Wella Color Touch is one of the most versatile demi-permanent colour systems available to professional salons. Used for toning, glossing, grey blending, root shadowing, and colour refreshing, it sits at the heart of colour services in thousands of UK salons. This guide covers everything professional colourists need to know — shade series, developer ratios, sub-ranges, application techniques, and toning formulas.
What Is Wella Color Touch?
Wella Color Touch is a professional demi-permanent hair colour system. Unlike permanent colour, it deposits tone and shine without lifting the natural hair base. It fades gradually and naturally, making it ideal for clients who want beautiful colour without the long-term commitment or regrowth line of a permanent tint.
Key characteristics:
- Demi-permanent — deposits tone, does not lift
- Low ammonia formula (significantly lower than permanent colour)
- High shine finish due to Pure Balance Technology
- Fades gradually and naturally over 4–6 weeks
- Can be applied to wet or dry hair depending on the service
- Mixed with Color Touch Emulsion (not standard peroxide)
The Color Touch Sub-Ranges
Color Touch is a family of products, each designed for a specific service type. Understanding the sub-ranges is essential for building the right salon stock.
Color Touch (Original Range)
The core demi-permanent colour range. Used for toning, refreshing, root shadowing, and grey blending. Available in a comprehensive shade range from depth 2 through to 10. The standard choice for most toning and refresh services.
Color Touch Relights
Specifically formulated for use on mid-lengths and ends. Relights contains no alkaline agents, making it ideal for refreshing faded colour on lengths without affecting new growth or the scalp area. Available in /Blue (for brunettes and copper tones) and /Red (for red and warm tones). Mixed at a 1:2 ratio with Color Touch Emulsion.
Color Touch Sunlights
Designed for use on pre-lightened hair and for brightening natural blondes. Sunlights are high-lift toners that work on already-lightened hair to create cool, icy, or warm blonde finishes. Available in shades /0 (natural), /1 (ash), /6 (violet), and /8 (pearl).
Color Touch Plus
An enhanced grey coverage version of Color Touch. Designed for clients with up to 60% grey, Color Touch Plus offers more pigment density for a richer, longer-lasting result on resistant grey — while still fading naturally like standard Color Touch.
Developer Guide: Color Touch Emulsion
Color Touch must be mixed with its own dedicated Color Touch Emulsion — not standard hydrogen peroxide.
| Emulsion | Equivalent | Mixing Ratio | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.9% Emulsion | ~6 vol | 1:2 (colour:emulsion) | Blonde toning, gentle deposit, glossing, wet hair application |
| 4% Emulsion | ~13 vol | 1:2 (colour:emulsion) | Richer deposit, deeper refresh, grey blending, Color Touch Plus |
Standard mixing ratio: 1 part Color Touch to 2 parts Emulsion by weight (e.g. 30g colour + 60g emulsion).
Processing time: 20 minutes at room temperature. For Color Touch Plus or resistant grey, extend to 25–30 minutes.
Wet vs dry application: Apply to damp towel-dried hair for softer, more diffused results (ideal for toning highlights and glossing). Apply to dry hair for stronger, more saturated colour deposit (ideal for root shadow and grey blending).
The Color Touch Shade Series
Color Touch uses Wella's standard colour notation — a depth number followed by a reflect number. Understanding the reflect series allows colourists to choose the right shade for neutralisation, enhancement, or fashion results.
| Reflect | Code | Description | Best Used For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural | /0 | Pure natural, no added reflect | Foundation, grey blending, mixing base |
| Ash | /1 | Cool, grey-neutralising | Neutralising yellow, cool brunettes, ashy blondes |
| Violet | /6 | Purple-based | Neutralising yellow-gold, cool blonde toning |
| Deep Brown | /7 | Warm brown | Brunette depth, warm naturals |
| Pearl | /8 | Iridescent beige-pink | Beige blonde, soft cool finishes |
| Pearl Ash | /81 | Beige-ash blend | Most popular blonde toner, cool beige finish |
| Pearl Violet | /86 | Cool beige-violet | Icy blonde, cool beige on warmer bases |
| Rich Brown | /75 | Violet-mahogany | Deep brunettes, plum tones |
| Copper | /4 | Warm copper | Copper, auburn tones |
| Warm Brown | /73 | Golden brown | Warm naturals, chestnut |
Toning Formulas for Blonde Hair
Toning after lightening is one of the most common uses of Color Touch in salon. The shade you choose depends on the level of lift achieved and the underlying warm tones present.
