How to

Choosing the Right Shade

Whether you’re a blonde looking to return to your original color or a brunette striving for a new look, finding the right shade of blonde for your hair can be a challenging process. With a variety of shades of blonde available, from natural beige to icy platinum, there is a wide selection of tones to choose from.

Wella, a leading haircare brand, offers a variety of coloring products to help you achieve the perfect blonde shade. Let’s explore the options.

Consider your skin tone

Before embarking on the journey of finding your perfect shade, it’s important to consider your skin tone. Hairstylist Butterscotch Blonde suggests that having a basic understanding of where you fall on the undertone spectrum is key to knowing which color will work best with your natural features.

If you have a warm undertone to your skin, Butterscotch recommends choosing golden or honey tones for your hair. On the other hand, if you have a cool tone complexion then ash blonde or cool platinum shades could be flattering choices.

If you’re not sure which undertone best suits your complexion, take advice from Wella Professionals experts who are always available to guide you in finding the ideal shade for your hair color needs.

Choose a shade that suits your desired look

When choosing the right shade for your hair, it is important to consider a few factors. The most important factor is to choose a color that best complements your skin tone and matches the desired look you are trying to achieve. Depending on whether you want subtle highlights or an overall darker color, selecting the right shade can make a huge difference in your hair’s appearance.

When toning blonde hair with Wella products, there are several options to choose from including ash blonde, beige blonde, golden blonde and rose gold. Ash shades offer colder tones and natural-looking highlights. Rose gold provides a warm hue with pink undertones while beige lends warmth and depth without looking overly made up with streaks of brighter colors. For golden shades, consider shine intensifying creams such as Luminous Blonde for that perfect glossy finish.

In addition to these shades, Wella offers various other products such as permanent tints, root touchups and multi-dimensional shampoos custom tailored for lighter blondes. If you want an extra pop of color in between coloring sessions, temporary toners such as Color Touch Up 6% can provide up to 10 washes of extra shine on already colored locks.

With a wide variety of tones available when toning blonde hair with Wella products it’s important to do some research ahead of time and consult your hairdresser on which shade is most suitable for the look you desire!

Pre-Toning

Pre-toning blonde hair can be an important step in the toning process. This is because pre-toning helps to balance out the yellow and orange tones in the hair, creating a more even tonal result. Pre-toning can also help to protect the hair from becoming too dry or being damaged from the toning process.

There are a few different methods for pre-toning blonde hair, so let’s look at the details:

Wash and condition your hair

Before you tone your hair, it’s essential to wash and condition it. Begin the toning process by shampooing, then applying a suitable conditioner for your hair type. Leave the conditioner in for around five minutes, then rinse it out with lukewarm water. Towel dry your hair before reaching for your toner products.

Turquoise blonde-browny blonde tones, such as Wella Color Charm T18 Lightest Ash Blonde and Wella Color Fresh 8/81 Cool Blonde are particularly suited to pre-toning, as they can be personalized to give the perfect shade of blonde.

Be sure to wash and condition regularly when pre-toning at home, as this helps keep natural oils locked in and colorants locked out – preventing color fade or imbalance overtime. Regular use of a deep conditioning treatment will help protect your locks against environmental damage or harsh styling practices while keeping tones bright and smooth between salon visits.

Apply a protein treatment

When toning blonde hair with Wella, it is important that you first apply a protein-based treatment. Applying a pre-toner can help to properly penetrate the hair cuticle, resulting in vibrant color that will last longer.

Your protein treatment should be applied to damp, clean hair. Start by evenly distributing the product onto your scalp and hair strands and let it sit for at least 10 minutes before rinsing thoroughly with lukewarm water. This step is important as it will prepare your hair for subsequent color application.

Use a toning shampoo

Using a toning shampoo can help prolong the color of your blonde hair. However, you should use toning shampoo after pre-toning. Pre-toning is when you use a semi-permanent dye to adjust the level of your existing blonde hair before toning it.

