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The Ultimate Guide to Hair Toners and Toning Shampoos

Whether you’re rocking cool platinum blonde, warm honey highlights, or embracing your natural silver locks, keeping your hair colour vibrant and true to tone can be a bit of a mission. That’s where toning shampoos and hair toners come in, your secret weapons against unwanted brassiness and yellowing.

At Holy Grail Haircare, we understand that keeping your hair looking its best between salon visits is key, and we’re here to help you do just that. In this ultimate guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about hair toners and toning shampoos, why they’re essential for maintaining your colour, and how our carefully selected products can help you achieve salon-quality results right at home.

Understanding Hair Tones

When it comes to hair colour, it’s not just about the shade - it’s about the tone. Hair tones can be cool, warm, or neutral, and understanding the difference is the first step to keeping your colour looking fresh.

Cool, Warm, and Neutral Tones

Cool Tones are those icy, ashy shades that have hints of blue, green, or violet. Think platinum blonde, cool browns, or silver-grey hair. These tones are great for creating a sleek, modern look, but they can be prone to yellowing or brassiness.
Warm Tones are rich, golden hues like honey blonde, caramel, or auburn. They bring warmth and vibrancy to your look but can sometimes turn too warm, leading to unwanted orange or brassy tones.
Neutral Tones sit comfortably between cool and warm, offering a balanced, natural look. They’re versatile and less prone to dramatic shifts in tone but still benefit from the right toning products to maintain their balance.

Why Toning is Necessary

No matter your hair colour, environmental factors like sun exposure, hard water, and even pollution can mess with your tone. Over time, you might notice your once-vibrant hair turning dull, yellow, or brassy. That’s where toning comes in.

Toning shampoos and hair toners work by neutralising those unwanted hues, bringing your hair back to its intended shade. Whether you’re battling brassiness in your blonde hair or keeping your silver locks bright and shiny, toning products are essential for maintaining the look you love.

How Toning Shampoos and Toners Work

Toning shampoos and hair toners might seem like magic in a bottle, but they’re actually pretty straightforward once you understand how they work. Let’s break it down.

Toning Shampoos

Toning shampoos are specifically formulated with colour pigments to counteract unwanted tones in your hair. For example, purple shampoos are packed with violet pigments that neutralise yellow and brassy tones in blonde, silver, and grey hair. When you wash your hair with a toning shampoo, these pigments deposit just enough colour to balance out the unwanted hues, leaving your hair looking refreshed and vibrant.

But here’s the thing: toning shampoos don’t work like regular shampoos. They’re designed to be left on the hair for a few minutes to allow the pigments to do their job. The longer you leave it on, the more intense the toning effect. But don’t worry - you won’t end up with purple hair (unless you leave it on for way too long!).

Hair Toners

Hair toners, on the other hand, are a bit more powerful. They’re typically used after bleaching or colouring to perfect the shade and neutralise any leftover brassiness. Unlike toning shampoos, which you use regularly, toners are usually applied less frequently and are a bit stronger, making them ideal for when your hair needs a serious tone correction.

Toners work by adding a hint of colour to your hair, either enhancing the existing shade or neutralising unwanted tones. Whether you’re a blonde battling brassiness or a brunette dealing with orange tones, a good toner can make all the difference in achieving that perfect hue.

Does Toner Damage Your Hair?

The good news is that toners are generally quite gentle on your hair, especially when compared to the harsh chemicals used in hair dye. Most toners are formulated to deposit color without significantly altering the structure of your hair, meaning they’re much less likely to cause damage. However, it’s still important to follow the instructions and not overuse toners, as excessive use could lead to dryness.

What Does Toner Actually Do in Hair?

Toner works by adding a hint of colour to your hair, either enhancing the existing shade or neutralising unwanted tones. For example, if your blonde hair is starting to look brassy, a purple toner will help bring it back to a cool, icy blonde. The result is a more polished, even colour that looks fresh and vibrant.

What Does Toner Do for Dark Hair?

Toners aren’t just for blondes! If you have dark hair, particularly if it’s been lightened or highlighted, a toner can help neutralise any unwanted warm tones, like orange or red, and bring out the cooler, ashier shades. For brunettes, a blue or green-based toner can be particularly effective at keeping your colour rich and cool.

Toning Coloured Hair vs. Natural Hair

Whether your hair is coloured or natural, toning can help you maintain that perfect shade. However, the approach to toning can differ depending on your hair type and colour.

Coloured or Dyed Hair

If you’ve coloured your hair, you know that keeping it looking fresh can be a challenge. Over time, even the most vibrant colours can start to fade or develop unwanted tones. For coloured blonde hair, this often means battling brassiness, while brunettes might notice their hair turning a bit too warm or orange.

