Hair Color Mixing Calculator
The short answer
Mix colour and developer at the ratio printed on the tube: 1:1 for Wella Koleston Perfect and Schwarzkopf Igora Royal, 1:1.5 for L'Oréal Majirel, and 1:2 for demi-permanent lines like Wella Color Touch. For shoulder-length hair at medium density, plan on about 3 oz (90 g) of total mixture, adjusted up for dense or coarse hair and for the percentage of grey you are covering.
Mixing Calculator
The hair
The mix
20 Vol — grey coverage, one level of lift (6%)
92 G mixture
How the amounts are calculated
The calculator works backwards from the hair instead of starting with a guessed total. Base mixture amounts are set per service for each hair length from pixie to waist-plus, then adjusted for density — fine hair takes up to 25% less product, coarse hair up to 50% more — and for grey coverage, which can add up to 20% more colour mass for saturation.
The total is then split into colour and developer at the mixing ratio you choose, and the colour portion is divided between the shades in the formula: one colour, or two or three blended shades with custom shares. Amounts are shown in ounces or grams, using the professional rule of 30 grams per ounce.
Three steps to a precise mix
- 1Describe the hair: length, density, grey percentage and the service you are running — full colour, roots, highlights, balayage, toner or a correction.
- 2Choose your brand: Wella, L'Oréal, Schwarzkopf, Redken, Matrix, Pravana, Pulp Riot, Goldwell and Paul Mitchell presets fill in the manufacturer's mixing ratio automatically.
- 3Read the formula: each colour, the developer and the total mixture in ounces or grams, with the developer volume that matches the goal.
Mixing ratios by brand
| Brand line | Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wella Koleston Perfect | 1:1 | High-lift 12-series runs 1:2 |
| Wella Color Touch | 1:2 | Demi-permanent |
| L'Oréal Majirel | 1:1.5 | 50 ml colour to 75 ml developer |
| L'Oréal INOA | 1:1 | With INOA Rich oxidant only |
| Schwarzkopf Igora Royal | 1:1 | |
| Redken Shades EQ | 1:1 | Acidic gloss |
| Matrix SoColor | 1:1 | |
| Pravana ChromaSilk | 1:1.5 | |
| Pulp Riot Semi | 1:2 | Semi-permanent |
| Goldwell Topchic | 1:1 | |
| Paul Mitchell Pop XG | 1:1.5 |
Developer volumes at a glance
| Volume | Peroxide | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Vol | 3% | Deposit only — toners and demi-permanent work |
| 20 Vol | 6% | Grey coverage and one level of lift |
| 30 Vol | 9% | Two levels of lift — high-lift blondes |
| 40 Vol | 12% | Maximum lift; normally off-scalp only |
Blending two levels
Levels run from 1 (deepest black) to 10 (lightest platinum blonde). Blend two levels in equal parts and the result lands roughly halfway between them, so a 6 mixed with an 8 gives you about a 7.
Stay within two to three levels of difference for predictable results, and weight the mix towards the level you want to finish at. Tone blends on the colour wheel in the same way.
Frequently asked
How much hair colour do I need for shoulder-length hair?
About 3 oz (90 g) of total mixture at medium density. At 1:1.5 that is 1.2 oz of colour to 1.8 oz of developer; at 1:1 it is 1.5 oz of each. Add up to 25% for thick or coarse hair and take off up to 25% for fine hair.
How much hair colour do I need for long hair?
Past mid-back at medium density, budget 4 to 6 oz (120 to 180 g) of mixture. Waist-length hair can need 6 to 8 oz, especially when it is thick or coarse, while fine hair needs roughly a quarter less.
What is the most common colour to developer ratio?
1:1.5 is the most common ratio for permanent colour, and the one L'Oréal Majirel uses. Wella Koleston Perfect and Schwarzkopf Igora Royal mix 1:1, and demi-permanent lines such as Wella Color Touch mix 1:2.
What is the difference between 10, 20, 30 and 40 volume developer?
Developer volume controls lifting power. 10 Vol (3% peroxide) deposits only and is used for toners and demi-permanent colour. 20 Vol (6%) covers grey and lifts one level. 30 Vol (9%) lifts two levels and is common for high-lift blondes. 40 Vol (12%) gives maximum lift and is usually kept for off-scalp lightening.
What is the mixing ratio for Wella Koleston Perfect?
1:1 for most permanent shades: equal parts colour and Welloxon Perfect developer. Special Blonde and high-lift 12-series shades shift to 1:2. A standard tube is 60 g.
What are the mixing ratios for L'Oréal Majirel, INOA and Dia Light?
Majirel mixes 1:1.5, so 50 ml of colour takes 75 ml of Oxydant cream developer. INOA runs 1:1 with INOA Rich oxidant only. Dia Light demi-permanent mixes 1:1.5.
How do I mix two hair colours together?
The finished level is the weighted average of the two shades and the tones blend on the colour wheel, so equal parts of a 6 and an 8 land around a 7. Stay within two to three levels of difference and never mix permanent with demi-permanent in the same bowl.
What is the bleach to developer ratio for lightening?
Most professional lightener powder mixes 1:2: one part bleach to two parts developer. Schwarzkopf Blondme and Redken Flash Lift are 1:2, and Wella Blondor runs 1:1.5 to 1:2. Weigh powder on a digital scale rather than scooping it.
Can I save these formulas for each client?
Not in the calculator, which is deliberately login-free. Styleit.to stores the formula on the client profile, brings it up on the next visit and previews the colour on the client before you mix.
Keep reading
- What Developer Ratio Do I Need? Colour Mix CalculatorEnter colour weight and ratio, get the developer weight in grams — no login, no signup.
- How Many Grams of Colour Do I Need Per Service?Root touch-up, full-head, or foils — how much colour to mix so you stop wasting tubes.
- What Do Hair Colour Levels 1 to 10 Mean?The level system from black to platinum, with what each step actually looks like on a head.
- What Developer Do You Use for a Root Touch-Up?Deposit or lift, and how much — the decision tree for developer on a root retouch.
Part of Tools in the S2 Academy.