Getting your hair dyed at the salon is quite expensive. Especially if you like to mix it up with funky colours every now and then; that hobby can get pretty expensive pretty fast.
The solution? Why not dye it yourself at home?
Turns out a hair job is not that difficult if you have the right hair developer options. Once you’ve got the best hair developer with you, then you’re free to experiment with whichever colours you like!
You can check the Buyer’s Guide for Hair Developers to pick the right one for your hair type & color or you can simply scroll down for Our Top Picks!
Best Hair Developer 2020:
Check out these best hair developers according to your own hair color.
BEST HAIR DEVELOPERS | HAIR COLOR | PRICE |
---|---|---|
Clairol Professional 10 Vol | Lifts Upto 1 Level | |
Wella KOLESTON WELLOXON | Lifts Upto 2 Levels | |
Schwarzkopf Blonde Me 20 vol | Lifts Upto 2-3 Levels | |
L'Oreal Oreor 20 Vol | Lifts Upto 2-3 Levels | |
Clairol Professional 30 vol | Lifts Upto 4-5 Levels | |
L'Oreal Oreor 30 vol | Lifts Upto 4-5 Levels | |
Manic Panic Flash 40 Vol | Lifts upto 7-8 Levels |
Most often even after using the hair developers, toners are still required which is why we have the right and the best hair toners for you.
1. Clairol Professional Creme Developer 10 Vol
- Deep conditioning with soy4plex Activator
- Adds a tint without lifting a level, 3% peroxide
- 10 volume creme developer
- Creamy consistency with easy spread-ability
PROS | CONS |
---|---|
✅ Gentle on hair | ❌ None |
✅ Easy to apply | |
✅ No strong smell | |
✅ Cancels the unwanted color | |
✅ Affordable |
2. Wella KOLESTON WELLOXON PERFECT 20 Vol
- Lifts up to 2 levels, 6% peroxide
- 20 volume cream developer comes with a tint brush
- Most suitable for permanent and temporary dye
- Preferred for at-home application
PROS | CONS |
---|---|
✅ Perfect to use at home, especially for beginners. | ❌ Needs longer stay time for perfect result. |
✅ Deactivates metallic ions to eliminate copper-like shades. | |
✅ Color protecting barrier; longer retention of hair color. | |
✅ Easy to mix and apply. |
3. Schwarzkopf Blonde Me Developer 20 vol
- For conventional bleaching or toning naturally light hair
- 20 volume developer with 6% peroxide
- Rich formula to provide perfect colour application
- Safe for use at home
PROS | CONS |
---|---|
✅ Supports hair’s natural moisture balance. | ❌ Sometimes requires a toner after use. |
✅ The formula has a reduced water level to prevent the dilution of color. | |
✅ Easy to use at home and apply. | |
✅ Does not have a strong bleach-like fumes/smell. |
4. L’Oreal Oreor Creme Developer 20 Vol
- Consistent uniform colour and bleach results
- Thick, rich mixture consistency
- Greater client comfort
- 20 volume developer with 6% peroxide
PROS | CONS |
---|---|
✅ More than enough for long-length hair | ❌ A bit runny |
✅ Blends well | |
✅ Doesn’t have a strong smell | |
✅ Spreads easily |
5. Clairol Professional Soy4plex Developer 30 vol
- 30 volume developer, 9% peroxide
- Lift your up to 4-5 levels
- Creamy consistency for a more even application
- Can be used at home but requires slightly more care
PROS | CONS |
---|---|
✅ Lightens the hair a lot after just one application. | ❌ The consistency is a bit more liquidy than people prefer. |
✅ Easy to apply all over the hair. | ❌ Need to be handled with care as contains higher peroxide percentage. |
✅ Can be used with powder or liquid bleach. | |
✅ Lifts well without damaging. |
6. L’Oreal Oreor creme developer 30 vol
- 30 volume cream developer, 9 % peroxide
- Lifts the hair up to 4-5 levels
- Fully stabilized formula for efficient application
- Fine for at-home use but with care
PROS | CONS |
---|---|
✅ Lifts and lightens hair evenly and uniformly. | ❌ The higher level of peroxide can burn if not carefully used with gloves. |
✅ Provides amazing results in a short amount of time. | |
✅ Does not cause any significant damage to your hair. | |
✅ Mixes well and makes application easier. |
7. Manic Panic Flash Cream Developer 40 Vol
- Intended for natural medium brown, dark brown and black hair
- Comes with bleach powder and 40 volume cream developer
- Lifts hair up to 7 levels, 12% peroxide
- Recommended for professional use
PROS | CONS |
---|---|
✅ Dust-free bleach powder. | ❌ The quantity isn’t enough for longer hair. |
✅ Vegan and cruelty-free. | ❌ You need to be extremely careful with its application as it can burn. |
✅ Gluten, Paraben and Ammonia free. | |
✅ Leads to medium to very light blonde results. |
Which Developer to use for your hair type?
- Fine or thin hair: People with such hair should use a developer of the lower volume than recommended because thin hair is easier to dye and adapts to the colour very easily.
- Normal hair: They have a normal reaction to your hair. The recommended hair developer works just fine on normal hair type.
- Thick hair: They are very difficult to dye and one must use a developer of a higher volume than recommended for the desired color.
What level developer to use with bleach?
The volume developer matters on the results that you need. The darker the hair, the more lifting and lighting it will require and therefore a higher level of developer.
20 Volume Developer / 6% Peroxide :
– Lifts up to 2 levels
– Most widely used at home
– For temporary and permanent dyes because they require weaker developers30 Volume Developer / 9% Peroxide :
– Lifts up to 3-5 levels ( depending on hair type and texture )
– Used for permanent dyeing or as a lightener since it is stronger
– Requires some care and experience before using40 Volume Developer / 12% Peroxide
– Lifts up to 7 levels or sometimes more ( depending on hair type )
– Used mostly to lighten or bleach hair
– Recommended to be used by professionals or experienced individuals because of its strength
How to mix the best hair developers for optimal results?
The developer is mixed with the hair colour in a ratio to achieve the colour tint that you require. There are two things you need to keep in mind:
- The lighter the shade you require, the more developer you’ll need
- The darker the hair, the higher volume of developer to be used
The Mixing Ratios most commonly used are:
- 1:1
- 1:1.5
- 1:2
What is a hair developer and How does developer work?
Hair developers contain a chemical called “Hydrogen Peroxide” which opens the hair cuticles and oxidizes them to lead to a lighter colour. Any developer requires activation before it can be applied ie. bleach or dye to get the results that you need.
It opens up your hair for colour infiltration and makes dyeing bright or light colours easier. If you skip this step, then you will require a lot of dye applications before you can achieve the colour you desire.
Is developer damaging for hair?
The damage that it causes depends on the quality, brand and strength of the developer. If it lacks quality or if it has a higher peroxide percentage, it can slightly damage your hair but not to the limit of no return.
The application process also matters. If you use a higher volume developer at higher quantity, that too can be damaging so you need to know the right ratio.
CONCLUSION:
Do not go higher than that without advice from an experienced professional.
Check out the link for more details on how to use hair developers.
Leave a Reply