Pre-toning can be an effective way of bringing life back to tired and lifeless blonde locks, as well as boosting vibrancy, neutralizing unwanted tones, and evening out brassy hair color. A great way to start pre-toning is to find a shade that’s close to the level that you’re trying to achieve (Level 9 for mid-light, Level 8 for mid and Level 7 for darker shades).

When using Wella Professionals T18 Lightest Ash Blonde toner or any other Wella Professionals toner of your choice, mix it with 1 part 20 vol Wella Professionals Color Touch Emulsion and 4 parts Developer Emulsion (either 6% or 9%) according to the instructions in the box. Apply directly on towel dried hair focusing mainly on areas with higher levels of brassiness such as around the face frame area and nape of neck.

Develop for 5 minutes before applying directly onto dry/towel dried areas requiring more coverage or on top off previously prelightened sections where needed. Process until desired tone has been reached (add up to ten minutes maximum) then rinse thoroughly until water runs clear before washing with a light weight protein treatment shampoo like Wella Professionals Invigo Balance Clean Anti Dandruff Shampoo prior to conditioning. Follow up with a matching pH balanced conditioner which will help avoid further damage by locking in moisture into your newly toned hair while providing extra protection against long term wear and tear.

Applying the Toner

Toning blonde hair may seem intimidating, but with the right products and technique, you can get beautiful results. Applying a toner to your hair can help to neutralize any unwanted warm tones, such as brassiness or yellowing. Wella is an excellent brand that produces high-quality toners specifically designed for blonde hair. With this guide, you’ll learn how to apply a Wella toner to achieve the hair color of your dreams.

Mix the toner with developer

Mixing the toner with the developer is an important step in toning your blonde hair. Start by combining equal 1:2 parts of the toner and developer using a non-metal bowl and spoon or brush. Alternatively, you can combine the two mixers in a container made of plastic or similar material.

Use gloves when you’re working with hair products, and be sure to clean up any splatters to keep your surfaces clean.

Once it has been mixed properly, apply the mixture immediately to wet hair that has been washed with a clarifying shampoo. When applying, make sure all strands of your hair are evenly saturated from roots to ends. After leaving the mixture on for anywhere between 10 – 30 minutes depending on how light/dark you want your strands to look, rinse thoroughly with cold water before drying as normal. Always double-check by comparing roots and ends of each strand for evenness before fully rinsing. If desired color is not achieved after first application, it is recommended to wait until 48 hours have passed before reapplying the process again.

Apply the toner to the hair

Toning blonde hair is an important process that should not be overlooked. After bleaching and before styling, toning your hair will result in even more beautiful, vibrant blonde locks. It helps to eliminate brassiness, unwanted yellow or orange tones, and can even lengthen the duration of your color between touch-ups or salon appointments.

Using a professional-grade toner is the first step to beautiful blonde tone! Wella’s Color Charm Permanent Liquid Toner is perfect for on-trend shades like Beige Blonde, Champagne Blonde, and Icy Blonde. Make sure to use directions printed on the packaging for optimal results.

Once you’ve identified which toner will work best for your desired color and have purchased it from a professional beauty supply store (do not attempt to use box dyes!), it’s time to apply it! Depending on how resistant your locks are to color products (i.e., overall health of your hair), you may need additional supplies such as an old towel, gloves, a timer (for keeping track of timing) and a tint brush from your local beauty supply store.

Begin by prepping the area where you’ll be working; make sure that any unwanted splotches are wrapped with plastic wrap for protection. If necessary, take sections of already foiled highlights out of the way—but do not pull multiple pieces together as this can affect its coloring process. Once everything is ready and tacked down appropriately with clips or pins – start at the nape of the neck if possible – brush on a generous amount of toner evenly throughout each section working up towards the roots first then along lengths until everything’s covered in plenty of product. Depending on what design or end look you’re going for – proceed accordingly while allowing each stand ample contact time with toner according to package directions before continuing onto another section – be careful not to overlap sections with too much product as doing so can cause streaks or dry spots depending on how porous your mane is.

