Toners come in a few different names, including “glaze” and “gloss,” and they come in several different applications. You can tone the hair with something mild, like a toning shampoo and conditioner, and the hair can be toned with something more customized, like what your stylist would use on you in a salon. No matter what type of toner is used, it’s temporary. A toning shampoo and conditioner last until your next wash, and a professional toner can last through several shampoos, gradually lifting back to reveal the brighter, warmer tones that are underneath.

To understand how to talk about the various shades of blonde, you have to understand what goes into what you’re seeing. Picture picking out a “white” paint color at the home improvement store. There are tons. Notice how many different shades of white there are to choose from. Notice how whites look different under different lights or against different colors. It’s like that with blonde hair. They look different under different lights and against different colors. Your base color, skin color, eye color, and clothing all have different colors that change the tone you see in blonde hair.

When talking about blonde tones, words like “light,” “brassy,” “warm,” “bright,” “cool,” and “dark” are thrown around a lot. Warm blondes are brighter than cool blondes, so that you won’t have a “bright, cool blonde.” You can, however, have a “light, cool blonde.” Brassy blondes are blondes that have been neglected. Brassy blondes are warm, but not in a pretty way. They look unpolished. They’re missing the toner. Even someone who wants a warm, beachy blonde will want a toner to help control the overall tone of the hair. Toners are also Ph balanced to help enhance shine (which is why some people call them a “gloss”). Someone can see a “cool” tone on their blonde and feel like it’s too dark. This is because cool tones absorb light while warm tones reflect it. The cool toner absorbs light and makes the eye think the shade of blonde is dark. 

All toners will lift out of the hair. When a toner lifts out of the hair, the hair becomes brighter and warmer. This is great if you’re sitting at home with a fresh highlight that doesn’t look as light as you wanted. This is not great if you think your hair is too light and warm. 

If you have a fresh highlight that looks too “cool” or too “dark,” then wait a couple of washes and be patient with the natural lift. Whatever you do, don’t use harsh detergents to try to speed up the process. Your stylist has applied the toners so that they will lift out in a graceful and beautiful transition that keeps the harsh, brassy undertones at bay. Rushing this process will sabotage the professional work, and you’ll have to spend more money going back to have the toner adjusted. Most toners relax after two normal washes.

If you have a fresh highlight that looks too bright or warmer than you’d like, you may need to let your stylist know that you’d like the highlights to be a bit darker to get the cooler result you want. Remember, there is no such thing as “bright” and “cool.” If you want to be cooler than you are now, you either need to schedule two or three more highlighting sessions with your stylist or accept that your hair can’t get as light as you want, but you can be cooler. The darker the hair and the finer it is, the less likely you’ll be able to get “light” and “cool” together. Your stylist is walking a tightrope that is the diameter of your hair strand every time they lighten it. Pushing too hard will wear a hole in the tightrope.