Planning to dye your hair black? Or maybe you want to buy some black hair extensions for yourself? If you want your hair to look natural, then it’s important to select the right hair tone.
Jet black (or number 1) hair color might not suit everyone. It can also make you look washed out if you have really pale skin.
So most hairstylists recommend the softer, more natural 1B hair color shade.
If you have naturally black hair, you can opt for this shade if you want to buy hair extensions as they blend seamlessly in your tresses.
For grey coverage on black hair, the 1b hair dye is the best. That is, unless you want to dye your locks a completely different color. Then, you have use a different color, obviously.
Hair Color Numbers Explained
Did you know that there are over 40 shades of hair color with each color corresponding to a number and a shade corresponding to an alphabet after that.
The 1b hair color is a tone of black hair color. If you want to buy hair extensions to match your natural hair color, then this scale comes very handy. Also if you’re planning to buy the right shade of hair dye.
So what exactly are these hair color numbers.
All hair colors are numbered on a scale with the number one denoting the darkest hair color or black and the number 10 representing the lightest shade of blonde.
The alphabet you see next to the hair color tells us about the base tone present in that particular color.
So A stands for ash, B for blue, C for cool, N for neutral, M for mahogany and so on.
A hair color that is marked 7C means that it’s a blonde hair color with cool undertones. Similarly, 3A stands for ash brown hair color.
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1B Hair Color Explained
Now that you know what exactly how to read the hair color chart, let’s get back to the business – 1B hair color! Here’s all you need to know about it.
What Is 1B Hair Color?
As I’ve mentioned before, 1 represents the hair color while the alphabet represents the base shade of that hair color.
So, 1B stands for hair color that is more of a soft black tone. This hair color is not as bright or dark as the #1 hair color which is jet black. It’s more of an off-black color.
Most jet black hair colors can look unnatural as it contains a tinge of blue as the base. So people with naturally-dark hair often opt for 1B hair dye to make it look more inconspicuous.
Even with extensions, jet black color often stands out compared to your natural strands, so I always prefer using 1B hair as it blends easily in my natural hair.
Difference Between 1B vs 2 Hair Color
Here are some major differences between the 1b and 2 hair colors.
| 1B Hair Color | #2 Hair Color |
| It is a natural hair black hair color or the darkest black hair color that occurs | 2 represents the darkest brown hair color |
| 1b hair color might look dark brown in sunlight sometimes but doesn’t have enough base brown shade | 2 hair color is the darkest brown color but it’s lighter than 1b hair color and this is easily spotted |
| 1b is warmer shade of black then jet black | 2 hair color has cool undertones despite being the darkest brown |
| 1b hair occurs naturally (in terms of hair extensions) | Number 2 hair is often colored that way |
| There are several variations in 1b hair tone shades in humans | This hair color is pretty much uniform all over |
| Virgin 1b hair extensions take dyes up very well | If 2 hair is not natural, it can be difficult to color it the right shade |
Difference Between 1 And 1B Hair Color (Jet Black Vs Natural Hair)
When it comes to hair extensions, it’s really okay to choose either 1b or 2 hair color. Sometimes, even natural 1b hair can appear brownish in the sun. So don’t sweat this difference much.
However, when it comes to 1 and 1b hair color, these differences are more important. Here’s how what you need to know about the two shades of black hair.
| #1 (Jet Black) Hair Color | 1b (Natural Black) Hair Color |
| It’s the darkest shade of black with hints of blue in it | 1b hair color is the darkest naturally occurring black hair shade |
| This shade is artificially manufactured and doesn’t exist in human hair in nature | The hair color is due to large amounts of eumelanin in hair |
| Jet black refers to a single artificial color | Natural black or 1b can refer to several shades of black as human hair has many variations |
| More intense and dramatic than 1b hair color and often extensions have a brilliant shine | Not as intense as jet black and the shine on extensions varies |
| Jet black has cool undertones of blue and purple | 1b contains warmer undertones |
| Jet black might not suit all skin tones. It can contrast intensely with pale white skin making you look washed out | 1b hair color suits a variety of skin tones including dark and light skin with warm, cool and olive undertones |
How To Match 1B Hair Extensions To Natural Hair
Often we buy hair extensions and the color we see in the pictures and videos might not be the color of the extensions we get. This difference can be mild, but it will still be visible when you wear the extensions as it stands out from your natural hair.
In this case, here’s what you can do to match your hair extensions to your natural hair color if they aren’t the exact shade of 1b you wanted.
You can use either a semi-permanent or permanent hair dye to color your hair extensions the right shade of 1b. Which of these you choose depends on how long you’re planning to wear your extensions.
Also, it’s easier to dye your light brown or 2 hair color extensions a jet black or 1b hair color. You can pick any hair dyes in the market today for the job.
However, if you have got the darker jet black hair extensions, you might need to either bleach the hair and dye it again or use a high lift hair dye.
Check out some of the Aliexpress hair sellers with great hair extensions.
What To Know Before Dyeing Your Hair 1B Color
If you’re either dyeing your hair a 1b hair color or getting extensions in that shade, you need to be aware of certain things. Here are some factors to consider:
- If you have light skin and want 1b hair color then you should consider how it will look on your complexion. Darker hair shades will highlight white skin, so you can choose makeup accordingly to divert attention (for example, a bright red lip).
- People with thin hair should stay away from 1b hair color or any dark colors for that matter. These can make the scalp more visible. The best choice here would be a balayage or highlights that add depth to your hair making it appear thicker
- For people who are dark-skinned, the 1b hair color (which is more natural) is a better option.
- Whether it’s extensions or the hair on your head, the color needs to be maintained for it to stay longer. So you need to use color-safe shampoos which are free of dye-stripping surfactants. There are products with UV filters that prevent hair dye from fading.
- The 1b hair color workes well with several skin tones but if you want to choose between 1b and jet black, you should consider factors like your undertones (warm, yellow, cool, olive) and your eye color as well
FAQs – 1B Hair Color
Is my hair color 1B or 2?
There can be a lot of confusion between 1b and 2 hair colors. 1b is a soft, natural shade of black and 2 is the darkest brown color. But sometimes, hair color can look different in the sun because of the way it reflects light.
So the best way to find out if you have 1b or 2 hair color is to check in the sunlight. Also, consider the hair closest to your scalp (unless you have dyed it). These strands show your “truer” hair color.
Is 1B black or brown?
The 1b hair color falls between jet black (#1) and brown hair color (#2). But jet black isn’t a naturally-occuring hair color. So 1b is definetely the natural black hair color and not brown. However, some 1b hair might appear to have brown undertones in the sun.
Is there a 2b hair color?
Some hair dye brands might mark a shade of brown as “2b”, but there isn’t any set hair color called 2b in a hair color level chart. The next (lighter) shade of brown in the chart is simply marked as 3 hair color.
Are hair color numbers always the same?
Unfortunately not. A lot of brands use different scales and codes to signify different hair colors. Some of the shades might stay the same (for example, jet black most often marked as #1). However, there might be different ways brands mark other shades. The color #4 is marked as “Natural Brown” in Garnier which is a warm brown shade. But L’Oreal has used it for a cool brown shade.
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