Toning, Explained!

Everything You Need to Know About Toners.

What is a Toner?

Toning products are used to banish unwanted brassiness in blondes, neutralise red tones in brunettes, or to deposit subtle warm or cool tones to enhance the final colour results on your hair. Typically, toners work much like other hair dyes; mixing colour with developer before applying to the hair. The product can be applied all over the hair. Conversely, different formulations can be applied to different sections for more dimensional results or placement specific corrections (i.e banding, patchy results from home lightening etc).

The Colour Wheel

Toners work by depositing complimentary colours to neutralise unwanted tones.

Most blondes will be aware that violet neutralises yellow tones due to the wide availability and commonly used purple shampoo. But, did you know that when we are toning your hair in the salon we are also using green or blue-based products to banish unwanted red or orange tones too?

Generally speaking, lighter blonde hair tends to have yellow to orange-yellow undertones. The darker your hair, the deeper the undertones will be. So very dark brunettes tend to throw off more red tones.

Don't be mistaken though, we aren't throwing bright greens or deep blue violets on your hair. Toning products deposit just the right amount of pigment to neutralise. Too strong and you'll end up with blue-green or purple locks!

Toning At Home

Truth is, we'll never recommend or encourage colouring your hair at home. However, we do recommend using a toning shampoo and conditioner or mask at home. We love the Matrix Total Results range;

So Silver - For silver or very light blonde hair. Violet, neutralises yellow tones.

Brass Off - For medium to dark blonde hair. Blue, neutralises brassy orange tones.

Dark Envy - For brunettes. Green, neutralises red tones.

These products can be used once or twice a week to maintain your professionally coloured hair, as part of your usual hair care routine. We also recommend using a colour safe shampoo and conditioner like Biolage Color Last to keep your colour protected and your hair healthy.

Toning for Vibrancy

Toning isn't always about neutralising warm tones. Sometimes we want to actively boost them to enhance the natural warm undertones of your hair!

Toning with reds and coppers is a gorgeous way to level up your lightened hair! A warm toner will add reflective pigments and boost the health of your hair for a super vibrant, sleek and shiny finish!

We Love Toners!

We absolutely love toners here at Meaders Hair Studio. We highly recommend booking in for a toning treatment at your next appointment and treating your locks to professional home haircare products so you can truly live your best hair life.

You won't regret it!

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