Bye, Bye Brass: How To Tone Blonde Hair

Blondes may have more fun, but those good times tend to be accompanied by brassiness. One second it’s all good; the next, your hair looks more yellow than blonde—or at least that’s how it can seem. Over time, especially if you don’t care for your hair properly, your gorgeous bottle blonde hue becomes warmer. This can be a bit of a foregone conclusion, but that’s where toning blonde hair comes into play. With the right toner for blonde hair, you can revive your ashy blonde shade and get rid of unwanted yellow or orange tones. Here, we’re sharing five toning tips that will help you put your best blonde forward.

Hair-Toning Tip #1: Use a Hair-Care System For Blondes

How you care for your mane can make a major difference in how soon and how often your hair needs to be toned. Using the wrong hair-care system, especially one that’s not intended for color-treated hair, is a surefire way to have your color quickly fade and turn brassy. For blondes, it’s important to use hair-care products meant specifically for blonde hair.

The right system can also help with brass; you don’t have to wait and use a blonde toner. You can continuously correct brassiness via your regular routine. Every time you wash, use the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Blonde Shampoo and L’Oréal Paris EverPure Blonde Conditioner. Two to three times a week, you can swap out the conditioner for the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Blonde Shade Reviving Treatment. This trio is gentle on colored hair and helps neutralize brassy hair.

Hair-Toning Tip #2: Supplement With a Purple Toning Shampoo

When you’re a blonde, purple shampoo should be your BFF—no exaggeration. If you’ve never used a colored toning shampoo, this is how it works: The purple hue cancels out the yellow tones in your hair. Think back to your middle school art classes, and you’ll remember that purple and yellow sit opposite one another on the color wheel. This makes them complementary colors that can neutralize each other; it’s the same principle behind color-correcting makeup.

Purple shampoo doesn’t need to replace your regular hair-care products, but it should be part of your blonde hair routine. When you start to see brassiness making an appearance, cleanse and condition with the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Color Vibrancy Purple Shampoo for Color Treated Hair and L’Oréal Paris Elvive Color Vibrancy Purple Conditioner for Color Treated Hair as needed. The pair will neutralize brassiness in one use.

Hair-Toning Tip #3: Try a Cool-Toned Hair Gloss

Hair glosses and glazes are a popular in-salon treatment, but you can also do them at home. The L’Oréal Paris Le Color Gloss One Step In-Shower Toning Gloss in Cool Blonde is an at-home hair gloss that tones your hair, boosts shine, and deeply conditions. Think of it as a low-maintenance mane makeover. This particular shade is one of our favorite cool blonde toners, the effects of which will last for about 10 days. Use it once per week to maintain your fresh-looking color.

Hair-Toning Tip #4: Refresh Your Color With an Ashy Hair Dye

The right shade of hair dye can also be used for toning blonde hair and getting rid of brassiness. Steer away from shades with “golden” or “warm” in the name. Instead, look for ash blonde toner options. We recommend shades from our Excellence Créme line, like the  L’Oréal Paris Excellence Créme Permanent Triple Protection Hair Color in Light Ash Blonde and Medium Ash Blonde. Use your ashy dye as instructed, and it can help counteract warm tones in your current color.

Hair-Toning Tip #5: Go To The Salon For a Toning Treatment

Sometimes, the best toner for blonde hair isn’t an at-home option. If your hair is extremely warm-toned, you may want to book an appointment at the salon. A professional colorist can find the perfect blonde toner to help you get your color where you’d like it to be.

Next: The Easiest Ways To Fix Hair Color Mistakes