Unlock the secrets to making bleached hair ashy, cool or make your colour last longer using toners!
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Posted: 20/09/24
Our hairstylists always use them on us at the salon, but you’re not alone in wondering what a toner actually is (and how to use one yourself). But the truth is, so many DIY bleaching and dyeing jobs can be lot of hard work wasted – if you don’t use a toner to round it all off, of course. Toners can be super easy to use, and don’t just cool down brassiness. There’s a whole world of options, from Bleach London’s Proper Copper Toner to add fiery warmth to freshly lightened hair, or the Pearlescent Toner to turn flat, lacklustre bleached strands into multi-dimensional pearly blonde.
What is a toner and why do I need one?
Toners aren’t like bleach or permanent hair dye – think of them as semi-permanent dyes that add a tint to hair after it’s been bleached or lightened permanently. Their purpose is to even out and adapt the result of lightening, whether you want your hair to be warmer, cooler, or even more of a copper, grey, or purple tone (or one of so many more colour options).
Bleach London Copper Toner
£4.99
Bleach London Pearlescent Toner
£4.99
Shade
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BLEACH London toners come in a kit with two main ingredients: the toner colour itself, and a developing lotion to gently open up the outside layer of the hair and deposit the colour inside the hair shaft. The developer also oxidises the colour, transforming it in a process to get you as close to the end result seen on the box – when used on lightened hair.
When hair is lightened with bleach, all the darker pigment is taken away and a yellow/orange pigment is left. Whether you want to go a cool, pearly blonde, creamy light brown or vibrant copper, the brassy yellow tones in your newly bleached hair need to be neutralised – otherwise you most likely won’t get the end result shade you were hoping for. As the essential step two in the hair bleaching process, toner evens everything out and paints the canvas almost like a watercolour.
Will a toner lighten or bleach my hair?
The developing lotion is a really low level (7.5%) that isn’t strong enough to lighten hair – you’d need a percentage of 20% or higher. Bleach London toners are also free of ammonia, so the colours don’t contain any lightening agents – they simply deposit colour onto the hair.
Always use a toner on bleached or lightened hair to get the truest result – while your hair may look lighter, it most likely looks cooler in tone and brighter (especially if used on very light yellow hair to make it more platinum).
And if your colour starts to fade or lose vibrancy after a few weeks, definitely use toner in between bleach appointments or DIY sessions to refresh it – it’ll feel brand new all over again.
How do I use a toner?
Part your hair using a comb in four sections, from each ear across and from front to back. Secure or clip away each section into quarters – the more tidy and tucked away each part is, the easier it will be to evenly apply the toner.
Only start mixing if you’re about to start the toning process, as it needs to be used straight away. Wearing gloves, use the lid on the colourant tube to break the seal, and remove the nozzle from the developing lotion bottle. Squeeze all the colourant into the developing lotion, screw the nozzle back on and shake vigorously until everything is totally mixed together (even if you’re sure, give it another good shake).
APPLICATION
Take down one quarter section of hair and use the nozzle tip to slice out sections of hair, squeezing out toner from the mid lengths to ends and smoothing it into strands using your fingers. Repeat with each section until all the middle and ends of the hair are saturated with toner.
Go back and add toner to the roots, parting into slices again with the nozzle for even application.
Smoosh as much toner as possible all over the hair to make sure results aren’t uneven or patchy. If at any point during the application process your strands didn’t feel covered enough, definitely open another box of toner and mix it up – it’s always better to have too much product than not enough when it comes to dyeing, and for thick or long hair at least two boxes is always the best.
RESULT
Wait for the amount of time stated on the box, then rinse with cool water until it runs clear, condition and style. Keep your toner fresh and functioning by avoiding harsh shampoos, heat styling without protectant, and hot water.
So, now you know how to tone you hair, all you need now is a toner!
What’s a toner and how do I use it?
Our hairstylists always use them on us at the salon, but you’re not alone in wondering what a
toner actually is (and how to use one yourself). But the truth is, so many DIY bleaching and
dyeing jobs can be lot of hard work wasted – if you don’t use a toner to round it all off, of
course. Toners can be super easy to use, and don’t just cool down brassiness. There’s a
whole world of options, from Bleach London’s Proper Copper Toner to add fiery warmth to
freshly lightened hair, or the Pearlescent Toner to turn flat, lacklustre bleached strands into
multi-dimensional pearly blonde.
What is a toner and why do I need one?
Toners aren’t like bleach or permanent hair dye – think of them as semi-permanent dyes that
add a tint to hair after it’s been bleached or lightened permanently. Their purpose is to even
out and adapt the result of lightening, whether you want your hair to be warmer, cooler, or
even more of a copper, grey, or purple tone (or one of so many more colour options).
BLEACH London toners come in a kit with two main ingredients: the toner colour itself, and a developing lotion to gently open up the outside layer of the hair and deposit the colour inside the hair shaft. The developer also oxidises the colour, transforming it in a process to get you as close to the end result seen on the box – when used on lightened hair.
When hair is lightened with bleach, all the darker pigment is taken away and a yellow/orange pigment is left. Whether you want to go a cool, pearly blonde, creamy light brown or vibrant copper, the brassy yellow tones in your newly bleached hair need to be neutralised – otherwise you most likely won’t get the end result shade you were hoping for. As the essential step two in the hair bleaching process, toner evens everything out and paints the canvas almost like a watercolour.
Will a toner lighten or bleach my hair?
The developing lotion is a really low level (7.5%) that isn’t strong enough to lighten hair – you’d need a percentage of 20% or higher. Bleach London toners are also free of ammonia, so the colours don’t contain any lightening agents – they simply deposit colour onto the hair.
Always use a toner on bleached or lightened hair to get the truest result – while your hair may look lighter, it most likely looks cooler in tone and brighter (especially if used on very light yellow hair to make it more platinum).
And if your colour starts to fade or lose vibrancy after a few weeks, definitely use toner in between bleach appointments or DIY sessions to refresh it – it’ll feel brand new all over again.
How do I use a toner?
APPLICATION
RESULT
So, now you know how to tone you hair, all you need now is a toner!
Shop Bleach London toners online today!
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