What volume peroxide should I use?

Peroxide, developer, activator, processing solution. It’s all the same thing. Just different names are used for different strengths and by different brands to describe peroxide. We can also use the word vol or describe the strength by percentage. Deciding on your colour tube is only part of the equation when formulating your hair colour. You also need to understand what peroxide you need based on your existing colour and your target colour. In this podcast I’ll be talking about when to use 10, 20, 30 and 40 vol peroxide, which will be the same strategy for 3,6,9 and 12% peroxide

Show notes for episode 104

Hydrogen Peroxide is the chemical name for what hair companies call developers, activators and similar names for the additive mixed with their colours.

Basically, 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.

PRO TIPS FOR PEROXIDE SELECTION:

10 vol or 3%

• Designed to be used with permanent colour to get 1-2 levels of lift or to deposit darker
• Can be mixed with bleach for lifting 1-4 levels lighter depending on the brand, application and technique
• Can be mixed with semi or demi permanents or when breaking the base if you are seeking to shift the natural base a little warmer and lighter 

20 vol or 6%

• Designed to be used with permanent colour to get 1-2 levels of lift or to deposit darker
• Standard developer choice for grey coverage
• Can be intermixed with bleach for lifting 1-9 levels of lift – depending on the application, saturation, technique and brand. 20vol is a strong and flexible peroxide solution that can achieve maximum lift when used effectively.

   

30 vol or 9%

• When mixed with permanent colour you can achieve 2-3 levels of lift 
• This might be your best developer choice for resistant grey coverage if you’re not getting satisfactory results with 6%
• Can be mixed with bleach for all off-scalp techniques, including foil highlights, balayage, freehand, basin balayage.

40 vol or 12%

• Can be mixed with permanent colour to achieve 3-4 levels of lift
• Designed to be mixed with high lift or special blonde series – usually with a 1:2 mix ratio for a maximum lift when bleach is not used, especially suitable for strawberry, honey. Rose gold blondes and creating a base for warmer pastels that don’t need a white platinum base
• Not suitable for mixing with bleach for on scalp or foil highlight techniques 

Listen to episode 104 of the Colour Kristina Talks Podcast for Hairdressers to learn when to use 10, 20, 30 or 40 vol peroxide.