Have you ever wondered what happens if you use too much developer when dying your hair? Hair coloring has become a routine maintenance practice for women with all hair colors and textures.
Dyeing your hair includes going through a specific process to ensure you get the color you desire. A professional can easily do this process, but if you’re looking to mix the ingredients yourself, you need to know the right ratio.
You may use too much developer, or you may wonder what can happen if you use more hair color than the developer. Either one will result in unexpected and disfavorable outcomes.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Why Does Developer Mix with Hair Dye?
You need to use hair dye to get your desired color and a developer to lift your hair cuticles to break down the pigment.
The developer mixes with hair dye because it contains hydrogen peroxide to open your hair cuticles. The developers ensure that the color penetrates deep into your hair for a long-lasting finish.
Here are the top five reasons why developer mixes with hair dye:
- Activation
- Better Results
- Color Delivery
- Color Removal
- Consistency
The developer is an essential part of the hair dyeing process. Without this product, your hair won’t retain the desired color, and you’ll be stuck with semi-permanent or undyed hair. In addition, it’s a fairly inexpensive product, so boxed hair dye comes with a developer for you to use.
The developer mixes with hair dye better than bleach. Bleach weakens your hair and doesn’t open the cuticles in the same way.
What Is The Standard Ratio of Developer to Hair Dye?
The standard ratio of developer to hair is 1:1. However, these numbers are subject to change due to many different hair dye factors.
First, know the type of hair dye you’re using. For example, if you’re using a permanent hair dye, then you’ll need more developers than if you were using a semi-permanent dye.
Second, the darkness or lightness of your hair dye color. Darker hair dyes like browns, blacks, and vibrant colors require more developer. Lighter hair dyes require less developer.
Hair developers come in different volumes, which correlate to the lightness or darkness of your desired hair color.
A higher developer volume lifts more pigment from your natural hair color, which gives you a lighter color. The opposite is true for a lower developer volume, which gives you a darker finish.
Third, you need to know your hair type. People with thick hair need more developers to cover their entire heads. If you have thin or fine hair, then you don’t need as much developer to dye your whole head.
What Will Happen If I Use Too Much Developer in Hair Dye?
If you use too much developer, your finished hair will be softer and lighter than you intended. So, if you wanted a vibrant or darker color, it won’t look how you want it to.
The downside to adding too much developer is that you cannot take it away once it’s mixed in with your hair dye.
Always start with low volume developers, then continue to add more if you need.
As you know, the developer lifts the cuticle, so you need to work fast when putting the dye on your hair. Also, the longer you leave the developer, the weaker your hair becomes.
Even if you use too much developer, you need to remember that the chemicals that make up the hair developer will damage your hair if it’s left to sit for too long. You should work faster than normal with too much developer when dyeing your hair.
What Will Happen If I Use More Hair Dye Than Developer?
The best part about using more hair dye than a developer is that you can add more developers if needed. However, it would be best if you always started with as little developer as necessary.
In terms of what will happen to your hair, if you use more hair dye than the developer, you’ll end up putting a dry mixture on your hair. Also, with more hair dye, you won’t be lifting enough of your hair’s natural color.
Without enough developer, your finished hair will look patchy, and the hair color will be distributed unevenly throughout your hair.
What to Do If I Mix Too Much Developer in Hair Dye?
The best option, in this case, would be to throw away the mix and start over. But, as a result, you’ll need to get new hair dye and start the coloring process from scratch.
In order to avoid this mistake, start with the standard one-part developer to one-part hair dye. The adjustments of the developer depending on how dark or light you want your hair and the thickness of your hair.
If you’ve mixed too much developer in the hair dye and already put it on your hair, you’re racing against the clock.
Rinse your hair with warm water until the water runs clear. Then shampoo and condition your hair as normal. However, you should get a color-protecting shampoo to keep your color from fading. A sulfate and paraben-free shampoo is the best option for anyone with colored hair.
The developer has a potent odor, so if you use too much, you need to ensure you’re in a well-ventilated room.
From this guide, you now know what can happen if you use too much developer in hair dye. So before you start dyeing your hair, make sure you know the factors contributing to the developer you need.
Once you’ve finished dyeing your hair, remember to do touch-ups because your color will fade over time.
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