Neutralising yellow (level 9–10 lift): 10/81 is the go-to — a pearl ash that creates a classic cool beige blonde. For a slightly icier finish, mix 10/6 + 10/81. For more violet depth, use 9/86.
Neutralising gold/yellow-orange (level 8 lift): 9/16 (ash-violet mix) works well to balance warmth. Alternatively, 8/81 for a cool pearl on a level 8 base.
Neutralising orange (level 7 lift): 8/1 strong ash pushes back warmth on darker blonde bases. 7/89 pearl violet gives a cooler result on a level 7.
Warm/natural blonde finishes: 9/03 or 10/03 for natural golden results that enhance warm blonde. 9/36 for sun-kissed golden warmth.
Beige blonde: 10/81 remains the most widely used beige-pearl toner in UK salons. 9/86 gives a deeper beige with more violet base for slightly warmer starting points.
Icy/platinum: 10/6 direct violet for very pale bases. Color Touch Sunlights /1 or /6 on pre-lightened hair at level 10+.
Grey Blending with Color Touch
Color Touch is not designed for full grey coverage — that is the role of Color Touch Plus or a permanent colour like Koleston Perfect. However, it is excellent for grey blending on clients with up to 30–40% grey who want a softer, lower-maintenance result with no harsh regrowth line.
For grey blending, use Color Touch with 4% Emulsion on dry hair. Choose a shade one level lighter than the client's natural base to allow grey to soften into the overall result rather than standing out. Process for 25 minutes. For clients with up to 60% grey, switch to Color Touch Plus with 4% Emulsion on dry hair and process for 30 minutes.
Color Touch for Root Shadowing
Root shadowing creates a natural, blended regrowth effect — and Color Touch is ideal for this because its gradual fade produces a soft, grown-out look. Choose a shade 2–3 levels darker than the client's blonde, apply to the root area (2–4cm depending on the desired effect), and blend the edges down with a brush or fingers before processing. Use 1.9% Emulsion for a softer result or 4% for more definition.
Popular root shadow formulas: 7/97 or 6/73 on blonde clients. 5/0 + 5/3 for a warm brunette shadow on lighter brunettes.
Color Touch vs Shinefinity vs INOA
| Color Touch | Shinefinity | INOA | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Demi-permanent | Zero-lift gloss | Permanent (ammonia-free) |
| Ammonia | Trace | Zero | Zero |
| Grey Coverage | Up to 60% (Plus) | None | 100% |
| Lift | None | None | Up to 3 levels |
| Best For | Toning, refresh, grey blend | Pure gloss, shine boost | Permanent colour, grey coverage |
| Processing | 20–30 mins | 10 mins | 30–35 mins |
| Fade | Gradual, natural | Fast | Permanent |
Color Touch sits between Shinefinity (pure gloss, no coverage) and INOA (full permanent coverage). For most salons, all three earn their place in the colour workflow.
Stock Planning for Color Touch
The most important shades to keep in regular supply are the core toners and natural shades that cover the majority of appointments. High-volume shades to prioritise: 10/81 (the most-used blonde toner in UK salons), 9/86, 8/1, 7/0, 6/0, 5/0, 9/16, and 10/6. Always stock both 1.9% and 4% Emulsion in 1-litre bottles — running out of emulsion stops all Color Touch services. For grey blending, keep Color Touch Plus naturals and ash series (5/0, 6/0, 7/0, 6/1, 7/1) in regular supply.
Hairco & Beauty supplies the full Wella Color Touch range — including Color Touch, Color Touch Plus, Relights, Sunlights, and all Emulsion strengths — available exclusively to trade accounts. Contact our trade team for bulk pricing, account opening, and next-day delivery.
