For those familiar w/blonde highlights, I've got ?s about toner. . .

wildcat fan · ‎03-23-2010

What's the purpose of toner?

Stylists have told me that toner is necessary to keep the color from turning brassy. Other stylists have told me that if the color's done correctly in the first place, no toner is necessary. Which way is correct?

Recently I had a stylist tell me that I needed two toner treatments (at $20 each) after highlights, but I still think my hair has a "brassy" tone. She applied toner to my hair, cut it, started to dry it, then said I needed more toner. She said one toner made the color too warm and the second toner will make it cooler. This was a new salon and stylist for me. I haven't had toner in a while, so I thought this was unusual to do two toner treatments. What do you think? In the past when I've had toner added after highlights, I was never charged extra. Is that common in your area?

BOYINTX · ‎09-05-2014

my hair is bleached, and in this process it is all one color blond second strands are brought out and lightened even more and these strands require a toner. Without a toner you do risk a brassy tone.

Consider how light the bleach is --if pale then tone

Winter girl_1 · ‎09-12-2014

This depends on what your starting color and what color you want the highlights. If you want true baby blonde highlights the bleach needs to stay on the hair long enough to lift to the pale yellow stage (looks like the inside of a banana). If you are dark to start with the bleach lifts the color in stages so you will only be able to lift so far. In that case toner is used to cancel out unwanted tones in the hair color. Meaning if you can only lift the highlights to the orange stage you would use a blue based toner to counteract that brassiness. They shouldn't charge extra for this it should be part of the cost of highlights. If your base color is already light enough (a dark blonde perhaps) and a toner is needed it generally means the bleach wasn't left to process long enough. Same thing happens though - toner would be used to cancel out the unwanted tones. Hope this helps

wildcat fan · ‎03-23-2010

Thanks for your replies, BOYINTX and Ohfabulousone.

My natural color is dark blonde with some lighter blonde mixed in. It used to be very light until my mid-twenties (before pregnancy).

I just thought it's odd that some stylists didn't use toner, but this one decided I needed two treatments.

Penellope · ‎09-03-2012

I think she made a mistake with the first toner then charged you for two. If the highlights were done correctly you wouldn't really need the toner. I had this problem with a stylist. She knew my hair tends to go more gold (which I don't want), so she left the toner on longer to make sure it wouldn't be gold, and it made my whole head brassy. It looked awful and I paid for the privilege. No, I didn't have the nerve to tell her I hated it. I dyed it back to my natural color and haven't tried highlights again.

pinkberry · ‎07-21-2010

Years ago the girl who highlighted my hair always used a toner. But more recently any colorist who I've gone to has never used a toner. And they have told me that if the highlights are done well, you should never need a toner. I think toner is really just semi-permanent color anyway. I would probably be nervous now if I went to someone who used a toner. And it should definitely not be an extra cost.

BOYINTX · ‎09-05-2014

On 10/18/2014 wildcat fan said:
Thanks for your replies, BOYINTX and Ohfabulousone.

My natural color is dark blonde with some lighter blonde mixed in. It used to be very light until my mid-twenties (before pregnancy).

I just thought it's odd that some stylists didn't use toner, but this one decided I needed two treatments.

2 treatments seem strange as TONER only deposits color. Was the stylist seperating the toner and applying in 2 different areas ? If so this is normal to add debth to areas, and correct brassy lighter areas.

Desertdi · ‎03-13-2010

On 10/18/2014 BOYINTX said:
On 10/18/2014 wildcat fan said:
Thanks for your replies, BOYINTX and Ohfabulousone.

My natural color is dark blonde with some lighter blonde mixed in. It used to be very light until my mid-twenties (before pregnancy).

I just thought it's odd that some stylists didn't use toner, but this one decided I needed two treatments.

2 treatments seem strange as TONER only deposits color. Was the stylist seperating the toner and applying in 2 different areas ? If so this is normal to add debth to areas, and correct brassy lighter areas.

Sounds like the stylist made a mistake the first time.

♥Surface of the Sun♥

BOYINTX · ‎09-05-2014

On 10/18/2014 Desertdi said:
On 10/18/2014 BOYINTX said:
On 10/18/2014 wildcat fan said:
Thanks for your replies, BOYINTX and Ohfabulousone.

My natural color is dark blonde with some lighter blonde mixed in. It used to be very light until my mid-twenties (before pregnancy).

I just thought it's odd that some stylists didn't use toner, but this one decided I needed two treatments.

2 treatments seem strange as TONER only deposits color. Was the stylist seperating the toner and applying in 2 different areas ? If so this is normal to add debth to areas, and correct brassy lighter areas.

Sounds like the stylist made a mistake the first time.

ok yes in re-reading I see one problem,To make COOLER she would have to lift more MEANING USE MORE LIGHTNER- You cannot cool over warm without lightning once a warm toner is applied. Plus the CHARGE OF TONER SHOULD BE INCLUDED. A CHARGE QUOTED IF YOU WALK IN AND REQUEST SOMETHING TO CORRECT . But the complete charge should include both lightning cut and toner.

Lucky Charm · ‎03-09-2010

Omgosh this thread came just at the right time. I'm going from brown (colored) hair to a much ashier (hopefully close to gray/brown) with cool highlights.

I don't want brassy even tho I've had stylists tell me my natural color is brassy....ugh. It's flippin gray!!!

So I want cool cool cool blond highlights (actually all over with the darker base) don't care to see streaks as my gray doesn't come in streaks....make sense?

Any way, who ever mentioned the inside of a banana....Yes! I don't want yellow like the outside of a banana peel, I want the color more like the inside of the banana peel. Although that does sound gross. lol.