The Ultimate 2025 Guide To The Redken Color Gels Lacquers Color Chart: 37+ Shades, New Formulas, And Pro Secrets
The Redken Color Gels Lacquers color chart is the essential roadmap for professional stylists and color enthusiasts seeking permanent, high-saturation liquid hair color with an unmatched, reflective shine. As of December 2025, the line has been fully optimized, offering a vast spectrum of over 37 shades that deliver up to 100% gray coverage, all while maintaining a seamless color match with the brand's iconic Shades EQ Gloss. This deep-dive guide breaks down the complex numbering system, highlights the revolutionary new shade families like ABn, and reveals the crucial professional tips—from mixing ratios to processing times—that ensure a flawless, long-lasting lacquer finish for every client.
The modern hair color landscape demands speed, reliability, and intense pigment, and the reformulated Redken Color Gels Lacquers meet this challenge head-on. The product is a reinvention of the classic Color Gels, now featuring a low-ammonia, liquid format that offers the high-coverage power of a permanent color combined with the dazzling shine of a gloss. Whether you are performing a quick root touch-up with the new 10 Minute line or creating a vibrant, all-over color transformation, understanding the nuances of the *Color Gels Lacquers* shade chart is the first step to achieving predictable, dimensional, and truly lacquered results.
Decoding the Redken Color Gels Lacquers Shade Numbering System
To master the Redken Color Gels Lacquers line, you must first understand its numerical and alphabetical coding system. This system is the foundation of the entire color chart, dictating the level (depth) and the tone (reflect) of every shade. Knowing this code is the secret to custom color formulation, ensuring you can neutralize unwanted warmth or enhance natural undertones with precision.
The Level System (Depth of Color)
The first number in any shade name (e.g., 6N) indicates the level of lightness or darkness. This is a universal system ranging from 1 to 10:
- 1: Black
- 3: Darkest Brown
- 5: Light Brown
- 7: Medium Blonde
- 9: Very Light Blonde
- 10: Ultra Light Blonde
The Tonal Families (Reflect/Tone)
The letter(s) following the number (e.g., 6ABn) represent the dominant tone or reflect of the color. Redken’s tonal families are designed for maximum gray coverage and blending:
- N (Natural): Balanced, neutral tone for true-to-life color (e.g., 9N Café au Lait).
- NN (Extra Natural): High saturation for maximum gray coverage (e.g., 8NN Crème Brulee, 4NN Coffee Grounds).
- NA (Natural Ash): A cool, neutral tone with a hint of ash for controlled coolness (e.g., 8NA Volcanic, 6NA Granite).
- NW (Natural Warm): A warm, golden-beige tone that provides exceptional gray coverage by adding depth and warmth (e.g., 8NW Safari, 1NW Midnight).
- NG (Natural Gold): Natural, soft golden shades for a sun-kissed look (e.g., 7NG Saffron).
- ABn (Ash Brown Natural): The newest, highly requested cool-toned family, specifically formulated to deliver cool, smoky brown results with superior gray coverage. (e.g., 6ABn Brown Smoke, 4ABn Dark Roast).
- R/C/V (Vibrant Reflects): Pure tones like Red, Copper, and Violet, often boosted with the advanced R5 Red Dye Technology for incredible vibrancy and longevity.
The Game-Changer: Redken Color Gels Lacquers 10 Minute Line
For high-demand, on-the-go clients, the launch of the Color Gels Lacquers 10 Minute line has revolutionized the root touch-up service. This innovative variant is a cornerstone of the updated color chart, offering express gray coverage that saves valuable chair time.
Key Features of the 10 Minute Formula
The 10 Minute line is not just a faster version; it's a technologically advanced formula designed for efficiency and reliability:
- 10-Minute Processing Time: Provides up to 100% gray coverage in a mere 10 minutes.
- Developer: Specifically formulated to be mixed with 20 Volume Pro-Oxide Cream Developer.