Natural Hair

Even if your hair is au naturel, toning can still play a vital role in maintaining its colour. Natural blondes, for example, might notice their hair turning yellow over time, especially with exposure to the sun. Similarly, those with silver or grey hair may find that their hair develops a yellowish tint.

Woman holding Fudge Clean Blonde Damage Rewind Shampoo

How You Can Maintain Your Tone at Home

Now that you know how toning shampoos and toners work, it’s time to talk about the products that can help you achieve and maintain that perfect tone. At Holy Grail Haircare, we’ve curated a selection of top-notch toning products to suit every need.

For Blonde Hair

Pureology Strength Cure Blonde Shampoo & Conditioner: This duo is perfect for those looking to strengthen and tone blonde hair. The formula is packed with keravis and astaxanthin, which not only neutralise brassiness but also repair damaged hair, leaving it stronger and more vibrant.
Moroccanoil Blonde Perfecting Shampoo: Ideal for natural or dyed blondes, this shampoo is infused with violet pigments to gently counteract yellow tones while providing a deep cleanse. It’s also sulphate-free, so it’s gentle on your hair and scalp.
Fudge Clean Blonde Damage Rewind Shampoo: This all-in-one toning shampoo is a game-changer for blonde hair that needs a little extra care. It not only neutralises brassiness with its powerful violet pigments but also repairs damaged hair, making it softer and more manageable.

For Brunette Hair

Matrix Brass Off Shampoo: The go-to choice for brunettes, this shampoo is specifically designed to neutralise orange tones and cool down warm highlights. It’s perfect for those who want to keep their brown hair looking rich and vibrant without any unwanted warmth.

Versatile Options for All Hair Types

Jeval Insanely Cool Shampoo: Whether you’re blonde, silver, or somewhere in between, this shampoo is perfect for maintaining cool tones. Its powerful formula ensures even toning and long-lasting colour maintenance.
De Lorenzo Illuminate Shampoo: This shampoo is a fantastic option for those with very light or porous hair. Its unique formula includes a porosity filler, ensuring that the toning colour is evenly distributed, preventing uneven results or colour grabbing on the lightest sections of your hair.

Dry Shampoo for Toning

Moroccanoil Light and Dark Tones Dry Shampoo: This is a must-have for those on-the-go moments when you need a quick refresh. What makes it special is that it comes in two formulations - one for light tones and one for dark tones - allowing you to choose the best match for your hair. The light tones version brightens and balances blonde, silver, and grey hair, while the dark tones option helps to maintain the richness of brunette and darker shades.

Tips for Using Toning Shampoos and Toners

Using toning shampoos and toners effectively is key to maintaining your hair’s vibrancy and keeping those unwanted brassy or yellow tones at bay. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your toning products.

Frequency of Use

How often you should use toning shampoos and toners depends on your hair type and the intensity of the tones you’re trying to neutralise. For most people, using a toning shampoo once or twice a week is enough to keep brassiness under control. If your hair tends to yellow or turn brassy quickly, you might need to use it a bit more often.

Toners are typically used less frequently - about once a month or whenever your hair needs a more intense tone correction. Be sure to follow the instructions on the product, as overusing toners can sometimes lead to dryness.

Application Tips

When using a toning shampoo, apply it to wet hair and lather it up as you would with your regular shampoo. The key difference is that you’ll want to leave it on for a few minutes to allow the pigments to do their work. The exact time will depend on the product and your desired result - generally, leaving it on for 3-5 minutes should do the trick.

For toners, apply them to towel-dried hair after shampooing. Use a brush or your fingers to work the product through your hair, focusing on areas that need the most toning. Leave the toner on for the recommended time before rinsing it out thoroughly. Following up with a conditioner is always a good idea to keep your hair moisturised and smooth.

Combining Products

For the best results, consider combining a toning shampoo with a matching conditioner or toner. For example, if you’re using the Pureology Strength Cure Blonde Shampoo, pairing it with the Pureology Strength Cure Blonde Conditioner will give you an extra boost in maintaining that perfect tone. Similarly, using a toning shampoo in conjunction with a toner can help you achieve a more even, long-lasting colour.

Maintain Your Tone at Home with Holy Grail Haircare

Keeping your hair color vibrant and true doesn’t have to be a challenge, especially when you have the right products in your arsenal. Toning shampoos and toners are essential tools in maintaining your desired shade, whether you’re battling brassiness, yellowing, or just want to keep your color looking fresh between salon visits.

At Holy Grail Haircare, we’re proud to offer a curated selection of the best toning products to help you achieve salon-quality results at home. So, whether you’re a blonde, brunette, or silver fox, explore our range today and find the perfect products to keep your hair looking its absolute best.