If you have died your hair a shade of blonde, but the color is a little “too blonde” for your taste, you may be thinking to darken the color using hair toner. Think again! Toner has a special function for dyed hair, but it isn’t a color darkener.
Toner is not a darkening product as such, it will, however, neutralize or tone down brassiness in bleached hair. It works to lessen orange or yellow undertones and create shades that are ashy, dusty, or even platinum.
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Hair Toner: What Is It?
Any natural hair color that is darker than a light blonde shade will have some orange and red in the pigment found in hair shafts.
When you bleach or lighten hair, the chemicals used work to lift these pigments out of the hair shaft to some degree. Hair toner is a hair care product that is generally used after bleaching to tone down or soften colors that appear to be too intense.
It is specifically used to calm undesirably intense yellow, orange, or red tones present after bleaching.
The Uses of Toners on Your Hair
The primary use for a toner is to leave you with a more natural shade of the hair color you have selected. Let’s say hair will appear less as a “bottle blonde” and more as if it were a natural blonde.
While toner can modify the undertones present in hair dyes and after bleaching, it will not remove the shade of the color. This is the reason it is used with bleached or dyed blonde hair.
A toner can also be applied to adjust blonde highlights in hair, or you can influence your shade of blonde to a fantasy color like pink or purple.
Toner can be used for an entire head of hair or may be applied to specific patches of hair where you want to tone down the shade of blonde. It can likewise be used on hair roots to make them seem more naturally colored.
Will Toner Make My Hair Darker?
If you want your entire hair color to be darker, toner is not a recommended solution. You should opt for a hair dye color that is at least two if not three shades darker than the base color of your hair.
Toner is used to darken or toning down brassy undertones in bleached and dyed blonde hair. It is not a dye product to darken the color per se.
Consider toner a product for neutralizing unwanted undertone colors that can appear after you have bleached your hair. It will not change color.
Kinds of Toners
Three kinds of products are used to tone hair after bleaching or dyeing. These include:
1. Ammonia toner
Toners that use ammonia as a base are known as demi-permanent hair colors. This kind of toner will modify the pigment structure in the hair shaft.
Ammonia-based toners can be applied several days after bleaching has been done to prevent added stress to newly bleached hair.
This kind of toner is generally blended with a hair developer lotion and applied to hair for approximately half an hour. This can differ from one brand to the next, so read the indications found on the packaging.
2. Blue or purple shampoo
Another popular method for toning down hair color is by shampooing with blue shampoo or purple shampoo. The blue shampoo is used to contrast orange tones in brunette hair shades that have been bleached or lightened.
Purple shampoo is very effective in contrasting brassy tones in blonde hair colors. You can substitute your regular shampoo with these once or twice weekly.
3. Hair Dye
An alternative to a toner is hair dye. It is not the same but can obtain similar results. To contrast unwanted brassiness or overtones in blonde hair colors, blend a minimal amount of purple hair dye into your non-colored hair conditioner. Leave the conditioner in for 15 minutes to a half hour and then rinse your hair thoroughly.
Choosing a Toner
If you have bleached or dyed your hair blonde and just wish to eliminate or soften yellow undertones, you may be able to do this easily with a purple shampoo. The purple color neutralizes brassiness in hair colors affording a more natural-looking blonde hue.
If you need to tone stronger undertones, an ammonia-based toner is most likely the better option, particularly in cases where orange overtones appear.
When selecting a toner, it’s fundamental that you also consider:
1. Your hair type
Look for a toner that is suitable for the texture of your hair.
2. Your hair color
Look for an appropriate hair toner for your color of bleached or dyed hair. Decide beforehand what shade you hope to achieve by using a toner.
After all, you want the toner to remove unwanted undertones. A blue toner works well against orange undertones while violet works best for yellow undertones.
3. Ingredients contained in the toner
Treated hair needs to be conditioned and nourished particularly after harsh chemical treatments. The best toners will leave hair looking healthy, shiny, and soft to the touch.
If your hair has been heavily treated or repeatedly treated, ammonia-based toners may prove to be too harsh. Select a toner with oils among the ingredients.
Keratin is also an ingredient to have in a toner. It is highly nourishing and leaves hair looking smooth and easily manageable.
When to Apply a Toner
Toners should be applied after hair has been bleached. A shampoo toner can be used immediately after bleaching if you want.
Ammonia-based toners should be used several days after the bleaching has been done to give your hair some time to recuperate. Bleaching uses harsh chemicals that potentially damage hair.
How Do I Apply a Toner?
Once you have selected your toner, you’ll need an applicator brush, a developer, and the toner as well as a hydrating shampoo and a deep conditioner.
Blend one part toner with two parts developer lotion. Using the applicator brush, coat your hair with the mixture and make sure to get the areas where unwanted undertones appear.
Leave the toner in your hair for no longer than 45 minutes. Shampoo using a moisturizing formula and then apply a deep conditioner to the wet-toned hair.
Toner can be reapplied after approximately 8 weeks as color-dyed hair tends to fade with time and can turn brassy.
How Can I Protect My Toned Hair?
Hair unfortunately can fall victim to pollution, excessive sun exposure, chlorine or other pool chemicals, and hard water filled with minerals. To protect your hair, use hair care products for color-treated hair.
Protect your hair from harsh sun exposure by wearing a hat or applying a protective spray. If you use hair irons or a blow dryer, apply a heat-protective spray as well.
Make it a point to condition your hair as often as possible. Leave-in conditioners are a great option. You can also use a hair mask occasionally or do an oil treatment using coconut or olive oil.