Leave the toner on for the recommended time

When toning blonde hair, it is important to allow the toner to remain on for the recommended amount of time as dictated by the instructions. Applying the toner too quickly or leaving it on for longer than necessary can both lead to undesired results. If this happens, a clarifying shampoo will be required to remove the color.

It is important that you begin timing after all strands have been completely saturated with the toner and not when you first begin saturating your hair with it. Depending on the strength of your toner (10V-20V) will decide how long you leave it in based on what your desired end result is.

  • 10 Vol developer should be left in for a maximum of 5 minutes and not any more due to its low strength.
  • 20 Vol developer can be left in for up to 20 minutes as its higher strength allows it to process faster.

For best results and reduced risk of damage, make sure to follow all instructions carefully and check on your hair every few minutes throughout!

Post-Toning

After you’ve toned your hair with wella, it’s important to maintain the health of your locks. Post-toning, you’ll want to use a deep conditioner and/or mask weekly to keep your hair hydrated, soft, and manageable. You’ll also want to opt for a shampoo and conditioner that is specifically formulated for color-treated hair. It’s important to use products that won’t strip away the tone.

Let’s dive deeper into how to maintain the perfect blonde tone:

Rinse the toner out of your hair

Once the toner has been applied to your hair, processed according to instructions and set with a cold rinse, it is time to wash the toner away. Use a sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner specifically formulated for color-treated hair. The sulphate found in regular shampoos can oxidize (or strip) away any artificial color from your hair, so you want to ensure that you’re using the correct product.

Gently massage your scalp and rinse with warm water. The warmer the water temperature, the colder the blond tones will appear. This step is important as it removes residue or build up of any products used during or before toning. You don’t want anything left over on your locks before adding a conditioner; this could leave your color looking flat or dull.

Follow with a suitable color safetly conditioner formulated for blonde hair; this will protect against further fading and keep strands healthy, hydrated and shiny between uses of toners. As part of an overall haircare routine, apply an intensive masque weekly for added protection against environmental pollutants that may worsen yellowing between appointments as well as helping to strengthen weak locks for increased durability against mechanical damage.

Apply a deep conditioning treatment

After toning blonde hair to your desired shade, it is important to use deep conditioning products to maintain healthy, vibrant hair. Deep conditioning can help keep your hair strong and healthy, while replenishing lost moisture and providing nourishing ingredients that help retain vibrancy and colour fidelity.

A deep conditioning treatment should be applied on a consistent basis in order to maximize results. Deep conditioners come in a variety of forms such as creams, mousses or overnight treatments. Begin by wetting the hair then applying the deep conditioner and combing it through the strands with a wide-tooth comb or fingers. Allow it to penetrate the hair shaft for 15-20 minutes before rinsing out with cool water so that the cuticle closes and locks in all of the ingredients for full absorption.

You can also invest in an at-home deep conditioning tool like a cap or heat wrap to help open up your cuticles further and allow better penetration of nutrients in order to provide maximum restoration for damaged locks.

Looking after your blonde tresses doesn’t have to be complicated; just follow up toning sessions with regular applications of deep conditioning treatments!

Style and finish your hair

Once your bleaching or toning treatment is complete, you can start styling and finishing your hair. The first step is to use a clarifying shampoo and follow up with a hydrating conditioner. Clarifying shampoo helps remove any botanical/mineral buildup that has accumulated during the bleaching & toning process – doing this will help give you vibrant colored hair!

Conditioning your hair afterwards will help lock in moisture and nourish the strands. Once that’s done, you are now ready to style and finish your hair:

  1. If the look you’re going for involves shiny, voluminous waves or curls, try using a styling cream or mousse before blow drying.
  2. If you don’t want to blow dry as much and prefer more of an undone look, try using a leave-in conditioner on damp hair. This will help add texture without compromising hydration.
  3. Finally, if the look you’re going for involves sleek straightening, apply a thermal protectant cream before heat styling! This will help keep your strands safe from heat damage while providing a glossy finish to your overall look.