Are you looking for the best toner to tone your client's blonde hair?
Getting rid of the yellow and toning hair accurately and fast isn’t just a matter of luck.
It's a question of choosing the right toner.
In this article, we will explain the difference between different types of toners.
And we're going to help you make the right choice.
We've chosen 8 toners for you which get different types of blonde results in under 20 minutes!
Whether you are looking for a creamy blonde, a platinum, a white ash blonde or a ultra grey blonde.
What Type of Blonde Toners Should I Use?
There are many types of toners available on the market.
Oxidative versus Non-Oxidative. Permanent versus Demi. Liquid versus Cream.
Which type you use can make all the difference to the end result.
Let's take a look at some of these differences now.
Oxidative Versus Non-Oxidative Toners
An oxidative toner is a toner which you mix with developer.
These toners are the only kind which can penetrate inside the hair cuticle and get rid of yellow, as well as re-color inside the hair shaft.
The other sort of toners, the non-oxidative kind, are basically purple shampoos and masks.
So don't confuse the two!
Purple shampoos and masks are great, and they do tone.
In fact, Ugly Duckling has an excellent purple shampoo and mask on the market: Brilliant Blonde.
These products can get spectacular white blonde results and they will get rid of yellow from blonde hair.
But they act on the surface of the hair only.
And they will not lift out yellow from inside the hair.
WATCH PURPLE SHAMPOO & MASK IN ACTION:
Purple Shampoo and Mask are a great way to tone hair - you must make sure that the hair is already level 10 blonde.
Permanent Versus Demi-Permanent
Permanent toners are oxidative toners that use ammonia. They are stronger and give some lift, as opposed to demis.
As a colorist, you always need to ask yourself when toning: how much lifting do I need?
If the answer is none, then you should use a demi-permanent toner without lift - like Ugly Duckling's Blondify.
If you need some lift, but not too much, then use Ugly Duckling's regular permanent toners.
If, on the other hand, you are looking to do a complete blonde makeover and the hair is still very yellow and brassy, then you need to use Ugly Duckling's intense permanent toners.
Intense Pearl Blonde 100V is one of our best selling intense toners.
WATCH INTENSE PEARL BLONDE TONER IN ACTION:
Using Intense Pearl Blonde Toner is a great toning choice when you want to push the hair to ultra white: this is the most lifting toner on the market.
Liquid Versus Cream Based
Toners can be either liquid or cream based.
Cream toners are mixed in a coloring bowl and then applied with a dye brush.
Whereas liquid toners are usually mixed in an applicator bottle, and poured straight over the hair and then rubbed in with fingers using gloves.
Cream toners take longer to apply but give more lasting results.
Liquid toners are quick to use and give lighter toning results.
WATCH BLONDIFY LIQUID TONER IN ACTION:
Blondify liquid toner is a great toning choice for quick blonde refreshes.
Purple Based, Blue Based or Ash Based Toning?
When choosing the exact shade of your toner it's a good idea to use Color Wheel principles.
Use a purple based toner, like Extra Light Cool Blonde 10.2 or intense pearl blonde 100V if the hair is blonde but yellow.
In the Ugly Duckling coloring system, anything with a .2 at the end or a V ("violet") is a purple based toner.
Use a blue based toner, like Extra Light Cold Ash Blonde if the hair is more of a yellow-orange.
In the Ugly Duckling coloring system, this would be anything with a B ("blue") at the end.
And use an ash based toner, such as Blondify Natural Ash Blonde 010A when the hair is orange-yellow or very orange.
This would be anything with either a .1 or an A ("ash") at the end.
Hair toner versus regular color
Toners neutralize and take away brass and unwanted warmth.
Generally speaking they will get the hair ashier and blonder.
Regular blonde colors, on the other hand, allow more specific results.
Platinum White, Grey, Silver Blonde, Cold Ash Blonde, Purple Blonde?
For results like these it's better a specific color.
We will cover some of these colors later in this article.
7 Proven Hair Toners in 2022
We have put together a list of 7 proven hair toners.
Each one works in under 20 minutes and will tone away yellow and brassy.
Each acts in a different way.
So you would need to decide which is the most appropriate for your situation.
