When it comes to toning hair, questions come up concerning how long to leave the toner on, which toner to use, and more. But one of the most common questions people have is, “Can you tone wet hair?” We’ve done the research. By the end of this article, you’ll know the answer to this question and much more! Show
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You shouldn’t tone soaking wet hair due to unpredictable results. Toner should be applied to hair that is roughly 70% dry (or damp hair). Some people think they should tone their hair wet to aid in product distribution and ensure a good final result. The idea stems from the fact that water opens up the hair cuticles. However, there’s a massive flaw in this logic when toning. It’s not a good idea to tone wet hair, and the reason is simple. There’s a limit to how much liquid your hair can absorb – about a third of its weight. Once your hair has absorbed all it can, nothing else can make it into the hair shaft. So, if you tone your hair while it’s wet, the chances of the toner being absorbed efficiently are very low and the color results will be unpredictable. What Happens If You Put Toner on Wet Hair?When you tone wet hair, the toner can become diluted, which reduces its effectiveness. This means that applying toner to your wet hair can lead to uneven results or even no color change at all. Another thing that could happen is that the results you get after toning won’t last as long as expected. Some find that a toner that’s supposed to last for 8 weeks will only last for 2. Another reason why toner and wet hair don’t mix is that the toner may slide down the hair as you’re trying to apply it. This is most likely to happen if your hair is dripping wet. By no means should you apply toner to dripping wet hair. Toning 100% Dry Hair Is Not RecommendedDry hair doesn’t pair well with toner, either. That’s because dry hair is not receptive to toner. While you can put toner on dry hair, we are against it because it won’t allow the toner to absorb fully. The result may be inadequate toner performance or a short-lived color result. But if you have to choose between toning your hair while it’s dripping wet or dry, we suggest toning it dry. You Should Only Tone Damp HairAccording to hair colorists, your hair should be about 70% dry before toning. At this level of dryness, the toner can easily penetrate the hair and be spread up and down the hair shaft without any trouble. Also, when your hair is just a bit damp, the hair cuticles will be more receptive to the toner than dry hair would be. So, after rinsing the bleach out of your hair, you should towel dry your hair before toning it. Doing so will ensure that the toner will be adequately absorbed and last as long as expected. Note: When you use a toning shampoo, you should apply it to wet hair, lather it up, and let it sit for the amount of time indicated on the packaging. This is the only case where applying toner to wet hair is a good idea. How to Tone Damp Hair RightYou now know why you shouldn’t tone your hair dry or wet. But there are several other things you should do to make sure your toning session is successful. To help you out, we’d like to give you some step-by-step instructions to follow:
If you want to speed up the toning process, you can put on a processing cap. Doing so will insulate the heat from your scalp and speed up the processing time. Just be careful if your hair is damaged – in that case, you should try your best not to overprocess your hair. The Best Toners AvailableNot all toners are created equal, and that’s why we’d like to let you in on some of the best toners you’ll find anywhere. Wella TonersWella sets the standard in toners for blonde-haired folks. Their permanent liquid toners are known to be effective in removing brassiness and keeping it away for months.
You’ll also find an extensive collection of blonde color shades, including ash blondes, natural blondes, platinum blondes, and much more.
Schwarzkopf TonersSchwarzkopf toners are a bit more high-end, going for twice the price of Wella toners. These are professional quality toners that give predictable, true-to-shade results for those struggling with brassy, yellow tones.
Manic Panic Hair TonerManic Panic is one of the most popular hair product manufacturers around. The company is known for producing some of the best semi-permanent hair dyes on the market. But many don’t know that their toners are also great.
Their Virgin Snow Hair toner provides outstanding toning results without some of the harmful ingredients people are trying to avoid now, including ammonia, parabens, and animal testing. When searching for a good toner, you can’t go wrong with purchasing one from one of the above brands. Related Articles
To sum things up: for the best toning results, your hair needs to be 70% damp. We don’t recommend toning soaking wet or dry hair. Doing so will ensure maximum toner absorption and ease of product distribution. We hope that the information in this article is helpful to you as you take steps to get the perfect toning result. We wish you the best with your hair! Is it better to tone wet or dry hair?According to hair colorists, your hair should be about 70% dry before toning. At this level of dryness, the toner can easily penetrate the hair and be spread up and down the hair shaft without any trouble.
How long do you leave toner on wet hair?Leave the toner on for approximately 8-10 minutes for lighter hair and up to 20-30 minutes for darker hair. This toner removes “brass” for perfect blonde hair. To achieve the best results, you should lighten your hair before applying the toner.
Can I put toner on wet hair after bleaching?It's best to apply toner to hair that's still a bit wet so it gets distributed evenly, so dry your hair enough so that it's still slightly damp but not dripping. If you're not using toner right after bleaching, simply wash your hair with shampoo beforehand and towel dry the same way.
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