The way people are using 20 volume developer for everything is a real problem

I mean, I see it all the time in my chair and on social media, folks just grabbing 20 vol for every single color job. It's way too strong for a lot of things. I had a client come in last Tuesday with hair that felt like straw because her old stylist used 20 vol on a simple root touch-up for six months straight. You only need 10 vol for deposit-only color, and 20 vol is for lifting maybe two levels. Using it wrong breaks down the hair cuticle way too fast. It's not a one-size-fits-all product. Has anyone else had to fix a ton of damage from this lately?

2 comments

2 Comments

troyjackson11d ago

Can we talk about the 20 vol on dark hair trend? I'm guilty of overusing it early on and had to fix my own mess, so I get the appeal of a strong developer. That rush to lift can really backfire when the hair just snaps off.

lisa_murray11d ago

Honestly, sometimes you just need that aggressive lift to get anywhere on level 4 hair. A slower developer means more heat damage from repeated processing. If you know your timing and monitor it closely, a 20 volume can be the cleaner, faster route to a good blonde.