How to Use Hair Toner

Co-authored by April Ferri

Last Updated: April 19, 2024 Fact Checked

Hair toner is most commonly used on blonde hair to alter the tone of the blonde. It can remove brassiness or yellow tints, or give your blonde a more golden or ashy look. It is not a dye, but slightly alters the underlying shade of your hair. To use hair toners, know how toners can help your hair, decide if you hair is the shade of blonde you want, and go to a professional hairstylist.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Identifying When to Use Toner

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1
Wait until your hair is at the right shade to tone. You can’t tone whenever you want. To achieve the color tone you want, you need your hair to be at the right shade of yellow. If you want a light ashy or cool color, you have to make sure your hair is at a light yellow color before using the toner.^{[1]
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- If you use toner at the wrong shade of yellow, you won’t get the result you want.
2
Tone after bleaching. Toning works well with bleached hair. To achieve certain shades of blonde, you will have to bleach your hair first and then add toner. Toner also helps even out hair color after bleaching.
- Some toners can only be used days after you've bleached your hair.
- For some desired shades, you have to bleach your hair more than once over a period of time to achieve the color. This is especially true if you start with dark brown or black hair and you’re wanting it to be blonde.
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3
Use toner after dyeing your hair. Toner can also be used when you dye your hair. Sometimes, the hair color you end up with is not exactly what you want. To help remove certain pigments, like if your hair has too much red or brassiness, you can use toner to even out your dye job or adjust the color.
- Toner can sometimes be used after a bad or undesirable dye job. It can't change your hair color, but it can even out your shade.
4
Know that you may not be able to get your desired shade at first. Some shades may take time to achieve. This is because your hair may still have too much red or yellow pigment in it to achieve the cool or ashy shade you desire. Listen to your salon professional’s advice to help you work towards eventually achieving the desired shade.
- For example, at first you may not be able to get a silver blonde. The silver blonde toner may make your hair green or another shade. Instead, you may have to bleach your hair a few more times before your hair is stripped of the red and yellow.
- Always keep a color wheel handy while bleaching, dyeing, and toning your hair so that you can pay attention to your hair's current color and undertones. This way, you can avoid ending up with a hair color that’s different than what you were hoping for and expecting.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Achieving Different Results

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1
Remove brassiness in blonde hair. Hair toner is a product that helps get rid of yellow or brassy blonde shades when you dye your hair. The toner will change the underlying color, but not change or dye the hair. Toner only works on hair that is blonde or bleached.^{[2]
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- Don’t use toner on dark hair. It will have no effect.
2
Change the shade of blonde hair.. Toner can be used to change the specific shade of your blonde hair. If you want your blonde locks to look ashier or dingier, a toner can help achieve the cooler color. You can go warm and honey colored or pink or rosy.^{[3]
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- Instead of a yellow, gold, or even white, toner can give your hair a cooler shade in colors like pink, purple, brown, or blue.
- Before you tone, research your options to find out what you would like to use.
3
Use toner to even out highlights. Toner can help you achieve a more even and balanced look to your hair color. This can help if you dye your hair or have highlights. The toner can fill out problem sections or hide color problems.^{[4]
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- Toner can help blend your highlights into your hair more smoothly.
- It can help tone down your roots when you dye your hair.
- If you use too much toner, do a clarifying wash to pull some of the product out.^{[5]
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  Expert Source
  
  April Ferri
  Professional Hair Stylist
  
  Expert Interview. 8 December 2020.}
4
Enhance your hair’s color shade. You can use toner to enhance your current shade instead of changing it. This is true for blonde or some shades of brunette hair. If your hair is dull or not quite the right tone, you can use toner to enhance the current shade of your hair.^{[6]
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- Using toner for this will brighten or deepen the hair color. It will also make it look shiner and healthier.
- Toner can help your enhance and improve the look of dry or damaged hair.
Lorri Goddard-Clark, Hair Colorist

Toners are the polishing touch for hair color. They neutralize undertones and intensify your shade's vibrancy. But as with any recipe, success requires using ingredients suited for your hair's properties and desired results. Too much toner risks overprocessing, while too little won't properly refresh color. When applied judiciously though, toners can fine-tune and personalize, taking your shade from flat to flawless. Think of it as the finishing gloss on a painting—subtle yet transformative.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Applying Toner to Your Hair

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1
Use toner anywhere on your hair. Gather the section of hair you want to use the toner on and apply it. Toner does not have to be used evenly on all of the hair, but it can be. Don’t worry if you make a mistake and get it on the darker strands of your hair; the toner will not affect them.^{[7]
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- For example, you may want to tone down highlights or your roots.
- Always apply toner to damp hair so it distributes evenly.^{[8]
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  Expert Source
  
