained in the hair, the lighter the color.