Level 5 is the midpoint of the brown range, sold as Light Brown on Goldwell Topchic 5N and Medium Brown on a boxed 5.0.
But level 5 hides a stubborn orange-red pigment, and 20-volume developer lifts two levels and exposes it. Use 10-volume (3%) and a green- or blue-based ash instead.
Light Brown or Medium Brown
Level 5 sits at the midpoint of the brown range, and the name on the box depends on the brand.
Goldwell Topchic 5N is filed as "Light Brown." So is Igora Royal 5-68, which adds "Chocolate Red" to the name.
A 5.0 shade, meanwhile, is sold as "Medium Brown Hair Dye." Same depth, two different words.
I’d trust the number over the name.
Read the level digit first, because "light" and "medium" shift from line to line. Search both terms when you shop, then compare the swatch chart on the back of the box, not the model photo on the front.
A 5-68 will also lean chocolate-red, so it won’t look like a neutral 5N even though both say light brown.
Tone and Underlying Pigment
Level 5 hair hides a heavy, stubborn orange-red underlying pigment, and developer exposes it the moment it touches the strand. A shade labeled "Natural Brown" doesn’t cancel that warmth; it adds to it.
Scalp heat makes the formula work faster at the root, which gives you hot roots: a bright copper ring around your face while the ends look like muddy ink.
Read the tonal reflect, not the name on the box.
At this level I’d choose a green- or blue-based ash every time, since it’s what cancels the orange. A neutral pick can end in a $300, 4-hour color correction after a $15 box.
Developer Strength
Developer is hydrogen peroxide, and the volume number tells you how much oxygen it releases.
A 20-volume bottle is 6% peroxide, enough to lift hair two levels. On level 5 hair, that briefly puts the strand near a level 7 before the dye deposits, and that detour is where orange-red warmth comes from.
Unless stubborn gray is the job, use 10-volume (3%) or even 7-volume. Both stay in the deposit-only zone, so the tone lands closer to the swatch and the color stays dense instead of turning brassy after three washes.
I’d skip 20-volume for a plain refresh: it creates warmth you then have to fix with a toner.
Roots and Lengths
On a full-head application, the color goes on everywhere and processes for 30 minutes.
Regrowth is split: apply to the roots only and leave it for 20 minutes, then work the remaining mixture through the ends. Total time runs 30 to 45 minutes.
Repeatedly pulling permanent color through porous ends is the habit I’d drop first. Each pass puts the lengths through the full dye process again, and level 5 brown on dry, thirsty ends tends to grab unevenly.
If the ends need a refresh, pull the mixture through only in the last 5 to 10 minutes. An ammonia-free gloss is the gentler option, and I’d choose it for hair that is already dry or rough.
Gray and Lightened Hair
Gray hair is glassy and resists moisture, so a head that’s 50% gray often turns translucent and muddy under a standard ash-toned brunette.
Choose an "NN" or "Natural Natural" series, which carries extra base pigment to push through that resistant cuticle. I’d skip the cool ash version, even if red is your worry.
With no gold in the tube to bridge the gap, level 5 looks hollow on gray strands, more wig than hair. A little warmth is what makes the brown believable.
Previously lightened hair has the same problem from a different cause: the warmth is already gone. Put a warm filler or a re-pigmentation step on first, then the brunette, so the color replaces what lightening took out.
Keeping Level 5 From Fading
Skip shampoo for the first 48 hours, then wash only twice a week in cool water, since hot water strips brunette pigment.
Choose a shampoo made for hair’s natural pH, roughly 4.5–5.5. Once fading shows around week 4, a blue-toned depositing conditioner keeps orange from creeping in.
Touch up roots only, and do it before you have 2 inches of new growth, because a visible band is hard to blend.
Recoloring the whole head with permanent dye stacks pigment on the ends until they turn dark and muddy. I would never skip the root-only rule, since a $15 box can end in a $300, four-hour correction.
The Helmet Effect
Natural hair is never one solid color; it runs in highs and lows.
