Everything You Need to Know About Hair Toner

If you’ve ever bleached your hair, you’ve probably come across the term “hair toner.” If you’re curious about what it does, how it works, and why it’s essential for keeping your hair looking great, you’re in the right spot. In this complete guide, we’ll delve deep into everything you need to know about hair toner. We’ll cover the basics, its advantages, different types, how to use it, and share some expert advice. We’ll even recommend the best hair toner just for you.

What Is A Hair Toner?

A hair toner is a semi-permanent hair color product used to enhance or neutralize the undertones in your hair. It helps in achieving a more balanced, vibrant, and even hair color. Because it contains very little ammonia, it doesn’t go deep inside your hair but stays on the outside, like a top coat. This makes it a gentle option for all hair types, including damaged hair. In fact, it also adds a nice boost of shine to the hair.

Toner isn’t just found in hair dye, you can discover toner in various types. There are gloss, toning shampoos, conditioners, masks, and foams that can be thought of as toners because they all have color pigments that help tweak your hair tone. Silver or purple shampoo is another type of toner in its own way.

How Does Hair Toner Work?

Hair toner changes your hair’s color or tone. It comes into play after you’ve bleached or dyed your hair because it can only add color to your hair to make it cooler, warmer, or deeper. So, can toner lighten hair? Yes, hair toner after bleaching is the key to achieving the perfect hair color.

For instance, when you want to go blonde, you need bleach to lighten your hair. But bleach alone won’t give you that beautiful ash or buttery blonde. It just removes the original color, giving your colorist a clean canvas to apply the final color you want. Even if you decide to go for a darker shade, a toner can be used by your colorist to reach the exact shade you desire in the end.

How Long Does Toner Last?

In most cases, the color from toners hangs on for about 3 to 4 weeks. But, it can stick around for up to 8 weeks if you wash your hair less often and your hair type allows it. If you’ve dyed your hair before, it might not hold onto the color as long, so you might need to do touch-ups more often. In that situation, using at-home hair toners could be a smart move.

The Pros and Cons of Hair Toner

Understanding both the advantages and disadvantages of toner is crucial for making informed choices. Here, you’ll discover the pros and cons of using toners.

Pros of Hair Toner

• Toner helps neutralize unwanted tones, like brassiness or yellowing, leaving your hair with a more balanced and appealing color.
• It can add a glossy finish to your hair, making it look healthier and more vibrant.
• Toners come in various shades, allowing you to achieve your desired hair color, whether it’s cool, warm, or neutral.
• Hair toner is generally less harsh than permanent hair dye, making it a suitable option for those with damaged or fragile hair.
• You can use toner to refresh your current color or experiment with entirely new shades.

Cons of Hair Toner

• Temporary Results: Toner provides semi-permanent results, meaning the color gradually fades with each wash, requiring regular touch-ups.
• To preserve the toner’s effects, you may need to use specialized color-safe shampoos and conditioners, which can be an added expense.
• If left on for too long or used excessively, toner can lead to over-toning, resulting in a color that is too cool or dull.

Types of Hair Toner and How to Choose the Right One for Your Hair Color

You’ll find two main types of toners: ones at the salon and those you can use at home, which come in different forms. Whether you want to boost or adjust your hair color, you’ve got choices like color-correcting shampoos, pigment-depositing masks, as well as glazes and glosses to pick from.

• Blonde Hair: Toners for blondes can do multiple things, like getting rid of unwanted warm tones, adding fun shades like lilac or rose gold, and making your blonde hair shine. If you’re at home and want to get rid of brassy tones, grab a shampoo made to light up and add shine to your blonde locks.
• Brunette Hair: If you have brunette hair, toner can make it look richer and deeper while getting rid of any overly warm or brassy hues.

• Red Hair: Toner is great for intensifying the look of red hair and bringing back its vibrancy when it starts to fade.
• Black Hair: A toner for black hair is a fantastic choice if you have black hair and wish to add subtle brown highlights or undertones, a toner can help achieve a more multi-dimensional look. It can soften the starkness of black hair and introduce depth.
• Brown Hair: Hair toner for brown hair is your trusted ally in the battle against unwanted warm or brassy tones. It excels at preserving the richness of your beautiful brown shade while giving it a boost of shine and depth.
• Highlights: Toner can refine your highlights, whether you have balayage, foilayage, or regular foil highlights, making them look more natural and seamless.

How to Use a Hair Toner

Using a hair toner is a straightforward process that can help you achieve the desired hair color and tone. Here’s a basic guide on how to use a hair toner:

• Start with clean, dry hair. Wash your hair using a mild, sulfate-free shampoo and let it air dry or use a towel to remove excess moisture.
• Follow the instructions provided with your toner product. Mix the toner with the appropriate developer, usually in a non-metal bowl.

• Section your hair into manageable parts. Wearing gloves, apply the toner evenly to each section, starting from the roots and working your way to the ends. Make sure all hair is fully saturated with the toner.
• Leave on for the recommended time, usually 5-20 minutes. Be cautious not to leave it on for too long, as over-toning can occur.
• After the processing time, rinse your hair thoroughly with lukewarm water. Follow up with a color-safe conditioner to lock in the toner and add moisture to your hair.

Recommendations For The Best Hair Toner

Here are some popular and highly-rated hair toners to consider

• Matrix Color Sync 5-Minute Fast Toner: A quick-acting alkaline toner perfect for pre-toning and preparing hair for vibrant results.

• Redken Shades EQ Gloss: This demi-permanent color provides super shine, ideal for toning or restoring hair color.
• Schwarzkopf Professional BlondME Bond Enforcing Deep Toning: These toners are ammonia-free and pH neutral, designed for dark hair bases in tones 5-8.

• Revlon Professional Nutri Color Filters: These offer gentle and natural hair toning as well as correction of unwanted undertones.
• BlondME Instant Blush: Dyeing care for neutralization and pastel toning, specially suitable for blondes in tone 9 and lighter shades.

Conclusion

Hair toner is indeed a valuable tool for achieving the perfect hair color. With the right products and some expert guidance, you can unveil the secret to beautiful, vibrant hair. If you’re in the hair business, consider Apohair, a leading hair supplier in Vietnam, to provide you with top-quality hair products and services.

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