No. 1 Intense Pearl Blonde 100V
Hair toned with Intense Pearl Blonde 100V
This toner contains a special booster ingredient which kicks out any remaining yellow and pushed hair up an extra level.
It also contains purple based pigments (hence the "V", standing for violet) which will produce a pearl-white blonde result.
This toner makes a stunning choice for those looking to push their hair all the way up to level 10 pearl-grey blonde.
It's a permanent toner. Use it with 20 Vol developer in a 1 + 2 ratio and leave on the hair for around 20 minutes.
No. 2 Regular Pearl Blonde 10V
Pearl Blonde 10V: Hair by Elona Taki
Pearl Blonde 10V is also purple based and in fact, as you can see, it is even more intensely pigmented with purple than our first toner.
These pigments are excellent for counteracting any remaining yellow in level 10 hair, and will produce stunning grey-blonde results.
It is a regular lifting toner and it is permanent.
Use this for repeat pearl blonde applications if you want to achieve this stunning solid grey-pearl blonde look.
No. 3 Blondify Natural Violet Blonde 010V
Hair toned with Blondify Natural Violet Blonde 010V by Elona Taki
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Blondify Natural Violet Blonde 010V
Blondify toners are ammonia-free, PPD-free and enriched with Bond Protect.
They don't lift, but they are great for gentle toning and blonde refreshes.
They are demi-permanent, and you can use them with either 10 or 20 Vol developer depending on how much toning you want.
The mix is 1 part toner to 1 part developer.
They process in around 10 minutes, which makes this one of the fastest acting toners on the market.
No. 4. Blondify Natural Ash Blonde 010A
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Hair toned with Blondify Natural Ash Blonde 010A by Elona Taki
To get a more ash blonde result (as opposed to a cold violet based result), you can use Blondify's Natural Ash Blonde toner.
Also use with 10 or 20 Vol developer in a one part toner to one part developer.
Blondify toners are liquid based, meaning you can mix them in an applicator bottle and pour over the hair and rub.
This means that the application system and process is exceptionally easy and failure-free, and excellent for toning blonde highlights after foil work.
Without lifting the underlying base.
If this is a first time for you toning blonde hair, we would recommend you opt for this.
No. 5 Extra Light Cool Blonde 10.2
Hair toned with Extra Light Cool Blonde 10.2 by Elona Taki
Extra Light Cool Blonde is a purple based blonde color, as opposed to a toner.
Packed with purple pigments, it's the single whitest color that we have at Ugly Duckling.
Use this one correctly prel-ightened hair with 20 Vol developer in a 1+1 mix (it's a regular blonde color, not a toner).
Process for 20 minutes exactly.
It will give you the whitest blonde result, ever.
No. 6 Extra Light Cold Ash Blonde 10.1b
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Blue based Extra Light Cold Ash Blonde 10.1b
This color is a blue based ash blonde. It's a regular blonding color.
Which means it produces really well-calibrated blonde results rather than just tone away yellow.
The blue based ash pigment in this dye is really unique, and will allow you to produce really stunning ultra-cold ash blonde results.
Without a hint of yellow: it's all been cancelled out by the blue.
Use with 20 Vol developer in a one part color to one part developer ratio, and process for 20 minutes.
No. 7 Purple Grey
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Hair toned with Purple Grey and 10V Pearl Blonde - Hair by Elona Taki
The above stunning - and very unique - blonde result was achieved by mixing Purple Grey with Pearl Blonde 10V.
Use a one to one mix with 20 Vol developer and process for 20 minutes.
You can adjust the quantity of purple grey according to how blonde you want to go.
No. 8. Brilliant Blonde Purple Shampoo & Mask
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Hair toned with Purple Shampoo & Mask - Hair by Mag Sam
Ugly Duckling Purple Shampoo & Mask
If your or your client's hair is bleached correctly to level 10, and you would like to tone away the yellow without using an oxidative toner, you can use Ugly Duckling's Purple Shampoo and Mask.
Remember to rub the formulas into your hair, and in the case of the mask, leave for around 10 minutes on the hair, ideally under a towel using some gentle heat.
This will help the transfer of purple pigments in to the hair.
You will find you can make blonde hair significantly whiter using these products.
For maintenance, use these products at least once a week.