- Smart Pause Technology: An exclusive feature that helps prevent over-processing, making it a reliable choice for fast root applications.
- Seamless Match: The 10 Minute shades have a perfect 1:1 tonal match with the original *Color Gels Lacquers* line, ensuring no banding or demarcation line when transitioning between formulas.
The 10 Minute line includes 14 shades, focusing heavily on the NN and N families, which are the most requested for gray coverage services. This express color is a must-have for busy salons looking to maximize turnover without sacrificing quality.
Mastering the Application: Mixing Ratios, Developers, and Pro Tips
Achieving the signature "lacquer shine" and intense saturation of *Redken Color Gels Lacquers* requires adherence to professional mixing standards. The proper combination of color and developer is what activates the low-ammonia, liquid dye system.
The Essential 1:1 Mixing Ratio
Both the original *Color Gels Lacquers* and the *10 Minute* line use a straightforward 1:1 mixing ratio (1 part color to 1 part Redken Pro-Oxide Cream Developer). This consistent ratio simplifies the formulation process, whether you are using a bottle for quick application or a brush and bowl for more precise techniques like balayage or foil work.
Choosing the Right Developer (Pro-Oxide Cream Developers)
The volume of the developer dictates the lift and the processing time for the standard *Color Gels Lacquers*:
- 10 Volume: Used for depositing color only, darkening, or maintaining the current level. Processing time is typically 20 minutes.
- 20 Volume: The standard for up to 1-2 levels of lift and 100% gray coverage. Processing time is generally 30 minutes. (Note: This is the *only* developer used for the 10 Minute line).
- 30 Volume: Used for up to 2-3 levels of lift. Processing time is 40 minutes.
- 40 Volume: Used for the maximum 3-4 levels of lift. Processing time is 45 minutes.
The Shades EQ Gloss Connection (The Power of Two Liquids)
A major feature that adds topical authority to the *Color Gels Lacquers* system is its seamless compatibility with Redken Shades EQ Gloss. The color chart is designed so that a shade like 6N in the permanent line has a matching 6N in the demi-permanent Shades EQ Gloss. This allows stylists to:
- Root-to-End Refresh: Apply *Color Gels Lacquers* to the root area for gray coverage and lift.
- Mid-Length/Ends Refresh: Apply the corresponding Shades EQ Gloss to the mid-lengths and ends to refresh the color, add incredible shine, and avoid over-processing or darkening the already-colored hair.
This "power of two liquids" strategy is what allows for the rich, dimensional color and long-lasting, locked-in results that clients expect from a premium salon service.
Advanced Color Gels Lacquers Entities and LSI Keywords
To truly master the *Color Gels Lacquers* chart, professionals should be familiar with the specialized entities and technologies that Redken incorporates into the formula. These elements are key to achieving specific, challenging color results.
- Rubilane® Copper Dye: A specialized, high-intensity copper dye molecule used in the vibrant C (Copper) shades to ensure rich, vivid, and long-lasting copper tones that resist fading.
- R5 Red Dye Technology: Found in the R (Red) and RR (Extra Red) shades, this technology provides superior gray coverage and intense saturation for redheads, overcoming the common challenge of red colors fading quickly.
- Superior Gray Coverage Family: This term refers collectively to the NN, NW, and the new ABn shades, which are formulated with a higher concentration of dye molecules to effectively cover even the most resistant gray hair.
- Low Ammonia Formula: The liquid formula is low in ammonia, which contributes to the hair's overall health, leaving it soft, shiny, and in better condition post-coloring.
- High Saturation Permanent Liquid Lacquer: This is the product’s core descriptor, emphasizing the intense pigment load and the highly reflective finish that mimics the look of a lacquer coating.
By understanding the complete Redken Color Gels Lacquers color chart, from the new 10 Minute express line to the advanced ABn cool tones and the professional mixing protocols, stylists are equipped to deliver the most current, high-quality, and time-efficient permanent color services available in 2025.
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