Over toning occurs when the hair is exposed to an excessive amount of toner, resulting in an undesirable and unnatural color. It can leave the hair looking dull, flat, and lacking vibrancy. Correcting over-toned hair requires specific techniques and products to restore a more balanced and harmonious tone.
Some toners contain harsh chemicals or high levels of ammonia or peroxide, which can strip the hair of its natural oils and cause damage if used incorrectly or excessively.
Make sure you get washed immediately after you notice you have over-toned those locks! Most toners are not permanent, therefore eventually, after several washes, the 'cool' tones will fade. If you want that toner gone quicker, 2-3 washes with a clarifying shampoo will start to remove the blue, grey or purple stains.
However, be aware that leaving toner on too long can cause your color to be too dark and your hair to become dry and brittle. NEVER leave it on overnight or for longer than the instructions tell you to! This will result in over toned hair.
You can typically tone your hair again as soon as you feel it's necessary, but it's advisable to wait at least 2 to 4 weeks between toning sessions. This waiting period allows your hair to recover from any potential damage and helps maintain its health.
Toning Mistakes
When you get your hair lightened, the stylist uses bleach to lift your natural color and then "tone" the highlight with a darker shade. Some people have warmer undertones than others, and those warm undertones can look brassy if not toned with a neutral or cooler shade.
One option is to re-bleach the roots to lift them to a lighter level before toning again. You need to get them to that very pale yellow - think the inside of a banana. This will help to ensure that your favourite toner can effectively neutralize any remaining yellow tones and match the rest of your hair perfectly.
The main difference between toner and hair color is that the former simply deposits pigments on the surface of the hair, while the latter—at least in the case of permanent hair color—introduces color deep into the hair cuticle. And because they only act on the surface, toners won't damage your hair.
Toners do not have any adverse side effects, as long as you avoid alcohol-based ones which may irritate your skin. Overusing a toner (more than twice a day) can also cause skin irritation.
You want the hair cuticle to be open for toning. Towel-dry hair to about 65 - 75% dry then start toning. Usually color & bleach is on dry hair, even toners and colors that do not require developer; however toner that uses developer is recommended on towel dried hair.
This is because it can strip the toner out of the hair! Instead, wait until your toner has faded completely before fixing any brassy tones with a purple shampoo.
Clarifying shampoos are also called detoxifying shampoos and they do exactly what they sound like. They strip off the toner in your hair and reduce the ashy tones. With regular use of a clarifying shampoo, you will see a difference. Your hair will be much warmer and you will feel the ashy tones melt away.
Unlike permanent hair colour, toners gradually wash away much quicker due to having less staying power. It's like a 'top coat' for your hair because it does not penetrate as deeply into the hair strand.
Remedies for Over-Toned Hair:
One effective remedy is the use of clarifying shampoos or treatments to help remove excess toner and buildup from the hair. These products work by gently stripping away unwanted color deposits and restoring the hair's vibrancy.
Tresch also suggests using a gloss or toner like John Frieda Colour Refreshing Gloss or dpHUE Color Boosting GLOSS+ Deep Conditioning Treatment to easily camouflage sparse gray hairs.
So, Does Toner Damage Hair? Not always. In fact, the Wella Professionals – No. 1 Salon Color Brand in the World ¹ – offers a range of zero damage and damage-reducing color products, which allow you to create your client's dream shade while respecting the integrity of hair strands.
If you want to re-tone your hair, wait at least 2 weeks. The more you shampoo, the sooner the toner will fade. If you don't wash your hair frequently, you can go back after 8 to do some tress maintenance, and you'll be right back to being your perfect shade of blonde.
Wash your hair with clarifying shampoo.
A clarifying shampoo cleans your hair deeply, removing dirt, oil, and product buildup. If you are unhappy with how your toner turned out, the good news is that toner will fade in time. You can speed up this process a bit by washing your hair with a clarifying shampoo.
Hair damage from toner can cause dryness and brittleness in the hair strands. If applied incorrectly or left on for too long, the toner can strip away the natural moisture from the hair, leaving it dry.
The problem with toners
Conventional toners are typically brimming with harsh chemicals, carcinogens, phthalates, irritants, parabens, and drying additives such as alcohol and salicylic acid, thus reading to a red, flaky, and irritated complexion.
Toners neutralise unwanted yellow or brassy tones but dyes can completely change the colour of the hair. Most hair dyes will only need to be refreshed once every 5 – 7 weeks, but toners fade much quicker. If you want your toned hair to stay looking its best, you will need to have it reapplied every 2 weeks.
There's two reasons why your hair is still brassy after toning or colouring. Either the undertone of the toner/colour is wrong, or the product is too light for you.
20 Vol Developer will lighten your hair slightly and will give permanent results. Use this with Wella Colour Charm Permanent Toners, along with Shimmer Lights Toners and Lightener. Keep in mind, as 20 Vol Developer lightens your hair slightly, it can cause brassiness at your roots (if they're darker than your lengths).
Is purple shampoo a toner? Any product that dispenses pigment to adjust hair tone can be considered a toner, and that includes purple shampoo. Its pigments work to neutralize brass.