You've been there. Staring at a massive wall of synthetic hair in a local beauty supply store, squinting at those tiny gold tags. You want a specific shade of copper—not too orange, but not quite brown—and suddenly "350" looks exactly like "30." It’s overwhelming. Honestly, the xpression braiding hair colors chart is the unofficial bible of the braiding world, but it’s written in a code that feels like it requires a secret decoder ring.
X-pression (made by Outre or Solpia, depending on where you live) is the gold standard. It’s flame-retardant, hot-water settable, and it doesn't tangle into a bird's nest the second you take it out of the plastic. But the colors? That’s where things get tricky. People think "1" is "1," but in the world of Kanekalon fibers, a 1B can look radically different depending on the lighting or the specific batch.
Decoding the Numbers on the Xpression Braiding Hair Colors Chart
Most people start with the basics. You have your "1" which is jet black. It’s ink-dark. It’s blue-black. If you have natural hair that hasn't been dyed, 1 is usually too dark for you. Then you have 1B, which is "Off Black." This is the universal MVP. It’s the color that mimics most natural, unrelaxed African hair textures.
But then the chart starts throwing curveballs. You move into the 2s and 4s. A "2" is a very dark brown, while a "4" is a chocolate brown. If you’re looking at an xpression braiding hair colors chart, you’ll notice that as the numbers go up, the hair gets lighter. It’s sort of logical until you hit the 27s and 30s.
Color 27 is "Honey Blonde." It’s warm. It’s bright. Color 30 is "Light Auburn" or "Medium Brown" with a heavy reddish tint. In my experience, mixing 27 and 30 is the "it girl" combo for anyone wanting that bronzed, sun-kissed look without going full blonde.
The Reds and the "Fancy" Shades
Red is a whole different beast. You have 33 (Dark Auburn), which is subtle. It’s the "I have a professional job but I’m still stylish" red. Then you have 350. This color is legendary. It’s a vibrant, burnt copper that looks like a literal sunset. If you see someone with those iconic "Ginger" braids on Pinterest, they are almost certainly wearing 350 or a mix of 350 and 144 (Gold).
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The 99J is another staple. It’s a deep burgundy, like a glass of Merlot. It’s sophisticated. It’s moody. It works on literally every skin tone.
Why the Texture Matters for Color Perception
Kanekalon fiber isn't human hair. It reflects light differently. When you look at an xpression braiding hair colors chart, the small swatch you see might look matte, but once it’s braided into 50 individual box braids, the surface area increases. It picks up more light.
This is why a color like 613 (Platinum Blonde) can look almost white in the sun but slightly yellow indoors. It's also why "Ombre" packs are so popular now. X-pression sells pre-stretched ombre hair where the 1B transitions into a 27 or a T-Purple. It saves the stylist time, sure, but it also creates a more natural gradient than a "hand-mix" where you just hold two colors together and hope for the best.
Mixing Colors Like a Pro
Don’t just settle for one bag of one color. That’s boring. Most professional braiders who specialize in "boho" or "goddess" styles will tell you that the secret is the "feathering" process.
Imagine you want a "Bronde" look. You don't just buy a pack of color 27. You buy two packs of 4, one pack of 27, and maybe a pack of 30. You "card" them together. You pull the strands and mix them until the transition is seamless. This creates dimension. It makes the braids look like they grew out of your scalp.
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The Problem With "T" Colors
You’ll see colors labeled as T1B/27 or T1B/Bug. The "T" stands for "Tipped" or "Two-tone." These are great if you want a stark contrast. The top of the braid is black (1B) and the bottom is the accent color.
The downside? The transition point is often at the exact same spot on every strand. If your braider isn't careful, you end up with a harsh horizontal line around your mid-back where the color changes. It looks like a dip-dye job gone wrong. If you want a more "melted" look, avoid the pre-tipped "T" packs and ask your stylist to custom-blend the colors from the xpression braiding hair colors chart.
