With the changing season and style statement, the urge to color your hair in gorgeous shades is obvious. The permanent hair color alters the natural color of your locks, but it cannot do it alone without its companion – Hair Developer. Mixing the hair color formulation with the developer opens the hair cuticles and allows effective color penetration through the strands.
Let’s detail the role of hair color developers and how to choose the correct percentage for the desired color intensity.
Hair Developer – It’s a role in hair coloring
The developer is a mixing cream that is rich in hydrogen peroxide. Mixing it with the hair color activates the formula, making it color-ready. The hydrogen peroxide in the developer lifts or opens the cuticles, allowing hair color to penetrate deep through strands to roots. The permanent hair color lasts longer as it locks in color through its intense absorption.
Here are some of the benefits of the developer:
- Color Activation: On mixing it with the hair color, the developer is known to activate the color and hence helps retain long-lasting color.
- Increased Absorption: The developer’s hydrogen peroxide opens the hair cuticles. This helps in intense color absorption and adequate hair pigment deposit.
- Consistent Formula – As the developer mixes with the hair color, it creates a consistent and uniform paste, making the application easy, convenient, and non-drippy.
- Remove color – The hydrogen peroxide in the developer opens the cuticles. This effectively replaces the existing or natural color with the new shade.
Using the developer with the hair color gives salon-fresh and vibrant results. Hence, this makes the role of the developer integral to coloring.
Picking the right developer volume – Here’s what to know
As much as using a developer with hair color is essential, it is also crucial to use the right volume to obtain the desired color. The color intensity depends on the % of hydrogen peroxide used in the developer. The amount of hydrogen peroxide in the developer is expressed in either percentage (%) or volume. Here are the different types of developers:
10 Volume Developers
It is the lightest developer with the lowest amount of hydrogen peroxide. It only contains 3% hydrogen peroxide and is known for darkening hair and lifting the hair cuticles by 1 level. The developer is a perfect choice for use with a demi-permanent color. Owing to its low hydrogen peroxide percentage, it is also used in toners and glazers for light color deposits.
20 Volume Developer
The 20-volume developer contains 6% hydrogen peroxide and is known to lift your hair color by up to two levels. As it includes a moderate concentration of hydrogen peroxide, it is one of the most commonly used developers across salons. Mixing it with permanent hair color creates a thick and non-drippy consistency.
30 Volume Developer
The developer contains 9% hydrogen peroxide and helps lift 3 to 4 levels. It is ideal for 100% gray coverage and perfect for shifting from shades of blonde to platinum. It contains a higher level of hydrogen peroxide, so it is often used for professional use.
40 Volume Developer
With 12% hydrogen peroxide, it contains the highest hydrogen peroxide and gives up to 8 levels of lift. It is usually used for lightening hair and is ideal for a range of permanent colors that are super light. However, it is advised only for salon-grade and professional use as it might cause hair damage if misused.
Factors to consider while choosing the right developer
While choosing the hair developer, it is best to zero in on factors like color type, hair type, and what exactly you are trying to achieve:
- Hair Color – The hair color types include semi, demi-permanent, and permanent. Low-volume developers (10 volume, 3% hydrogen peroxide) are best used with demi-permanent colors. Permanent hair colors require moderate (20 -30 volume) to strong developers (40 volume for very light colors).
- Hair Porosity – Not all developers are suitable for all types of hair. Highly porous hair has an open cuticle, resulting in quick absorption and fading of color. Using a low-volume developer for lightening and a high-volume developer for darkening hair is recommended.
- Hair Type – The choice of developer is also influenced by hair type. For best results, a low-volume developer with a light hair color for thin hair is recommended. On the contrary, using a higher volume developer on thick hair is best for higher lift and better color penetration.
Developers are often used as professional products and require expert supervision. Depending on the developer’s volume, it helps achieve the desired level of darkening or lightening. For an appropriate mixing ratio, it is advised to read the labels and follow guidelines properly to achieve efficient results.
