What is a hair toner? It is an essential product in the hair coloring process, especially for those seeking to achieve a specific shade or neutralize unwanted tones. It can come in several different colors, each designed against certain undertones: purple to neutralize yellow, blue to neutralize orange, blue-green to neutralize red-orange, and green to neutralize red. Do you want to learn more? Keep reading!
What Is a Hair Toner?
Hair toner is a color-correcting product that is primarily used to adjust the tone of bleached or dyed hair. Unlike hair dyes, which deposit color into the hair shaft, toners are designed to refine and perfect the color by neutralizing brassy or yellow hues.
How does a hair toner work? It deposits color onto the hair to alter the existing shade. This is why you typically use it on colored hair, especially since it can help you get rid of the unwanted undertones that show after certain coloring procedures, for instance, brasiness after dyeing your hair blonde.
The hair toner is based on the principles of the color wheel – if you want to neutralize a certain color, you need to use an opposite one. This is why there’s no one-size-fits-all toner. Instead, you should pick the one designed for your hair color.
Types of Hair Towners
Knowing what a toner for hair is (https://www.madison-reed.com/blog/what-is-hair-toner-how-does-it-work), let’s look into the main types of toners that you might find on store shelves. These include:
- Purple – designed for blondes, this type of toner eliminates yellow and pale blonde undertones; it’s perfect for combating brasiness.
- Blue – designed for light brown and dark blonde hair, a blue toner eliminates orange and darker yellow undertones.
- Blue-green – designed for medium brown hair, this toner neutralizes the red-orange undertones.
- Green – designed for dark brown and black hair, this toner eliminates red undertones.
Color Toning Products
Almost any hair care product might be a toner, so let’s look at the most popular ones:
- toning shampoos,
- toning masks,
- toning sprays.
Why Should You Use a Hair Toner?
Using a hair toner can significantly improve the overall appearance of your hair color. Here are some reasons why you should add them to your colored hair maintenance routine:
- Unwanted tone neutralization – a toner eliminates unwanted undertones that could cause your hair to look unnatural or even a bit bizarre,
- Enhanced hair color – a toner helps achieve the perfect shade, whether it’s cool, warm, or neutral.
- Extra shine and smoothness – many toners contain conditioning agents that leave hair looking glossy and feeling smooth.
- Prolonged color life – a toner helps you maintain the vibrancy of your hair color, reducing the frequency of color touch-ups.
The Takeaway
A hair toner is an important component when it comes to keeping your hair vibrant and beautiful. It is, thus, no wonder that hair colorists often use it right after dyeing your hair. Knowing what a hair color toner is and what types of this product there are, you’re ready to go to the nearest store and get one for yourself – remember not to use it more than twice a week, though, as overtoning is also a thing!