TIL I was over-processing my color corrections

For years, I'd slap a full 30 volume developer on any color fix, even for just a few levels of lift. Last month, a stylist from the Portland salon I visited showed me her method: she uses 10 volume for anything within two shades of the target. I tried it on a client with old box black, aiming for a dark brown, and the result was way more even with less damage. The lower developer gave me more control and less banding. Has anyone else switched to lower volume for subtle corrections?

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patriciap527mo ago

Honestly, it's like we all got taught to use a sledgehammer for every nail. I was doing the same thing, blasting highlights with 40 volume when a 20 would have been fine. My clients' hair felt like straw for a week. That control you get with a lower volume is a game changer, especially on those tricky corrective colors where you need to move slow.

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stone.piper7mo ago

Remember my fried bangs phase, @patriciap52?

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samwalker6mo ago

I get the idea, but sometimes you really do need that extra lift. Some hair types just don't budge with a lower volume.

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