Best Hair Color Developers of 2026

Lisa Bechard Avatar
Lisa Bechard
Last Updated: Jan 12, 2026

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Choosing the perfect hair color can be a thrilling yet daunting task, especially considering the myriad of choices available in the market today. Not only is the shade important, but the choice of developer, the chemical that catalyzes the hair coloring process, is equally crucial. The right hair color developer can not just enhance the color, but also provide longevity and preserve hair health.

Welcome to our comprehensive buying guide of the best hair color developers. Whether you're an at-home hair color enthusiast or a professional hairdresser looking for the best products, our guide aims to simplify your search. From understanding the role of developers in the hair coloring process to exploring different developer strengths, and even showcasing the top-rated products on the market, our guide covers it all. So, dive in and let's unravel the world of hair color developers together.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

COLORCHARM 20 Volume Cream Developer Cover #TOP 1
COLORCHARM 20 Volume Cream Developer
ftb score rating icon 9.9
Color Charm 10 Vol Cream Developer Cover #TOP 2
Color Charm 10 Vol Cream Developer
ftb score rating icon 9.8
COLORCHARM 20 Volume Cream Developer Cover #TOP 3
COLORCHARM 20 Volume Cream Developer
ftb score rating icon 9.6

Top 10 Hair Color Developers

#TOP 1

COLORCHARM 20 Volume Cream Developer

20 Volume
COLORCHARM 20 Volume Cream Developer Cover
COLORCHARM Cream Hair Color Developer | 20 Volume | For Optimal Gray Blending and Rich Multi-Dimensional End Results | 32 Fl Oz

The COLORCHARM Cream Developer is specially formulated to deliver vibrant and multi-dimensional hair color results. With its 20 volume strength, it offers just the right amount of lift, making it perfect for use with various WELLA COLORCHARM products. You'll appreciate how it enhances gray blending, ensuring a natural finish that looks seamless. The creamy texture allows for easy application, whether you prefer using a bottle or a bowl and brush. Plus, its fragrance-free formula means you can color your hair without any unpleasant smells. This developer is also a vegan choice, free from animal-derived ingredients.

What We Like
Gentle on hair
Creamy easy-to-mix texture
Even color results
Effective gray coverage
Great value for size
What We Don't Like
Smell slightly strong
Bottle could be larger
#TOP 2

Color Charm 10 Vol Cream Developer

99350110813
10 Volume
Color Charm 10 Vol Cream Developer Cover
COLORCHARM Cream Hair Color Developer | 10 Volume | For Optimal Gray Blending and Rich Multi-Dimensional End Results | 15.4 oz

Color Charm Developer is designed to deliver optimal gray blending for your hair color needs. This developer ensures your grays seamlessly blend in, giving you rich, multi-dimensional end results. With Color Charm Developer, achieve a flawless finish every time. Its specialized formula caters to gray coverage, offering you professional-grade results at home. Experience the convenience of easy application and the benefit of vibrant, long-lasting color.

What We Like
Gentle on hair
Creamy, smooth consistency
Even, predictable color results
Effective gray coverage
Good value for size
What We Don't Like
Bottle could be bigger
Slight strong scent
#TOP 3

COLORCHARM 20 Volume Cream Developer

20 Volume
4 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)
COLORCHARM 20 Volume Cream Developer Cover
COLORCHARM Cream Hair Color Developer | 20 Volume | For Optimal Gray Blending and Rich Multi-Dimensional End Results | 4 Fl Oz

The COLORCHARM 20 Volume Developer is designed to give you vibrant and rich hair color by allowing deep color penetration. This means your hair color will look full and multi-dimensional. It offers a standard lift, which works well with WELLA COLORCHARM lighteners, toners, and permanent hair colors, helping you achieve the perfect shade. If you want to blend gray hairs naturally, this developer does a great job, making your hair look smooth and consistent. Its creamy texture makes it easy to apply, whether you use a bottle or a brush and bowl, ensuring a mess-free and comfortable coloring experience.

What We Like
Creamy, easy-mixing consistency
Gentle on hair
Even, reliable color results
Effective grey coverage
Great value for size
What We Don't Like
Small bottle size for price
Mild scent
#TOP 4

Clairol Professional Crème Hair Developer

99240014175
Clairol Professional Crème Hair Developer Cover
Clairol Professional Crème Permanente 20 volume Hair Developer, 16 oz. - Packaging May Vary

Clairol Professional Crème Hair Developer is a top-quality hair color developer that comes in a 16 oz hygienic pack. It is packed with a host of goodness and formulated with care to provide you with the best hair coloring experience. This hair developer is perfect for achieving vibrant and long-lasting hair color. The carefully crafted formula ensures that your hair is protected during the coloring process, leaving it soft and shiny. The hygienic packaging ensures that the product remains fresh and free from contamination. With Clairol Professional Crème Hair Developer, you can confidently achieve professional-quality hair color at home.

