20 Volume Developer

[Ptolomeo Shop]

KenraColor Permanent Coloring Creme Developers were specially formulated for use with Kenra Color Permanent Coloring Cremes. Available in 10 volume (3%), 20 volume (6%), 30 volume (9%), and 40 volume (12%) strengths to ensure proper lift of natural hair and oxidation of dye intermediates. Creamy consistency allows for easy mixing and precise application for all your haircolor needs.

The most common volumes of developer are 10, 20, 30, and 40 volume. The volume relates to the strength of the developer, meaning the higher the number, the stronger the volume. 10 volume developer is commonly used with toners, while 20 and 30 are two of the volumes recommended for at home use.

40 volume developer is the strongest level of developer, and we do not recommend it for at home use. Even with dark hair, it is easier and safer to do several rounds of lightning with a lower volume developer rather than try to lift your hair an extreme amount in one go with a higher volume developer. Keeping your hair healthy is our top priority!

Do you plan to color your hair from the comfort of your home. For every hair dyeing with professional hairdressing colours it is almost always necessary to buy a developer (oxidant, peroxide, activator). But, it is often sold only in a very large package. But some brands sell developers in small packages for one application (e.g. Schwarzkopf Igora).

The developer is a totally essential element in the hair coloring process. The oxidant creams contain the hydrogen peroxide, which opens the hair cuticle. Color pigments, due to this process, can penetrate deep into the hair fiber and color it. Without the developer you would never achieve a significant changes in the color of your hair.

The hair color and the developer are mixed in a certain ratio to form a tint mixture which is then applied to the hair. Mixing ratio is usually 1:1, 1:1.5 or 1:2 (for an extra strong lightening effect).

If you want to get the best result, it is important to use the right concentration of developer. This choice will also depend on the type of color, degree of lightening, type of hair and quality of hair.

The choosing the correct developer to use for your desired results is crucial to getting the color you want. The force/concentration of developer is expressed in percentage (%) or units of volume (Vol.). The higher the number is the stronger the developer is and it therefore more lightens hair.

Choose concentration of developer according to how distinct you want to achieve hair lightening. Usually each 3 % of developer achieves lightening of 1 degree. If you want to keep your level of color, use the 3% developer.

Type of your hair can also influence the color result. Different hair types react differently to dyein*. For example, fine hair is easy to become lighter, color faster penetrates into the hair fiber. While thicker hair may be more resilient during the dying process. Observe to the following rules:

Developer is hydrogen peroxide. The different strengths of developer are different concentrations of the peroxide. Developer comes in 6 volume, 10 vol, 20 vol, 30 vol, 40 vol, and even 50 vol strengths.

The role of the developer is to open the cuticle (outer layer of the hair that resembles fish scales) to allow the bleach to enter into the cortex (middle layer of the hair that contains the color molecules) and activate the bleach. The bleach will then begin the process of decolorization. This means that it is removing or stripping the color molecules from the cortex of the hair.

The strength of the developer equals the speed at which the bleach works. So this means that if you choose a developer strength that is too high, then the hair can become over-processed and damaged very quickly.

You can also do this by increasing the developer with each section you come across. So for the nape of the hair you start with 10 volume, then as you move your way towards the crown you switch to either 15 volume (equal parts of 10 volume and 20 volume) or 20 volume developer. Then as you move to the sides, 20 volume or 30 volume developer.

The texture of the hair is what determines the diameter of the individual hair strand. If the hair is fine, it will process much quicker than if it is coarse, so a lower volume of developer should be used with fine hair.

This is because permanent hair dye color molecules are made to permanently alter the cortex of the hair. Bleach is the only thing that will remove them (regular hair dye will not). It often takes longer to decolorize safely, and oftentimes needs to be done in multiple sessions.

The quality of the permanent color also makes a big difference, and if it was a progressive dye or not. I talk a little about progressive dyes in my post here about box dye. Most box dyes are progressive, so it takes significantly longer to remove from the hair than professional hair color or virgin hair. Sometimes the hair can only be lifted to a certain extent before the hair breaks off.

