You’ve probably pondered if hair toner is genuinely required while dying your hair during your salon sessions. And we’re here to inform you that toner is, indeed, a must-have:
Toner is the most important phase in the coloring process since it ensures that your color remains neutralized and balanced by fixing oxidation.
So, while you’re relaxing in the salon chair, looking through your phone, the toner the colorist uses is slowly turning your hair into that perfect shade you desired.
And if you want to refresh your hair color in between salon appointments, it might be time to experiment with a hair toner at home. But the important question here is – how often can you use toner?
More specifically, we’ve noticed that many of you wonder the same thing: How often can I tone my brassy hair?
Since you’re probably hoping to find out how to get rid of brassiness once and for all, we won’t beat around the bush.
Let’s get to it!
How Often Can I Tone My Brassy Hair?
If you wish to avoid problems with your hair color, it’s best not to use toner too frequently. Because your hair follicles need time to mend after the treatment, it’s typically not a good idea to use this product again in less than a week.
When you color your hair and then apply a toner, you’re bathing it in chemicals.
Toning your hair again in less than a month implies adding extra chemicals to your already damaged locks.
Your hair may become brittle, fragile, and prone to breakage as a result.
The chemical mix can also irritate your scalp, producing itching, irritation, and, in rare cases, more severe allergic reactions.
Additionally, remember that the effects of bleaching have already harmed your hair – and adding more chemicals won’t help.
If you’ve previously used toner and didn’t get the exact shade you desired, wait at least four weeks (one month) before toning again.
However, because damaged or vulnerable hair might take longer to recover, it’s advisable to wait seven to eight weeks before your second round of toner.
Read More:
Brassy Hair 101: What Is It & What Causes It?
Brassiness is at the top of the most despised hair issues list. Brassy hair can appear when the hair isn’t properly cared for after dyeing.
What does brassy hair refer to, though?
Brass is a term used to describe warm tones such as red and orange, particularly noticeable when you lighten your hair. Brassy or “hot” roots can often occur when your hair color lifts or lightens but never quite reaches the desired tone.
Does anyone remember bleaching their hair as a teen and getting extremely orange instead of blonde hair?
It happens – but not that often if you know how to do it correctly.
To get through the super-warm layers, you’ll have to elevate your natural undertones. Brassy roots are most likely to appear when people lift their color more than they can handle in one application or do so without using a powerful enough lifter.
Even though superstars appear to go from dark to platinum overnight – well, apparently – the procedure often takes a whole day or more.
What Causes Brassiness?
Brassiness appears when your hair oxidizes in the sunlight, when you heat style it, or when you don’t use the correct color-safe solutions.
Almost all hair dyes are a mix of red, yellow, and blue pigments. The tiniest pigments – which are blue in color – fade the fastest.
And when you combine the natural fading process with external factors, you end up with an excess of warm hues in your hair:
Platinum blonde turns yellow, golden highlights become orange, and black fades to red.
People with dark locks have red and orange tones in their hair, making them more likely to develop orange hair following a bleaching session.
While bleach can brighten your hair, it will not remove the inherent pigment that gives it color. Every brunette’s hair has orange and red undertones – which are the colors that remain after bleaching.
The build-up of minerals in your hair is another cause of orange hair.
If you have light hair, sulfate-containing products will most likely cause it to take on yellow and orange tones.
As for oxidation, it occurs when the hair’s cuticle opens up, allowing the color molecules to escape. If you remove the color molecules, you’re left with the underlying natural pigments – which seem warm, golden, or red.
Is Brassy Hair Hard To Fix?
No, brassy hair is typically easily fixed. Depending on your hair’s length, you can use a brass-reducing shampoo or conditioner.
If you haven’t “updated” your ends in a while, introducing pigment back into your hair with a second bottle of hair color might help address the brassiness.
Opt for a slightly lighter neutral color to avoid noticing brassiness around your roots when it’s time to touch up.
Once your colorist understands what you like and don’t like, they’ll be able to steer you away from brass quickly.
Color Theory & Counteracting Brass
As we’ve mentioned previously, the hair contains a natural undercoat – or secondary pigment – that becomes evident when it is lightened or exposed to the sun for an extended period.
