This chart is built for licensed hairstylists and colorists who work with the Matrix SoColor Pre-Bonded permanent color line — it's a professional consultation and formulation reference, not a product a home user would apply to their own hair.

It's useful in any salon that stocks or wants to start stocking SoColor Pre-Bonded, regardless of a given client's current hair color or level, since its purpose is to compare swatches across the whole shade range rather than to treat one specific hair type or concern.

The value of a physical swatch chart over a digital shade guide is that it lets a colorist put an actual sample of dyed hair next to a client's real hair, in the salon's own lighting, before committing to a formula — that's a more reliable way to catch an undertone mismatch than comparing a screen image. For a salon already using SoColor Pre-Bonded, having every shade in the line in one binder also speeds up consultations, since there's no need to guess at a result or wait on a test strand before agreeing on a color with the client.

The chart itself isn't mixed or applied — it's used before the color service, to choose the formula that gets mixed separately with developer.

• During the consultation, flip through the swatch pages to compare tones against the client's current hair level.
• Hold the swatch strand directly against the client's hair in natural or neutral lighting to judge the undertone accurately.
• Note the shade code printed next to the chosen swatch.
• Use that shade code to select the matching SoColor Pre-Bonded tube and mix it with Matrix Cream Developer at the ratio and processing time listed on that product's own packaging.
• Store the binder out of direct sunlight when not in use to help the swatches keep their true color longer.

Pros

• Physical swatches show the true depth, tone, and reflect of a finished SoColor Pre-Bonded shade in a way a printed catalog photo can't reproduce.
• Organizing the shade range in one ring-bound chart lets a colorist compare several options against a client's hair quickly during a consultation.
• Having the reference in hand helps set client expectations for the result before any color is mixed or applied.
• Covers the SoColor Pre-Bonded family specifically, so a salon running that line has one chart that matches the color it actually stocks.

Cons

• The chart is a reference tool only — it includes no actual hair color, developer, or applicator, so it doesn't reduce or replace the cost of the color products themselves.
• Swatches can fade or shift slightly with repeated handling and light exposure over time, which can affect long-term accuracy.
• It only covers the SoColor Pre-Bonded range, so a salon also carrying other Matrix lines (like Color Sync) would need a separate chart for those.
• As a binder, it takes up counter or shelf space compared to a single laminated card.