Water
Hydrogen Peroxide (3% - 12%)
Thickener
Emulsifiers / Surfactants
Stabilizers
Acids
Buffer
Fatty Phase
Thickeners and Emulsifiers
Water Phase
Water, Alkalizing agents, Buffer, Surfactants, Reducing and complexing agents, Perfume and care ingredients
Dyestuffs
Oxidative dyes with Couplers and Precursor, Direct Dyes
H2O2 and color builder react together to become dyestuffs. The oxidative colors react when adding H2O2 as a developer. This oxidation causes the colorless color builders in the mass to form dyes that can be stored inside the hair.
The ready developed dyes attach to the hair and last for a long time.
Oxidative dyes mainly stick on the inside of the hair.
Colorists often ask if the red dyestuff in a light color is the same as the red dyestuff in a darker color. The answer is no. There are many reds, browns, coppers or golden dyestuff-combinations that appear in different shades.
The development of an oxidative hair color is very complex. The chemist has to choose from several couplers and precursors to develop a new shade. The mixture of a precursor with different couplers leads to various results. Each precursor/coupler combination has its own specific shading. There are several combinations in one single shade.
Learn more about Color Theory here.