Argan Oil Hair Color Chart | Over 40 Shades, Codes & Developer Guide

The One n’ Only Argan Oil Permanent Color Cream chart lists over 40 permanent hair color shades, from 1N Very Black to 11HLA Hi Lift Cool Blonde, each with a specific shade code for precise selection.

Standing in the drugstore aisle or scrolling online, the real question isn’t “is there a shade for me” — it’s which of the forty-plus codes actually matches your vision. The One n’ Only line is one of the most popular argan oil-based permanent dyes for home use, delivering gray coverage and shine without the salon price. This guide maps the full chart, explains the developer math that makes or breaks a result, and walks you through the application sequence that prevents porous ends from turning into a blotchy mess.

What the Argan Oil Hair Color Chart Actually Covers

The chart is a categorized reference for every shade in the One n’ Only Argan Oil Permanent Color Cream line. Each shade is identified by a number-and-letter code that signals depth (1 = darkest black, 10+ = lightest blonde) and tone (N = natural, G = gold, A = ash, R = red). The manufacturer groups them on a single color swatch page, available at the official One n’ Only color chart.

The chart is not a physical tool you hold up to your head — it is a digital or in-store swatch guide that helps you match your current level and desired result. Knowing your natural level (1–10) and the percentage of gray you’re covering are the two prerequisites for using it correctly.

Complete One n’ Only Argan Oil Shade List: Codes and Names

Below is the core shade coding system, covering the most widely available colors in the line. The first digit(s) indicate lightness, and the letters describe the undertone.

The full set of shades includes variants across the neutral, gold, ash, red, copper, and sand families. The exact availability can shift slightly between retailers, with Walmart and Sally Beauty carrying the broadest selection at $9.00–$9.22 per tube.

How to Read the Shade Numbering System on the Chart

Every code on the chart follows a two-part logic. The first digit (or digits) is the depth level, with 1 being black and 10 being the lightest natural blonde. The letters after the number are the tone family: N for neutral, G for gold, A for ash, R for red, CM for copper mushroom, S for sand, GM for golden mushroom, and NG for neutral gold. When a shade has a double letter like “HLA,” the “Hi Lift” prefix signals it can lift multiple levels without pre-lightening.

If you are currently at a natural level 4 (medium brown) and want to reach a level 7 (medium blonde), the chart tells you to use a shade like 7GM with a 30-volume developer to achieve three levels of lift. If you only want to deposit color without lifting, you use a shade at or near your current level with 10-volume.

The Mixing Ratio and Developer Volume That Actually Work

One n’ Only’s official documentation specifies a 1:2 ratio — one part color cream to two parts developer. That means for a full tube of color (3 oz), you mix it with 6 oz of liquid developer. Getting this backward (mixing 2:1 color-to-developer) is the most common ratio mistake, and it produces a thick paste that does not lift or deposit evenly.

Developer volume determines how many levels the color will lift. 10 volume deposits only or lifts one level. 20 volume lifts two levels and is the go-to for gray coverage. 30 volume lifts three levels, and 40 volume lifts four. For ash and hi-lift shades like 10A and 11HLA, using anything higher than 20 volume can cause the hair to develop green tones due to pigment oxidation under heavy lift.

If you are covering significant gray — 50% or more — the entire process needs a 45-minute total development time, not the standard 30.

Step-by-Step Application Sequence (Avoiding the Common Mistakes)

The official procedure from One n’ Only is clean and specific, but the steps that cause the most failures are the ones people skip or rush.

First-Time Application (Uncolored Hair)

Divide the hair into four sections with a center part ear-to-ear and another down the middle. Mix the color and developer in the 1:2 ratio. Start applying to half-inch sections, beginning half an inch away from the scalp — never at the root first. Work the color through the shaft but do not apply to the porous ends. Set a timer for 15 minutes, then go back and apply color to the root area. Let it process for another 15 minutes. If gray coverage is the goal, extend the total processing to 45 minutes.

If the roots look lighter than the shaft, the color was applied too early to the shaft and the pigment ran down.

Retouch Application

For retouching regrowth, apply color only to the new growth — do not pull it through the rest of the hair. Process for 30 minutes (45 for heavy gray). Rinse, shampoo, and condition.

Developer Selection: When to Use Which Volume

The table below maps developer volume to the intended result, with a note on the green-tone risk.

The green-tone problem occurs most often when someone uses 30 or 40 volume on an ash-cool shade to try to get it lighter faster. The pigments oxidize into a green cast rather than a neutral blonde. If you want an ash result, keep the developer at 20 volume and accept that you may need two sessions to lift light enough.

The Green-Tone Trap (And How to Avoid It)

Ash and hi-lift shades contain blue and violet micro-pigments intended to neutralize warm tones. When those pigments meet high-volume peroxide aggressively, the combination can shift green instead of neutral. The fix is in the choice of developer: use 20 volume on any shade with an A (ash) or HLA (hi lift cool) code. If you already see green after rinsing, a warm-based toner (a very light gold or copper shade at 10 volume) can sometimes pull it back, but the smarter move is to avoid the problem upstream.

Frequently Overlooked Details That Matter

Three specifics from the official instructions that people miss. First, One n’ Only says to wait one week after chemical straightening or perming before coloring — the hair structure is too porous immediately after and will grab color unevenly. Second, if your hair ends are already porous from prior processing, either skip them entirely during application or apply color only after the roots and shaft have processed for 15 minutes. Third, a strand test is not optional: permanent dyes routinely contain PPD, and a patch test 48 hours before application is the only way to catch a sensitivity before it reaches your whole head.

For those ready to compare the One n’ Only line against other top argan oil-based formulas on the market, the team at GadgetsFeed has thoroughly tested and ranked the leading options in a dedicated product roundup. Check out the best argan oil hair color products reviewed to find the right match for your routine and budget.