These undercoats can be difficult for colorists and their customers to work with:
- You develop a red undercoat or tone if you lighten your hair to a dark brown hue.
- You develop an orange undercoat or tone if you lighten your hair to a medium brown hue.
- You obtain a yellow undercoat or tone when you lighten your hair to blonde hair color.
Counteracting brass entails utilizing the opposing tone on the color wheel to neutralize that hue and get the desired finish. Consider how opposites attract and effectively balance each other.
For example, when it comes to blonde hair colors, using blue or purple tones helps balance brassy tones.
Your colorist will use these neutralizers throughout the color formulation process to help tone down or “counteract” any undesired brass.
How To Fix Brassy Hair With Toner
Any substance that alters the color of your hair qualifies as a hair toner.
Hair toners are tinted shampoos and conditioners, demi-permanent colors, and glosses that include substances that change your hair color.
Toners should last three to four weeks before requiring reapplication.
Hair toner works by altering the undertone of your hair: It won’t entirely change your hair color, but it will allow you to control the hue of your naturally blonde or lightened strands.
To summarize, hair toners assist you to attain a shinier, healthier, and more natural-looking color by neutralizing undesirable warm or brassy tones.
Toners may transform bright yellow or golden hair into a more natural-looking dusty, ashy, or platinum blonde. And they can be a savior if your bleach job went tragically wrong and you’re suddenly going around with brassy orange locks.
Apply hair toner to specific regions such as highlights or roots to modify the shade.
To get the hue you desire, the key is to get the proper toner. However, remember that you might need to tone your hair more than once to achieve the desired shade.
Selecting A Proper Toner
Purple shampoos may not be enough if you’re going through a more drastic color shift. If your bleach has job left you with brassy orange locks, you will likely need a more potent, ammonia-based toner.
And again, to acquire the lovely blonde hue you prefer, the challenge is to use the proper color toner.
Toners containing ammonia are color-depositing dyes that alter the tint of your hair strands.
Decide on your desired finish color and select a toner that will help to neutralize undesirable pigments so you can get the cool, natural-looking blonde you want.
Because they come in various hues, a basic understanding of color theory is beneficial. But here are some recommendations:
- A blue toner is your best bet for canceling out orange tones to get a dark, ashy blonde, or light brown
- If you want to achieve platinum, silvery blonde color, and get rid of yellow undertones, use a violet-based toner
What Factors Affect Toner’s Duration & How To Prolong It
You may only need to use toner once a week if you wash your hair every day. On the flip side, If you wash your hair every other day, though, you may be able to apply toner once every fortnight.
Evidently, how often you use toner is determined by your hair-care routine. In addition, the products you use to keep your hair healthy will impact how long the toner lasts, too.
While we’re at it, it’s worth noting that sulfate hair shampoos and chlorine in the water also affect the toner’s duration.
So, if swimming in the pool is something you love, you might want to buy a swim cap.
Furthermore, you should aim to wash your hair every 72 hours. Trust us; it’ll make your hair grow quicker and healthier – while also extending the life of the toner.
Natural oils are released by the scalp, which nourishes the hair. Your hair fibers will dry out, and frizz will occur if you remove them regularly with each wash.
Oh, and be sure to protect your hair from the UV rays. The sun’s rays heat up and fade the toner from your locks. At the very least, wear a wide-brim hat and apply some heat protectants.
On that note, heat styling tools are a big no-no for toned hair. Heat causes the hair fibers to lose hydration and pigmentation.
So, to sum it up, to prolong hair toner’s duration, make sure to:
- Use sulfate-free shampoos
- Wash your hair every 3-4 days
- Use toning shampoos regularly (blue and purple)
Final Words
You should generally try to avoid toning your brassy hair too often because you’ll damage it substantially. We recommend waiting at least three to five weeks before reapplying the toner.
On that note, if you wish to use hair toner less regularly, wash your hair less frequently, apply moisturizing masks, and use sulfate-free and toning shampoos.
These quick-and-simple changes in your hair care routine will do wonders!
