two types of melanin pigment give hair its color: "eumelanin" and "pheomelanin". pheomelanin colors hair red. eumelanin determines the darkness of the hair color. a low concentration of brown eumelanin results in blond hair, but more brown eumelanin will color the hair brown. high amounts of black eumelanin result in black hair, while low concentrations give gray hair. all humans have some pheomelanin in their hair.