Lighting and Skin Undertones
We need to talk about undertones. Not all blondes are created equal. If you have cool undertones, a 27 might look too "brassy" or orange on you. You might want to look for something more ashy, though X-pression is notoriously limited in "ash" tones compared to human hair dyes.
- Warm Undertones: Stick to 30, 350, 144, and 27. These bring out the glow in your skin.
- Cool Undertones: Look for 99J, Purple, or the classic 1B.
- Neutral: You can pretty much rock anything, but 4 (Chocolate Brown) is your best friend for a soft, natural look.
Blue and Grey are also having a massive moment. X-pression "Silver" or "Grey" is very popular for the "Silver Fox" look. Just be warned: grey synthetic hair tends to be a bit coarser than the dark browns or blacks. It’s just the nature of the dye used on the fiber.
The "Blue Pack" vs. The "Purple Pack"
There is a lot of debate about which X-pression is "real." You’ll see the Ultra Braid (the long, 82-inch one) and then the pre-stretched versions.
The classic "Ultra Braid" (usually in the blue/transparent packaging) gives you the most hair for your money. It’s a huge, thick loop of hair. But you have to "prep" it. You have to pull it to get those feathered ends. If you don't, your braids will be blunt and thick at the bottom, and they will unwrap.
The pre-stretched version (often in the purple or updated branding) is thinner. You might need 5-6 packs for a full head of medium box braids, whereas you’d only need 3 of the original Ultra Braid. But the colors in the pre-stretched line are often more modern. You’ll find more "mixed" blends (like 1B/30/27 all in one pack) that aren't always available in the old-school long packs.
Maintenance and the "Fading" Myth
Does synthetic hair fade? Not really. It’s plastic. It’s colored during the extrusion process. However, it can lose its luster. If you use too much heavy oil or grease on your braids, the hair starts to look dull. It picks up lint.
When you look at your xpression braiding hair colors chart and pick a vibrant color like Blue or Pink, remember that the color won't bleed onto your pillow (usually), but the "sheen" will change over four weeks. To keep the color popping, use a light mousse instead of heavy oils.
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The Hot Water Trick
One of the reasons X-pression dominates the market is the "hot water set." When you dip the ends of the braids in boiling water, the fibers "lock." This is also when the color really shines. It smooths down any flyaways and makes the color look more uniform. If you’ve chosen a mix of colors, the hot water helps them "bond" visually so they look like one cohesive shade.
What People Get Wrong About Color 4
Most people see "4" on a screen and think it’s light. It’s not. In the store, under those fluorescent lights, a 4 looks like a dark brown. On your head, outdoors, it looks like "Natural Black" in the sun. If you want your braids to look like they could actually be your real hair, go for 2 or 4. Skip the 1B unless you have very dark, jet-black hair.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Style
Before you head to the stylist or the shop, do these three things to ensure you don't end up with a color you hate:
- Check the lighting: Take the pack of hair to the front door of the beauty supply store. Look at it in natural sunlight. Those shop lights are liars. A color that looks "tame" inside can look neon outside.
- Count your packs: If you are mixing colors (e.g., a "highlight" look), a standard ratio is 3 packs of your base color (like 1B) and 1 or 2 packs of your accent color (like 27). This gives you a 75/25 split which looks most natural.
- Check the length: X-pression comes in different lengths (42", 52", 82"). The color looks more concentrated in shorter lengths and more "diluted" in the super long ones because the hair thins out toward the ends.
The xpression braiding hair colors chart is a tool, not a rulebook. Don't be afraid to mix "clashing" colors. Some of the best braid jobs I’ve ever seen involved mixing 1B with a tiny bit of 613 (blonde) and 350 (copper) to create a "tortoiseshell" effect that looks incredibly high-end.
Buy a few different packs, pull some strands out, and hold them against your skin. You'll know the right shade when you see it. Trust your gut over the tiny number on the tag.