  Yan Kandkhorov
  Hair Stylist
  
  Expert Interview. 28 January 2020.}
2
Choose ammonia-based toner if you are already blonde. Ammonia-based toner is best if your hair is already a shade of blonde. This toner will change the pigment of your hair, so it is considered a demi-permanent dye. However, demi-permanent dyes don’t penetrate the hair's cuticle, but only deposit color onto the hair strand. This means that the color will gradually fade.^{[9]
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- You can place ammonia-based toners to already bleached hair. You just want to make sure you wait a few days after bleaching to use ammonia. Using ammonia right after bleaching can damage your hair.
- Follow the mixing instructions of the toner you purchase. Generally, you mix one part toner with a specific ratio of 20 volume developer. Each toner brand will have different instructions, so don’t try to change them or make up your own ratios.
3
Use purple shampoo right after bleaching your hair. Applying purple shampoo as a toner can be done right after bleaching your hair. Purple shampoo is much more gentle, so it won’t damage fragile hair that has just been bleached. Purple shampoo can get rid of yellow tones and brassiness, and give your blonde an ashier, cooler tone.^{[10]
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Expert Source

April Ferri
Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Interview. 8 December 2020.}
- Purple shampoo helps remove impurities from your hair while also depositing purple pigment into the strands.^{[12]
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  Expert Source
  
  April Ferri
  Professional Hair Stylist
  
  Expert Interview. 8 December 2020.}
- You have to wash your hair with purple shampoo two or three times each week to get the best results. Leave the shampoo on your hair for five to ten minutes.
- Depending on your original shade of blonde, your hair may start to turn grey instead of blonde. If this occurs, use the purple shampoo every other or every two times you wash your hair.
- The strength of the purple toner will depend on the brand you purchase.
4
Use purple dye after bleaching. Purple dye can also be used to tone your blonde hair. The purple dye helps get rid of the yellow and brassy tones of your hair. You can use purple dye right after bleaching. Only use a tiny amount of dye, such as a few drops.^{[13]
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- You will not use the entire bottle of dye. Instead, you will mix a small amount of purple dye with white conditioner. Then, leave this on your hair for around 15 to 30 minutes. It is important that you only use a small amount. If you use too much dye or keep it on for too long, the hair will be dyed purple.
5
Go to a salon for your first toner application. If you have never applied toner before, you should go to a salon. They can properly bleach your hair and choose the right toner for you. If your hair is already blonde, they can help you achieve your desired result.^{[14]
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- Toning your hair at home if you have no experience with it can result in the wrong shade.
6
Touch up your toner. Toner will start to fade from your hair if you wash it a lot. If you wash your hair often, you will need to touch it up more often. If you wait longer between washes, your toner will last longer.^{[15]
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- To touch up your toner, you will either have to go to the salon or use an at-home toner.

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Question

How do I fix over toned hair?

April Ferri
Professional Hair Stylist
April Ferri is a Professional Hair Stylist and the Co-Owner of Widows Peak Salon, a hair salon based in Los Angeles, California. With over ten years of experience, April specializes in hair coloring and enhancing and transforming natural tones into vibrant shades for beautiful and low maintenance hair. Her work has been featured in Voyage LA Magazine, and she has worked as a stylist for LA Fashion Week.

April Ferri

Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

Go in with a clarifying shampoo! A couple of washings with a clarifying shampoo will help pull the toner out.

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Question

My hair turned an orangey color when I bleached it. What kind of toner should I use to remove the orange tones?

Ashley Adams
Professional Hair Stylist
Ashley Adams is a Licensed Cosmetologist and Hair Stylist in Illinois. She completed her Cosmetology education at John Amico School of Hair Design in 2016.

Ashley Adams

Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

Use a blue shampoo, which is designed to remove orange tones. Joico Color Balance Blue Shampoo is one example of a quality blue shampoo that you can look for.

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Question

How do you mix blonde brilliance toner?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

The toner is mixed 1:1 with the blonde brilliance developer, applied to wet or dry hair, and left to process for 5-15 minutes, until the desired deposit is achieved.

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Warnings

Avoid applying toner to your hair when it's dry since the tone could come out too strong. You'll also need a lot more product to get an even result if you're applying toner to dry hair.^{[16]
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Expert Source

Yan Kandkhorov
Hair Stylist

Expert Interview. 28 January 2020.}

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