What We Like
Reliable gray coverage
Non-irritating formula
Creamy, non-drip consistency
Good value pricing
Convenient subscription option
What We Don't Like
Packaging seal uncertainty
#TOP 5

AGEbeautiful 20 Volume Gentle Creme Hair Developer

2987593
White
4 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)
AGEbeautiful 20 Volume Gentle Creme Hair Developer Cover
AGE beautiful 20 Volume Gentle Creme Hair Developer | For Permanent Hair Color Dyes, Toners, Lighteners | Professional Salon Coloring | Long Lasting Haircolor | 4 Fl Oz

AGEbeautiful 20 Volume Gentle Creme Hair Developer is a professional salon coloring product designed to provide long-lasting color. It has a soft floral fragrance and comes in a 4 fl oz bottle. The mixing ratio is 1:1 (equal parts color and developer). It can be used with either an applicator bottle or a bowl and brush.

What We Like
Creamy, easy-to-mix texture
Gentle on scalp and hair
Effective gray coverage
Minimal odor
Salon-quality, consistent results
What We Don't Like
Slight bottle size discrepancy
#TOP 6

L'Oreal Paris Oreor 20Volume Creme Developer

41090112
White
L'Oreal Paris Oreor 20Volume Creme Developer Cover
L'OREAL TECHNIQUE Oreor 20 Volume Developer - Hair Color Developer, Creamy Formula For Uniform Results, Combine With Color of Your Choice, 16 Fl Oz

L'Oreal Paris Oreor 20Volume Creme Developer is a thick, rich mixture consistency that provides consistent uniform color and bleach results. It is great for thicker hair types and offers greater client comfort. Customers have praised its easy application, minimal smell, and ability to remove color without bleach.

What We Like
creamy, easy-to-mix texture
consistent, vibrant coloring results
large bottle, good value
effective gray coverage
gentle on scalp
What We Don't Like
slightly runny consistency
smaller bottle than expected
#TOP 7

AGEbeautiful 10 Volume Gentle Creme Developer

2987667
White
AGEbeautiful 10 Volume Gentle Creme Developer Cover
AGE beautiful 10 Volume Gentle Creme Hair Developer | For Permanent Hair Color Dyes, Toners, Lighteners | Professional Salon Coloring | Long Lasting Haircolor | 16 Fl Oz

The AGEbeautiful 10 Volume Developer is designed to gently lift your hair color by one level, making it ideal if you want a subtle change. It lets you achieve professional salon-quality results right at home, saving you time and money on appointments. This developer works perfectly with AGEbeautiful’s Anti-Aging Permanent Liqui-Crème Haircolors, ensuring the right texture for easy application whether you use a brush, bowl, or applicator bottle. Plus, the simple 1:1 mixing ratio means you can quickly prepare your color mixture without any hassle, helping you get great results every time.

What We Like
Gentle on scalp
Even, vibrant color results
Excellent gray coverage
Easy to mix and apply
Creamy, non-drip consistency
What We Don't Like
Slight volume discrepancy
#TOP 8

AGE beautiful 10 Volume Hair Developer

2987592
White
4 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)
AGE beautiful 10 Volume Hair Developer Cover
AGE beautiful 10 Volume Gentle Creme Hair Developer | For Permanent Hair Color Dyes, Toners, Lighteners | Professional Salon Coloring | Long Lasting Haircolor | 4 Fl Oz

AGE beautiful Developer is a professional hair dye product designed to combat signs of aging hair. Infused with Biotin, it promotes fuller, thicker, and healthier-looking hair. It offers solutions for thinning, wiry gray, turning gray, dryness, and dullness. Experience fuller and shinier hair with improved manageability and radiant shine. Enjoy long-lasting color results at home with this gentle formulation, ensuring salon-worthy outcomes without the salon visit.

What We Like
Gentle on scalp and hair
Excellent gray coverage
Creamy, easy-to-mix consistency
Long-lasting, salon-quality results
No strong or harsh smell
What We Don't Like
Slightly less product than expected
#TOP 9

Clairol Professional Pure White 20 Volume Crème Developer

81584029
White
Clairol Professional Pure White 20 Volume Crème Developer Cover
Clairol Professional Pure White 20 volume Crème Developer, 16 oz (Pack of 1)

Clairol Professional's Pure White 20 Volume Crème Developer is a great choice for those looking to lighten their hair. It is recommended for bowl and brush or applicator bottle applications and features added conditioners for easy spreadability. It provides standard lightening action and superior gray coverage. Customers have found it to be a good value for their money and have had great results with it.

What We Like
Creamy, easy-to-mix texture
Effective gray coverage and lightening
No strong or unpleasant odor
Leaves hair shiny and healthy
Affordable, professional-grade results
What We Don't Like
Results depend on usage and volume
#TOP 10

Salon Care 20 Volume Creme Developer

2619746
Multi-colored
Salon Care 20 Volume Creme Developer Cover
Salon Care 20 Volume Creme Developer, Uniform Lift, Easy to Handle Cream Consistency, Stabilized Formula, 16 Ounce

The Salon Care Creme Developer is designed to give you even lifting and smooth color application, making your hair coloring process more consistent and professional-looking. Its regular lift formula ensures that your hair lifts to the right level without damage, perfect for achieving the desired shade. The stabilized formula keeps the developer effective and reliable, so you can trust it every time you use it. Plus, the soft floral scent makes the experience more pleasant by reducing harsh chemical odors. With the Salon Care Creme Developer, you get a product that’s easy to handle and delivers great results for your hair coloring needs.

