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Hair oxidants

What is the use of oxidizing cream and how to choose it?

When you want to bleach and dye your hair on your own, it is essential to know the different products to use, their nature, composition, but mainly how your products act on the hair. The oxidizing cream is one of the essential products for a successful hair coloring, but you may not know the role it plays in the entire process.

In this article, discover our tips for choosing the oxidizing cream that will meet your needs.

What is an oxidizing cream?

The oxidizing cream is an essential element in the process of bleaching and coloring hair. In the hair salon, the oxidizing cream, associated with a coloring cream, allows the hair to be colored. The composition of the oxidizing cream is a mixture of hydrogen peroxide, which allows the hair to open and the color to fix well. In addition to hydrogen peroxide, there is a softening cream that gives softness to the hair and prevents it from becoming too dry. It is also used as a fixative to complete a perm.

The oxidizer has a dual action. Firstly, it brightens the hair pigments, and secondly, it allows the hair to be colored by the oxidation of the artificial pigments added to the oxidizing cream. There are oxidizing creams with or without ammonia. Regarding ammonia, opinions are quite divided, and this element strongly divides the "beauty addicts" community.

Increasingly, people want products as natural as possible, but you should know that even so-called ammonia-free products have a molecule similar to it. Aminoethanol is the most common substitute for ammonia and is used in the cream. In fact, ammonia is useful in the process, allowing the product to penetrate deeply into the hair; it is a catalyst.

Why use an oxidizing cream?

As explained above, an oxidizing cream, associated or not with a coloring cream, will generally lighten the hair, and the result is 100% guaranteed. There are many so-called "natural" hair colors, such as henna, but it does not have a perfect coverage power on all hair, especially on white or gray hair. The risk is that you need to repeat the coloring operation more frequently. In gray or white hair, we, therefore, prefer an oxidizing cream combined with a coloring cream for complete coverage and greater durability.

Oxidizing creams currently on the market are much less aggressive than a few years ago because manufacturers now add moisturizers, perfumes, etc., for the protection of your hair. The oxidizing cream contains hydrogen peroxide in different percentages depending on what you want to do with it, but it also contains cream and other ingredients that keep the hair softer.

You can also choose your oxidizing cream for financial or fun reasons, or both. Dyeing also saves money. If you opt for good quality products at a lower cost, including materials, home dyes can cost less than €30, while at the hairdresser, it costs almost four times the price.

However, be careful and use equipment to protect your chair from possible stains. Also, think of small cleaning cottons to erase traces of coloring from the skin (ears, forehead, etc.). A plastic bowl and brush for application. And finally, good gloves. Remember to tighten them so that they fit like a second skin. It will be easier for the application. Last but not least, pay attention to the quantities used.

Mixtures must be made precisely; read the instructions on the boxes. You must also remember to respect the interval time. Therefore, it's not just savings but also a way to have fun with your hair; the satisfaction of being able to say that you did it all yourself will certainly impress!

How to choose your oxidizing cream?

It is not easy to choose the right oxidizing cream. It can be found in all brands and at all prices. When you want to start, just ask yourself the right questions. First of all, you have to know what you want as a result and know your hair well. For creams, we will talk about "volumes." There are oxidizing creams of 10, 20, 30, and even 40 volumes. By volumes, we mean the amount of hydrogen peroxide present in the cream.

The 10-volume oxidizer will contain 3% hydrogen peroxide, the 20-volume will contain 6%, and so on. Depending on the volume, the effect will be different. Here is a quick summary of the different volumes and their use:

Cream oxidizer 10 volumes: This oxidizer is designed to obtain highlights, recolor bleached hair, or color without lightening. It still helps to lighten the hair evenly.
Cream oxidizer 20 volumes: This is ideal for coloring in the same tones or lightening slightly. It already has the power to cover gray hair and lighten by one to two tones.
Cream oxidizer 30 volumes: We will use it to lighten from three to four tones and enhance reflections.
Cream oxidizer 40 volumes: With its 12% hydrogen peroxide, it is perfect for very intense hair lightening, from four to six tones.

In conclusion, it must be remembered that it is the abuse of coloring that damages the hair, so it is up to you to measure the pace to give your hair to keep it healthy. Occasional and controlled coloring will give better results and will be less aggressive for the hair. For this, ask yourself the right questions and do not hesitate to consult hairdressing experts.

Your hairdresser can help you, or if you go to a specialized store, you can rely on the advice of the staff who often have training in hairdressing. Thus, they will be able to advise you perfectly and help you make the right choice. With or without ammonia, it's up to you, knowing that this molecule is replaced by another and that manufacturers strive to make their products as non-aggressive as possible. If you decide to use only oxidizing cream, ideally mix it with a color because alone, the oxidizing cream will not give a good result. Remember that the oxidizing cream serves to "open" the hair to receive the color and fix it in depth.