A 10 Volume developer provides minimal lift, perfect for depositing color. A 20 Volume developer lifts hair by 1-2 levels, while a 30 Volume developer lifts by 2-3 levels. A 40 Volume developer offers the most significant lift, up to 8 levels, for dramatic color changes.
“On virgin hair, you can most likely lift up to seven levels [in one session]. This can become harder on a darker level hair.” The strength of the bleaching agents used and how long they're left on the hair can also play a role in how fast or how slow your dark hair lightens.
It's best if you don't go up more than four levels in one sitting. You can go four more levels up after two-three weeks to get the lighter hair shade of your choice. Going from dark to light too quickly can cause your hair to become dry, brittle, and weak. It's not worth risking your hair by using bleach.
20 volume developer lifts hair color 2 levels and 30 lifts 3. so figure out how much lighter your desired shade is and go from there. be careful with roots since they are closer to your scalp that is a heat source and they will get lighter faster.
6, 7, 10, 13 volume developers are NO lift developers. This means they will not shift the current level. They do not have the ability to lighten hair. These developers are used with demi permanent hair color.
Hair dye volumes refer to the strength of the developer, which impacts the level of color lift. A 10 Volume developer provides minimal lift, perfect for depositing color. A 20 Volume developer lifts hair by 1-2 levels, while a 30 Volume developer lifts by 2-3 levels.
The standard developer for gray coverage is 20 Volume; however, 30 Volume and 40 Volume can also be used if the percentage of gray is low and additional lift is needed to achieve the desired result.
40 Volume Developer: As mentioned, 40 volume developer is used for maximum lift and can lighten hair up to four levels. It's the best choice for individuals aiming for a dramatic hair color change, such as going from dark brown to platinum blonde or removing dark pigments from hair.
Using too much developer can lead to over-processing, which means that the hair cuticles can get damaged, leaving the hair looking dull, dry, and brittle. Plus, the color won't turn out the way you want it to, and you might even end up with a funky, uneven color that looks like a unicorn threw up on your head.
The Color Wheel Shows You Which Hues Tone Orange Hair
It tells you which hues 'cancel' each other out for a balancing effect. In the case of orange hair, a touch of blue pigment will cool and calm hair that is too warm, while a hint of violet is also helpful for yellow/orange strands, on a level 7.
You also cannot get a very high level of lift with permanent hair color, typically 1-3 levels. High-lift hair color is the next step, which will do 3-5, and lightener must be used if you want to lift 5 or more levels and lighten the underlining warmth.
Baking Soda Paste
Baking soda can be an effective way to remove permanent hair dye naturally because of its lightening properties. Try mixing baking soda with lemon juice, which is acidic, to create a paste. Then, work the paste through your hair, allow it to sit for five minutes, and rinse thoroughly.
Caramel highlights on dark brown hair can be achieved through hand-painted balayage or foils to lighten the base subtly. When the color is evenly distributed and placed in the right areas, it should mimic what the sun does naturally: give the hair a more dimensional look.
While bleach opens up the hair cuticle more forcefully for intense lightening, a 30 volume developer on its own can still help to lift color by about two to three levels, depending on your natural hair color. This option is ideal if you want to avoid the harsh effects of bleach but still desire a lighter color.
If your hair is brown, you may need to bleach it more than once before you apply the grey dye. It's important you get your hair as light as possible before you attempt to turn it grey – this will help ensure a more even tone and vibrant, all-over colour.
Here's how it can be used: Gray Coverage: It's strong enough to cover gray hair, which typically needs more help to fully absorb color. Lightening: It can lift the hair color by one to two shades, which is ideal if you're looking for a subtle lightening effect.
You can lift natural hair up to three levels lighter with a 9% developer, or achieve up to five levels of lift with a 12% developer. You're also able to combine mix tones with Special Blonde shades to create truly bespoke colours.
If you're looking to lighten your hair by more levels than the 20 developer, 30 volume developer is a good option. As with the 20, it's also a good choice if you're looking to cover up some gray hair.
By using a 20-volume developer, you can lighten your hair by 1-2 levels, making it a versatile choice for both coloring and lightening.
Pigment loss occurs naturally in hair as we age. Along with the changes in pigmentation, grey hairs can also undergo structural changes Grey hair is often also coarser. The outer cuticle layer of greys can be more tightly packed and layered, making them resistant to colour absorption.
It could be that your hair is resistant to tint, especially when the hair texture has changed as a result of going white. But also it could be that by going lighter, either all over, or by introducing (subtle) highlights you would not see the regrowth strip quite as quickly as if it were lighter.
Is it better to go lighter or darker to cover grey hair? As for your permanent colour kit choice, for the best grey coverage, Josh recommends choosing a shade close to your natural root colour (that's the colour between the greys.) "Make sure to never stray more than two shades away from this,” says Josh.