What We Like
Even color lift
Consistent formula
Stabilized performance
Pleasant floral scent
What We Don't Like
Small bottle size
Price-to-size ratio
Best Hair Color Developers Feature Image

Unlock Your Hair's True Potential: The Ultimate Guide to the Best Hair Color Developers

Hair color developers are mixed with dyes for hair lightening or coloring. Developers are also called activators, which is an essential ingredient for dying hair. The product has hydrogen peroxide, and the higher the peroxide, the higher the developer volume. It's safe to note that many hair dyes come with activators in separate containers. Even if your dye comes without a developer, you can easily buy it at stores to dye your hair.

Hair color developers are created for most hair textures, and this allows you to get the needed developer appropriate for your hair type. The best hair color developers for textured hair consider textured hair and dyes the hair without causing damages. You need to pick the appropriate hair color activator for your hair texture, which is why you have to consider some factors.

Factors to consider before buy hair color developers

Developer levels: developer levels are essential to consider before purchasing your hair color developer. The developer helps the hair take in color by penetrating the cuticle, allowing dyes to stay in the hair for a longer duration. Different activators have levels that go from 10, 20, and even 30. It would be best if you used a 10 volume developer when you want less permanent hair coloring. You can consider using 20 and 30 if you want more permanent effects.

Dye type: you have to understand the type of dye you want to use for your hair. Not all hair dyes need developers, and using them in that aspect could damage the hair. You should read about your hair dye and know if developers are required for hair dying. There are hair color developers mixing guides that explain the best dye-to-developer ratios.

Hair type: your hair type is one of the most crucial determinants of your developer. The best hair color developers for straight hair are usually ones within the 20 and 30 levels. If you want to change your hair color to a shade much lighter than your hair color, you should use 30 level developers.

Benefits of hair color developers

Permanence: hair color developers help the hair take in color by penetrating the cuticle. Without hair developers, hair dyes won't last long or come out well after use. You are recommended to use the developers to have more natural-looking hair coloring.

Time-saving: you use your hair color developers at home or the salon as the hair easily takes in dyes without much effort. Developers contain hydrogen peroxide, and this is what makes them easily penetrate the hair.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can I dye my hair without developers?

Yes, you can dye your hair without developers, but it might not last long. Developers ensure hair color permanence, and this saves time and energy.

Which developer level is appropriate for turning brown hair to black?

Since brown is a shade lighter than black, a 10 level developer is enough to give the desired effect.

Editor's Notes

During our hair color developer research, we found 48 hair color developer products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 227,967 customer reviews through our big data system to write the hair color developers list. We found that most customers choose hair color developers with an average price of $7.32.

The hair color developers are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of hair color developers, including COLORCHARM, Clairol Professional, AGE beautiful, L'OREAL TECHNIQUE, AgeBeautiful. The seller of top 1 product has received honest feedback from 384 consumers with an average rating of 4.7.

Written by
Lisa Bechard Avatar

Lisa Bechard is a skin therapist with 12 years of working experience in the beauty industry and also an experienced beauty writer who has expertise in skincare, medical aesthetics and cosmetic surgery, and wellness. Her writing skills are excellent and all her content is very persuasive and insightful.

Hair Color Developers Comparison Table

#TOP1
#TOP2
#TOP3
#TOP4
#TOP5
#TOP6
#TOP7
#TOP8
#TOP9
#TOP10
Brand COLORCHARM COLORCHARM COLORCHARM Clairol Professional AGE beautiful L'OREAL TECHNIQUE AgeBeautiful AGE beautiful Clairol Professional Salon Care
Package Information Bottle Bottle Bottle Bowl Bottle Bottle Bottle Bottle Bottle Bottle
Product Benefits Standard lift, Vegan, Free of Animal-Derived Ingredients Formulated specifically for colortango hair color and toners for deposit only Standard lift, Vegan, Free of Animal-Derived Ingredients Creme Permanente Developer formulated with SOY4PLEX to activate the 4 signs of healthy looking color. A mixing must-have for salon-worthy results at home without the cost or time-consuming appointment. Consistent, even color and bleach results, with a thick, rich consistency for easier application. A mixing must-have for salon-worthy results at home without the cost or time-consuming appointment. A mixing must-have for salon-worthy results at home without the cost or time-consuming appointment. Standard lightening action, superior gray coverage Hair Coloring
Item Form Cream Liquid Cream Cream Cream Liquid Cream Cream Cream Cream
Color 20 Volume 10 Volume 20 Volume - White White White White White Multi-colored
FTB Score
ftb score rating icon 9.9
ftb score rating icon 9.8
ftb score rating icon 9.6
ftb score rating icon 9.4
ftb score rating icon 9.4
ftb score rating icon 9.2
ftb score rating icon 9.2
ftb score rating icon 9.0
ftb score rating icon 8.8
ftb score rating icon 8.7
Where to Buy