Regular Lift Developer
However, the developer is labeled as "20 volume cream, regular lift." I’m a little confused because since I’m coloring her hair a dark shade, will this developer still work properly even though it says "regular lift" on it? Or do I need to buy a different developer for this process?
A: The developer you currently have - 20-volume peroxide - is actually perfectly suitable for coloring your mom’s hair to a level 2.
When working with hair color, darkening the hair is generally easier and requires less chemical processing than lightening it. The key difference between developers (also known as peroxide activators) lies in their volume levels, which determine how much they can lift (lighten) the natural hair before depositing the new color.
• 10-volume developer is considered a "no-lift" developer. When mixed with hair color, it does not lighten the existing hair at all. It simply helps open the hair cuticle to deposit the new color. This is ideal if you’re only darkening the hair or covering gray without changing the underlying lightness level.
• 20-volume developer (the one you have) provides one to two levels of lift during the coloring process. This means it can slightly lighten the hair before depositing the new shade. For example, if your mom’s natural hair is a level 4 (medium brown), a 20-volume developer can help take it down to a level 3 (dark brown) or level 2 (very dark brown). If her hair is already a level 1 (black), the 20-volume developer will still work because it provides enough lift to ensure the color penetrates evenly.
• Higher-volume developers (30, 40, or even 50-volume) are used for more dramatic lightening, such as when going several shades lighter than the natural color. These are typically used for high-lift blondes or fashion colors rather than dark shades.
Since you’re darkening your mom’s hair, you technically only need a 10-volume developer, as it provides enough activation for color deposit without unnecessary lifting. However, 20-volume will still work. It just means there may be a slight lift before the darker color sets in. If her hair is already very dark (level 1-3), this won’t be an issue.
Thus, you don’t need to buy a different developer for this application. The 20-volume you have will do the job, though in the future, if you’re only depositing darker shades, a 10-volume developer would be the most gentle and precise option.
You also need to take these things into consideration when dyeing hair:
Heat, such as from a blow dryer or a processing cap, can slightly increase the lifting action of the developer. This means that applying gentle heat during the coloring process may help the color penetrate more effectively, especially when working with a lower-volume developer like 20-volume. But, excessive heat should be avoided, as it can cause uneven processing or hair damage.
Hair porosity and texture also play a significant role in how the color develops. Finer hair or hair with higher porosity (often due to previous chemical treatments, sun exposure, or frequent heat styling) tends to absorb color more quickly. This means it may lift slightly more than expected, even with a lower-volume developer like 20-volume. On the other hand, coarse or resistant hair may require a longer processing time or slightly higher developer strength to achieve the desired result.
©Hairfinder.com
See also:
How to color hair
How to do a hair porosity test