Toning

With a high percentage of hair colour clients not knowing what a toner is, we thought as experts in our field, we would help to explain fact from fiction, and how to make your colour last.

Toning is the most important part of the hair colouring process. Most colour clients have a toner on their hair, but only see the added cost.

Firstly, when you bleach/ pre lighten hair, you are not colouring it. You are simply swelling and lifting the natural hair colour pigment. The darker the hair, the more stages of lifting is required. The colour lifts from Black – brown – red – orange – yellow – pale yellow. The best way to lift hair is slow and with professional pre lightening/bleaches.
The level of lift your hair requires, will determine which toners will be necessary to achieve your look.
Toners are colours that are used for the next stage in your desired result. Toners can take the hair colour anywhere, from soft natural hues, to strong greys; multiple toners are sometimes required to ensure the desired result.
If left un-toned, then the hair will have the level of lightness required, but will appear raw, i.e. too yellow/orange and brassy, depending on the levels lifted and the natural undertones of the hair.
Toners can be used to neutralise these raw tones to a softer more natural colour. Mauve/violet and blue/ash tones are used to neutralise yellow and orange tones. (Not to be tried at home as mixtures are very unique to every client.) These tones will change the colour to leave the hair a beautiful and natural looking blonde.
When toning blondes using the cool tones, you can take the hair from a pale yellow to beautiful silver or grey, by using several toners to neutralise first, and then change the colour to a stunning silver or grey.
You can maintain a cool/silvery blonde at home, by using a salon professional cool pigmented shampoo and conditioner. Your stylist will advise when and how to use these.
Toning isn’t just for blondes and lighter colours, if you want to keep your red fresh and vibrant, or your copper vivid and bright, then a toner can be used to achieve this in-between your usual colouring services.
How long should a toner last? “Depending on your hair type toners can last between 2 and 6 weeks. The general rule of thumb is that previously coloured hair, which is more porous, will hold colour for less time than natural or ‘virgin’ hair, which is able to hold colour for up to six weeks”
Toners don’t just add colour to the hair, they increase the shine as well. Our toners @57 are acid based, and as so reflect light to give the hair a glossy varnish-like effect, which is called glossing, and can be clear, so as not to change the colour of the hair. A good way to think of tones is like a lip gloss, either with or without colour to boost shine and condition.
How can you improve the colours longevity? There is a lot of talk on which products to use at home to prevent colour fade. Firstly, professional products bought from our salon are pH balanced, and made with high quality ingredients to maintain the hairs protein and moisture balance. Each head of hair will have different specific needs based from strand tests, the hairs thickness, density, and history. Your stylist will have the expertise to recommend the right home care and routine for you.
Toning prices are additional to your colour/lightening service, and will always be explained to you prior to any work being carried out. We charge £10 per application. It may not be possible to achieve your target shade without toning, and may require more than one sitting for certain colour work. A stylist will always advise against a service if the desired result is not possible within your budget. We will always endeavour to offer you multiple options.

All colour clients must have had a previous colour in the salon, or have been skin tested a minimum of 48 hours prior to any colour service. We take your health and safety very seriously.