This is a tricky one because if box dye was used, the hair is at more risk for damage so a lower volume is better. That being said, colored hair typically takes longer to lift, so a higher developer will get you further. This is why as hairstylists we hate box dye so much!

Olaplex is a brand of bond builder. Bond builders are chemicals made to strengthen the hair as it bleaches it. This was a ground breaking invention in the hair world, and enabled us to go to much further lengths of decolorizing hair without damaging it.

I always recommend taking a low and slow route when bleaching the hair. This is because you can cause irreversible damage to the hair if you over process it. The worst that will happen with using too low of a developer, is the need to reapply more bleach.

My best recommendation is to start very low with your developer strength, starting at 6 or 10 volume. I never recommend starting above 20 volume with bleach. Then, after you finish your last section of application, go back and check your first section applied.

If you need to, you can now mix up a new bowl of bleach and apply it to the hair. This will restart the processing time of 55 to 60 minutes, meaning the hair will continue to process up to the desired level.

Developer is hydrogen peroxide that activates bleach to decolorize (or lighten) the hair. The developer strengths are what determine the speed at which the bleach will work. They come in 6, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 volume options.

To increase processing without using a higher developer, re-apply a new mixture of bleach after the bleach processing time is up (usually around 1 hour). The bleach will begin processing again to get up to the desired shade.

Developer is, quite simply, hydrogen peroxide. Different companies will include different additives but at a base level the hydrogen peroxides job is to lift the cuticle layer of the hair. The stronger the developer the more the cuticle opens and the more lightening of natural pigment it has.

5 volume is becoming a more used developer but often teamed with semi and demi-permanent colour lines for its minimal effect on the cuticle and deposit only. The hair will no longer be virgin and it will shift the natural shade a very small amount, however, it will not offer grey coverage or lift. Its role is as an activator for the color and will typically be in developers specifically made for glazes and toners.

10 volume will slightly open the cuticle and allow for moderate penetration of color molecules. Similar to 5 volume, 10 volume can be used with permanent color lines for depositing color, however, it will not offer much grey coverage or lift. If the hair is a finer fabric it could over a slight one level lighter shift in base color and grey blending. 10 volume is also the default developer for many toners and glazes, however, keep in mind that this higher volume developer means a possible shift to the natural base color. When 10 volume is used with bleach it can give 1-4 levels of lift depending on the bleach, the method of application, and the hair.

20 volume is likely the most used developer in the salon. 20volume will give 1-2 levels of lift when used with permanent hair color. It is the standard developer for grey coverage, however, a stronger developer may be needed for more resistant hair types. 20 volume should not be used as a developer for toner or glazes especially when wanting to maintain a natural base. When used with bleach, 20 volume is a powerful tool lifting 1-9 levels depending on the bleach, method of application, and hair type/history. 20 volume is the highest level of developer that should be used on the scalp with bleach as the scalp produces more heat and increases the power of the developer.

30vol developer is ideal for lifting 3 levels using permanent hair color depending on the texture and natural depth of the hair. It can also be used for grey coverage on more resistant hair types. When used with bleach and foils 30 volume works fast and may incur the risk of over-processing. This developer is more ideal for open-air processing.

Since the primary active ingredient of a developer is hydrogen peroxide any developer should work with most any color line. HOWEVER, many color lines spend years formulating a specific developer to best work with their color formula and thus lift, tonality, longevity and consistency can only be guaranteed when using the ideal partner products. With Eva Professional colour being a cross between gel and cream, we have developed a lighter textured liquid/cream developer to give our product a creamy, silky texture during application. It ensures the cuticle opens and delivers gentle colour into the cortex of the hair. We always recommend using our developer with Eva colour.

Pro-tip: because our colour is softer in texture, using our developer will make your colour go further. If you use a thicker developer the colour will be thicker and have less penetration of the cuticles.

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