A single tube of level 5 brown applied edge to edge erases that, and the result looks heavy and artificial. Stylists call it the helmet effect.
The fix is to vary the color across the head, using different strengths or different tones in different zones.
Go slightly darker and more neutral at the nape, then lighter and warmer around the face, where the sun would naturally hit.
I’d take two close shades over one perfect match. One box applied all over is exactly what makes hair look like a "job" rather than your own.
Shade Names by Brand
Level 5 carries different names depending on the brand. Professional lines call it light brown, while the boxed 5.0 says Medium Brown, so match the number, not the word.
Tone families run natural, ash, copper, gold and violet. Colorcharm’s 42 ml is the smallest size here, against 60 ml for Igora Royal.
| Product | Code | Label | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schwarzkopf Igora Royal | 5-68 | n/a | 60 ml / 2.0 oz |
| Schwarzkopf Igora Royal | 5-99 | Light Brown Violet Extra | 60 ml / 2.0 oz |
| Goldwell Topchic | 5N | n/a | 60 g / 2.1 oz |
| Wella Colorcharm | 5NW | Light natural warm brown | 42 ml / 1.4 oz |
| Boxed dye | 5.0 | Medium Brown | n/a |
What the Product Lines Claim
Two lines make the loudest promises about gray, and they aim at different jobs.
- Wella Koleston Perfect is a permanent creme color. Its Ultra Precision technology is pitched as delivering true-to-tone accuracy, longer-lasting color retention and up to 100% gray coverage.
- Goldwell Men ReShade is ammonia-free and claims to cover gray in under 5 minutes with natural-looking results. The Power Shot pack holds 4 x 20 ml (0.6 oz).
- "Up to" marks a ceiling, not a promise. Treat 100% as the best case.
- A 5-minute claim sounds built for quick touch-ups. For full coverage across a level 5 brown, I’d trust the permanent creme first.
Box Dye Application Steps
- Apply to dry hair that hasn’t been pre-washed.
- Mix the color.
- Cover the full head, or only the regrowth.
- Leave a full head on for 30 minutes.
- Add warm water, work it into a lather, and rinse until the water runs clear.
- Smooth the conditioner into towel-dried hair, wait 2–3 minutes, and rinse thoroughly.
The conditioner covers 3–4 applications, depending on your length. Schwarzkopf’s headline claim for this 5.0 shade:
Discover our 3-step Bond Enforcing System which creates bonds and strengthens your hair, leaving your hair 5X stronger* after coloring. *Against combing breakage on damaged hair vs. untreated.
That 5X applies to combing breakage on damaged hair only.
A 6-Week Upkeep Schedule
- Weeks 1–3: wash only twice a week and keep the water cool.
- Week 4: start using a blue-toned depositing conditioner, since this is when the fade begins to show and orange creeps in.
- Week 6: touch up the roots. Book it before you reach two inches of regrowth, because past that you get a band of color that’s nearly impossible to blend.
I’d set all three reminders on your phone the day you color, counting from that first wash. Week 6 is the one people skip, and it’s the one that costs you a visible line at the part.
Frequently Asked Questions
What color is a level 5 in hair dye?
Level 5 is a mid-range brown. Some brands label it "Light Brown" (Goldwell Topchic 5N, Igora Royal 5-68) and others "Medium Brown" (the boxed 5.0), so go by the number and not the word.
The swatch chart on the back of the box shows the real result better than the model photo on the front.
What not to do before dyeing hair?
Don’t pre-wash it.
Box dye goes on dry hair that hasn’t been washed first. Also skip judging the shade by the model photo, and check the level digit and tonal reflect on the swatch chart instead.
What are the different shades of brown hair?
Level 5 brown comes in natural, ash, copper, gold and violet tone families. Specific codes vary a lot: Wella Colorcharm 5NW is a light natural warm brown, Igora Royal 5-99 is Light Brown Violet Extra, and 5-68 leans chocolate-red.
Because level 5 hides orange-red underlying pigment, a green- or blue-based ash is the tone that cancels it.
