Blue based hair toners have an important place in any professional colorist's toolkit.
In this blog, we discuss how blue based dyes can be used in 2 separate ways.
Either to go ash blonde or to tone down.
Both of these are possible thanks to Ugly Duckling's unique blue based ash blonde range.
What's so great about blue based dyes?
Most professional ash blonde toners are green-based ash.
The problem with these green based ash colors is that although they are great at neutralizing warm reflects present in dark hair, they are not so good if you are looking to get a very pure white blonde color, especially when you are working with very blonde hair.
Hair that has been lifted to level 9/10 is a typical example.
That is why Ugly Duckling has two ash blonde ranges: a blue based ash blonde hair color range and a green-based ash range.
The regular green based range ends in "A" or .1. For example 10.1/10A, 9.1/9A etc. These ash blondes are green-based ash blonde colors.
Whereas the blue based range ends in a small "b". These are blue based ash blonde color.
For example, 10.1b is blue based extra light ash blonde.
How to cancel out yellow using blue
Ugly Duckling's blue based ash blonde toners have been made to cancel out yellow and get really perfect ash blonde results.
Especially when you're talking about blonde hair level 6/7 and up.
The way they work is that they contain a dollop of blue instead of green in their formulation.
This blue helps to counter yellow in blonde hair and helps produce very natural, pure white blonde results which tend to be very appreciated by hair stylists.
It's basic Color Wheel Theory - Blue Cancels Out Yellow.
The result is a truer, colder ash blonde result.
Blue is a very effective color for neutralizing yellow and orangish-yellow.
Before - Brassy and Yellow Hair:
After: We used 10.1b and 20 Vol :
WATCH VIDEO - BLUE BASED ASH BLONDE HAIR TONER 10.1b IN ACTION
Hair by Brittney Perez
When should I use blue-based ash blonde toners?
We suggest you use Ugly Duckling's blue based ash blonde colors in place of regular ash blonde hair color whenever you are looking for a particularly white blonde result with zero yellow.
Which blue-based ash blonde toners are available?
Ugly Duckling has blue based ash blondes starting at level 6 and going all the way up to level 10. We also have a very dark blue based color, raven black. This is a stand alone fashion color.
10.1B | 9.1B | 8.1B | 7.1B |
6.1B | RAVEN BLACK |
How should I mix blue based ash blonde colors?
Use these colors with 20 Vol developer, 1 + 1 mix.
Be aware that these dyes are not toners, they are full fledged colors.
This means that you need to let them process for a full 30 minutes in order to get the full, rich 3D reflects that these colors offer.
How to use Blue Based Dyes: First Way - True Ash Blonde Results
The first way to use these colors is to produce true ash blonde results, with all the yellow eliminated.
This is possible thanks to the combination of blue and ash pigments.
For this way, we recommend you use 10.1b, 9.1b and 8.1b and that you pre-lighten first.
See result shots below:
Blue Based Ash Blonde Hair - 10.1b
Blue based ash blonde hair - 9.1b (shadow root)
How to use Blue Based Ash Blonde Dyes: Second Way - To Tone Down Orange & Brassy
The second use for blue based ash blonde colors is when you are looking to tone down or cover yellow or orange hair without going all the way up to light blonde.
Once again, The blue in these colors will help neutralize the yellow.
But this time you need to use colors a little lower in the spectrum.
We recommend that you use 7.1b or 6.1b with 20 Vol.
These colors work perfectly to tone down hair and produce beautiful blonde tones with zero warmth, orange or brassiness.
Before
During
After
HOW TO TONE DOWN USING BLUE BASED ASH BLONDE DYES - WATCH VIDEO:
Hair by Elona Taki.