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What's the difference between 10 Developer and 20 developer?

Author

Emily Sparks

Published Jan 24, 2026

10 volume developer is meant to deposit pigment into the hair without lift. 20 volume developer is intended to lift the hair 1-2 levels.

Is 10 or 20 Developer better?

Use 10 Vol for level on level-on-level coloring and going darker. Use 20 Vol for 1-2 levels lift, for toning blonde hair and for grey hair coverage.

Will 10 vol lighten hair?

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.

Should I use 10 or 20 Developer bleach?

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.

What developer do I use for dark hair?

If you're going darker, you should use 10 developer. 20 – 40 developer can be used to lift 1-4 levels. 20 developer is best for grey coverage.

32 related questions found

Can I bleach my hair twice with 20 developer?

Bleach is a very harsh chemical and should not be used more than once in a 24-hour period. Serious damage can occur to the hair if it is applied more than once in a day. This includes breakage or severe damage that may cause permanent colour loss.

What does 10 developer do to hair?

The 10 volume developer is a standard oxidizing level for permanent, no-lift hair color. It's designed for use when you want to add a color tone or tint to the hair of the same lightness level. It also opens the hair cuticle layer, allowing the color molecules to penetrate and deposit in the cortex.

When should I use 10 volume developer with bleach?

Volume 10 developer opens the hair cuticle, allowing the color to penetrate and deposit into the cortex. For mixing with bleach, a Volume 10 developer is used when your current hair shade is close to your desired hair color. It provides a gentle lightening of 1-2 levels depending on your hair texture and history.

What's the best volume developer?

Top 15 Hair Developers For All Hair Colors And Types

  1. Schwarzkopf Professional Blondme Premium Developer. ...
  2. L'Oreal Professionnel Majicreme 20 Volume Developer. ...
  3. Salon Care 20 Volume Creme Developer. ...
  4. Wella Koleston Perfect 20 Volume Creme Developer. ...
  5. Marianna Super Star 40 Volume Creme Developer.

Can you use 10 developer to darken hair?

What volume developer should I use to darken hair? If you're going darker, you should use 10 developer. 20 – 40 developer can be used to lift 1-4 levels.

Can I use 10 volume developer with toner?

If you are using toner that mixes with a 10 or less volume developer, it's going to do little to no damage to your hair. That's because the higher the volume of developer, the more damage.

What volume developer is best for gray coverage?

Always Use a 20 Volume Developer

Grey hair tends to be resistant and typically takes longer to grab hold of the hair. Since there is no pigment, there is no need to lift. You just need to open the cuticle enough to deposit the color.

What can I mix with developer to lighten my hair?

If you're scared of using bleaching agents, or don't have bleach powder but want to lighten your hair, there is a really easy way. It involves mixing together 4 parts baking soda in 3 parts developer, 1 part shampoo, and 1 part conditioner.

How do I choose a developer?

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.

How do you get the orange out of bleached hair?

To cancel out unwanted brassy orange hair after bleaching, you would use blue color. Blue and orange are across from one another on the color wheel, meaning they cancel each other out. Depending on what shade of orange your hair is, it depends on what shade of blue you would use to cancel out orange.

What developer should I use for bleach?

Most bleach and hair color formulas use developer at either 10, 20, 30 or in some cases 40. Depending on the strength of the developer it can also lift the hair color level a bit.

How many times do I have to bleach my hair to get it platinum blonde?

Even when it's done by a professional, bleaching your hair will damage it a bit. Because going platinum blonde usually means at least two rounds of a bleach process (and potentially a third or fourth process depending on how your hair reacts to bleach), it's even more damaging than the usual blonde highlights.

How long do you leave 20 developer in your hair?

You shouldn't leave 20 volume developer bleach in your hair for more than 30 minutes. However, 30 minutes is a long time. Ideally, you can remove the bleach before reaching the 30-minute maximum, but the actual timeframe will depend on your natural hair color, preferred shade, and hair type.

What does hair developer do by itself?

Hair developer is designed to be used with a hair toner, bleach, or hair color. When you use it by itself, the following can happen: Your hair may not lift enough, necessitating additional lightening sessions and more chemicals. Your hair could end up an odd shade that you didn't expect.

How can I lighten my bleached hair without bleach?

Some of these aren't just good for natural, sun-kissed highlights; they'll leave your stands shinier and softer, too!

  1. Mix Up Your Lemon Juice with Conditioner. ...
  2. Apply Vitamin C to Your Hair. ...
  3. Use a Saltwater Solution. ...
  4. Add Apple Cider Vinegar. ...
  5. Combine Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide. ...
  6. Make a Cinnamon and Honey Mask.

What color covers grey hair Best?

Colors like butterscotch, light auburn and golden brown, or ash brown for those with a cool skin tone, are all versatile brunette shades that aren't too dark and are some of the best hair colors to hide gray.

How do you pre soften grey hair before coloring?

By pre-softening the hair with hydrogen peroxide (we call it the developer) your hair cuticles open so the pigment can be absorbed well. For this, apply the pure developer (hydrogen peroxide) to the grey strands. Use a comb to comb the developer through the areas that need pre-softening.

Can I color just the gray hair?

If your grays are not in a condensed spot, then you're in luck! A scattering of gray hair can give you a highlighted look. Create highlights without the fuss of pulling through a cap or trying to paint them on. All you need to do is apply a demi-permanent color all over your head.

Can you use 10 volume developer Wella?

The Wella Colour Charm Toners need to be mixed with Developer. You can use either 10 Vol Developer or 20 Vol Developer (more on this later).

Do toners damage hair?

IS TONER BAD FOR YOUR HAIR? No! Toner is meant to help your hair and simply helps to neutralize its tone. That being said, as with any coloring process, over-using toner on your hair can cause strain on your strands.