You are not alone if you are unsure what a hair toner is. It’s the most important step in the colouring process, and it’s not only for blondes. Whether it is intended to enhance or correct your colour, a hair toner, whether used in-salon or at-home, may benefit everyone. Read on to learn everything there is to know about hair toners.
What is a hair toner?
A hair toner is a hair dye product that contains little or no ammonia and hence belongs to the group of demi-permanent or semi-permanent dyes. It allows the hairdressers to enhance the tone of your hair colour, but it cannot change the colour of your hair! It helps in the correction, enhancement, or neutralisation of undesirable undertones. This entails either eliminating warm tones or replacing missing warm tones. In addition, it helps the hairdresser to assure an equal hair colour outcome from the roots to the ends. As a result, it is appropriate for fine tweaking and minor colour adjustments.
Because of the low ammonia content, it does not penetrate deeply into the hair strand, but rather wraps the hair and works as a “top coat,” so it gradually washes away, unlike permanent hair colour. Another advantage? Because of the minimal ammonia content, it is suitable for all hair types, even damaged hair. On the contrary, it will assist to enhance the look of damaged or dry hair!
Toner is not just available in the form of hair dye. Toners are available in a variety of forms nowadays. Toners include gloss, toning shampoos, conditioners, masks, and foams, as all of these products include pigments that change the colour of your hair. Silver or purple shampoo can also be considered a type of toner. Professional salon toners are more pigmented, which means they are more effective and last longer. However, pigmented care is helpful for maintaining colour at home.
What are the different types of hair toners?
There are various types of hair toners. All of them are intended to eliminate undesired brassy tones and enhance your preferred hue, but you get to choose which one you wish to use.
Permanent toner
These toners have a higher pigment concentration. As a result, they should only be used by professionals. To keep the vibrancy of your colour, schedule toning visits at your salon in between colouring treatments.
Demi-permanent toner
Both blonde and brunette hair might benefit from colour-refreshing glosses. These hair-toning glosses are applied to your hair after a wash and conditioning, then rinsed off after a few minutes. They act to rejuvenate and revitalise colour-treated hair, restoring it to its original vibrancy and shine.
Semi-permanent toner
Blue and purple shampoos are simple to use; simply replace your usual shampoo with these toning ones. These products are intended to eliminate undesired brassy tones and make your colour brighter and more vibrant.
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Why do we need a hair toner?
Toners are used for a variety of purposes, the most common of which is to either maintain or enhance warm or cool tones in the hair. Toners can also be used to enhance lustre, smooth hair, and minimise the appearance of split ends. It helps revitalise brassy or drab hair and make the existing colour more vibrant.
Benefits of using a hair toner
Refreshes hair colour
If your highlights or hair colour begins to fade, use a hair toner instead of dyeing and bleaching it again. A decent hair toner can not only restore the fading colour of your hair, but will also give lustre and vitality to it.
Enhances tone
Your natural hair colour is often discoloured as a result of pollution or other hair colours. Toners serve to neutralise the other tones in your hair, allowing your natural colour to shine through.
Adds shine
Toners can help you renew your hair when all it needs is a refresh. Toners provide your hair shine and volume by making the hair cuticle seem thicker and sealing it to create shine.
Enhances the dimension of hair colour
If you pick the right hair colour and apply it to your bleached or coloured hair, it may change the shade of your hair and give you a whole new look without the use of hair dyes.
Covers the greys
If your hair has just started turning grey, you most likely have a salt and pepper hair colour. Toning can be used to merge all grey hair strands into the pigmented natural hair colour. The difference between dying and toning your greys is that toning makes your covered greys more reflective and adds dimension to them.
The cons to using a hair toner
Since the dye in toner is just temporary and fades with each wash, there isn’t much risk in using it. However, before each colour visit, bring a photo of the ultimate style you want to achieve to your hairdresser. Your colourist can then figure out how to bring that look to life.
Add these hair toners to your hair routine
Shop the best hair toners
Shop the best hair toners
Shop the best hair toners
Hero Image: Courtesy Shutterstock; Featured Image: Courtesy Instagram/tarasutaria
This story first appeared on Lifestyle Asia India.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Answer: Since toner and hair dye both enhance the tone of hair colour, they are frequently mistaken. Toner, is a gentler, less permanent treatment, whereas dye provides longer-lasting results.
Answer: Toner can last anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks depending on your hair type and condition. Hair that has been previously coloured may hold toners for a shorter period of time than hair that has only been coloured once, necessitating more frequent toning.
Answer: While salon-level toners are best left to the professionals, you can now achieve comparable results at home with a toning shampoo.
Answer: It's not harsh on the hair. Because it contains less hydrogen peroxide, it is a healthier option to dye. As a result, many hairdressers will use toner. Unfortunately, this formulation results in semipermanent rather than permanent outcomes.
Answer: You should wait at least 7 to 8 weeks before toning again — or until your hair has returned to its normal state, whichever comes first. To keep your hair as healthy as possible, wait the recommended period of time before toning again.
Answer: This is determined by how frequently you wash your hair. The fewer frequently you wash your hair, the longer your colour will last, but you may extend the life of your colour by using professional hair care products. Toner can last between 2 and 6 weeks depending on your hair type and condition.
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