Advice for choosing professional cosmetics

1) Dyeing Hair with Professional Hair Colours

Dyeing your hair with professional hair colours is often more complex than using drugstore products. To achieve salon-quality results, you almost always need to purchase two products:

• the professional hair colour of your choice, and a developer (also referred to as an oxidant or activator),
• or a lightening powder or cream and a developer.

These two components are mixed in a specific ratio to create a colouring mixture, which is then applied to the hair.

Developers are often sold in large packages, but some brands offer small, single-use options (e.g. Wella Professionals Welloxon Perfect or Schwarzkopf Professional Igora Royal). We always recommend mixing the hair colour only with the developer specifically designed for that brand or range.

2) Types of Hair Colours

• Temporary colours: Designed to wash out after 1–3 shampoos. They contain larger pigment molecules that sit on the hair surface. Usually available as sprays or coloured chalks. Temporary pigments can also be found in some shampoos or conditioners.
• Semi-permanent colours: Typically last 4–15 shampoos. They are non-oxidative (do not require mixing with a developer) and often based on herbal or natural pigments.
• Demi-permanent colours: Last about 10–25 shampoos. These combine permanent and semi-permanent colouring technologies. The process is partially oxidative and partially pigment-based. Low levels of peroxide ensure gentle colouring.
• Permanent colours: Provide long-lasting results. The chemical process involves mixing the colour with a medium or strong developer. Almost any shade can be achieved with this method.
• Lighteners and bleaching powders*: Special powders or creams used for highlighting or bleaching. These products can lighten the hair by up to 8 levels.

Learn more in our blog article → Types of Professional Hair Colour – How to Choose the Right One

3) Hair Colour Numbering – How to Choose the Right Shade?

Professional hair colours are often labelled using numbers or combinations of numbers and letters. The first number indicates the depth of the tone — the higher the number, the lighter the shade (e.g. 2 = black, 12 = platinum blonde).Following numbers or letters indicate the colour reflects or nuances.

Full guide available here → How to Understand Hair Colour Numbering? Choose the Right Shade

4) How to Choose the Right Developer Strength

The strength/concentration of a developer is indicated in percentages (%) or volume units (Vol). The higher the value, the stronger the developer — and the greater the lightening effect.

• No or low-volume developers are used for temporary colours.
• Medium-volume developers are used for tone-on-tone or darker permanent colouring.
• High-volume developers* are necessary for lightening or grey coverage.

For more advice, read → How to Choose the Right Developer?

5) What is Cabinet Packaging?

• Cabinet packaging is intended for professional use in hairdressing or beauty salons.
• These packages focus less on design and more on function.
• ****The price is lower thanks to simpler packaging.
• The product inside is identical to the version sold in standard retail packaging.

You can find cabinet packaging, for example, in products from Babor.