How to Match Your Hair System Color: A First-Time Guide

Quick Answer

The easiest way to how to choose hair system color is to compare the hair around your sides, temples, and back with a physical color reference under natural daylight.

Do not rely only on how a shade looks on your phone or computer. If you are unsure between several colors, use a color ring, send clear photos to the LaVivid team, or consider sending a hair sample for a closer match.

Quick Takeaways

Start with the hair around your sides, temples, and back—not your thinning area.
Compare shades in natural daylight for a more reliable color match.
Check your natural gray before choosing a gray-blended color.
Narrow your options down to 2–3 shades before making a final choice.
Use a Color Ring, natural-light photos, or a hair sample if you're unsure.
The right color should blend naturally with your existing hair—not simply match a color code.

Choosing a hair color can feel surprisingly difficult when you are buying your first hair system. You may look at a color chart and think you have found the right shade, only to wonder whether it will actually blend with the hair around the sides and back of your head.

The good news is that you do not need to become an expert in color codes. You simply need to know what to look at, how to compare shades, and when to ask for help.

This guide will walk you through a simple way to find a natural match with less guesswork.

Start With Your Existing Hair

Your first reference should be the hair you still have—not the area where you are experiencing hair loss.

Look closely at your:

Side hair
Temples and sideburns
Back of the head
Hair ends

These areas can have slightly different shades, especially if your hair has been exposed to the sun, colored in the past, or naturally changed with age.

When making a hair system color match, the goal is not necessarily to find a shade that looks identical in one photograph. It is to find a color that blends naturally with the hair people will actually see around your system.

Understand Color Codes Without Overthinking Them

LaVivid's color chart includes solid shades as well as colors blended with gray. Generally, color numbers become lighter as the shade level increases.

For gray-blended colors, the final digits indicate the percentage of gray. For example, #210 represents a #2 base color with 10% gray, while #220 represents #2 with 20% gray. Currently, LaVivid’s color charts also offer two separate hair color ranges: Indian Hair and European Hair.

You do not need to memorize every number. Instead, narrow your choice down to two or three shades that look close to your own hair, then compare them more carefully.

How Much Gray Should You Choose?

Gray is one of the easiest details to overlook when ordering online.

Instead of focusing only on the hair on top of your head, check your temples and sideburns. These areas often reveal your natural gray more clearly.

For example, if your sides contain visible gray but you choose a completely solid dark shade, the difference may become noticeable. On the other hand, adding too much gray simply because you have some gray hair can also change the overall appearance.

The right hair system gray blend should look consistent with your existing hair rather than simply matching a percentage on paper.

Always Check Hair Color in Natural Light

Lighting can completely change how a shade appears.

Warm indoor lights can make brown hair look warmer or lighter, while cool lighting can make it appear more ashy. Phone cameras and screens can also shift colors.

When checking your hair, compare it hair system color in natural light whenever possible. Soft daylight near a window or outdoors in the shade is usually more useful than direct sunlight or indoor lighting.

For photo matching, take clear pictures without filters and show your roots, sides, and ends. LaVivid's current color guide specifically recommends natural-light photos for an initial color comparison.

Still Not Sure? You Don't Have to Guess

If two shades look almost identical, this is where a physical reference can make the process much easier.

LaVivid currently offers a color ring that allows you to compare real hair samples against your own hair at home. The individual color ring contains the available shades and can be returned within 30 days for store credit under the current Color Ring Loan Program.

You can also send photos taken in natural light for an initial recommendation. If you need a more precise match, LaVivid's color-matching service allows you to send a physical hair sample for comparison.

A Simple Way to Start

If this is your first hair system, keep the process simple:

1. Check your sides and temples.
Identify the closest natural shade and note how much gray is visible.

2. Narrow down your options.
Use the LaVivid color chart to find a few possible matches.

3. Compare in natural light.
Do not make your final decision based only on a screen.

4. Get a second reference if needed.
Use a color ring or send natural-light photos to the team.

5. Consider a hair sample for a closer match.
This can be especially helpful when your color is complex or includes noticeable gray.

Choosing a color does not have to be a stressful first step. Start with your real hair, compare it carefully, and use the available matching tools when you are unsure.

The goal is simple: a color that blends into your everyday look naturally, without making you think about the match every time you look in the mirror.