7 Best Toners for Brassy Hair in 2022

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Every time you color your hair, you probably face the same problem: brassiness starts to take away from the beautiful color, and it is no longer the shade you desire! It is a hassle to fight and prevent brassy color in your hair. It is definitely a nightmare when you lighten your hair, and it starts to look orange! Thankfully, there is a way to fix this.

The brassy color most often occurs when you dye hair a blond color, but it also happens to light brunettes. But, luckily there are so many excellent toners on the market, it’s easy to keep your color looking its best.

Whether you want a shampoo, a mask, a foam, or even toning drops, we’ve got you covered! Read on to see our recommendation on the best toners for brassy hair. They are all great and affordable options.

What is a toner for brassy hair?

A toner is a product with blue or purple pigments that gets rid of or neutralizes the brassy, yellow, orange, and red tones in blonde and brunette shades of hair color. Whenever you go to a salon, your hair looks so good after it’s colored. The reason behind it is that the stylist applies toner, which brightens, balances, and makes the color shiny.

Many women struggle with a lackluster color at home, and it’s because they forget to use toner. A toner is a must-use product for colored hair, especially blonde. It removes the yellow tones and brassiness, which ruins your hair color.

Toners are multifunctional products. A toner will counteract brassiness, give your hair shine, nourish locks but also act as a protective and repairing conditioner. So, it’s the ultimate multiuse product every blonde needs!

Is toner a shampoo or a mask?

The most popular toners are shampoos, which work as color correctors. They have the texture of a liquid shampoo or conditioner. Some are heavier and creamier, while others are runny. The second most popular category of toners is a hair mask. It works like other hair mask products, but it is full of violet and blue pigments to counteract yellow tones.

You can also find foam toners that are just as effective and even easier to use because they don’t drip off the hair.

What all these toners have in common is their purple pigment. Many people know toners as ‘purple shampoo.’ But, there is more to toners than their color. They also offer other benefits for your hair.

When should I use a toner?

A toner is used every time hair is bleached and colored blonde. The product neutralizes unwanted colors that make your hair look less than perfect. Bleaching often goes wrong, and hair starts to look orange. To fix this problem, you must apply a toner immediately as it will neutralize all the brassiness.

Best Toners for Brassy Hair Reviewed

Bestseller: Schwarzkopf Professional Blond Me Blonde Toning – Ice

Schwarzkopf Professional Blond Me Blonde Toning Ice

This ice shade toner is ideal for a platinum blonde hair color and bleached locks. It keeps the color looking vivid wash after wash. It fights brassiness and evens out the color so blondes can stay blonde for longer. The best feature of this product is that it’s mixable. You can mix other toners to suit your particular hair color. Remember that one purple toner doesn’t fit all shades of blonde, so it’s often necessary to customize it at home by mixing two or more toners.

So, if you don’t have a platinum blonde, you can mix it with another blond toner that works for the other shades of blonde. Therefore, it’s no surprise that stylists love using the Schwarzkopf toners – they are easy to combine and customize for every client’s hair color. For those of you using the toner at home, you’ll be glad to know it’s so powerful that it can even remove brassy roots.

Pros

  • It removes brassiness on all shades of blonde, especially platinum, including the stubborn root color.
  • This toner works quickly; you’ll begin to see results in as little as two or three minutes.
  • The formula is nourishing and leaves hair silky smooth, even if it’s damaged from bleaching.
  • It has an easy applicator with a nozzle, so it doesn’t leave a mess in the bathroom.

Cons

  • The tube is small, so people with long hair need to use at least two tubes
  • If the product is left on the hair for too long, it turns platinum blonde into an ash blonde.

Best Mask for Platinum Blonde: BOLD UNIQ Purple Hair Mask for Blonde, Platinum Silver Hair

Bold Uniq Purple Hair Mask For Blonde Platinum Silver Hair

Just like a shampoo, a hair mask removes brassiness from blonde hair. This one is formulated for platinum and silver blondes. A mask is more beneficial than shampoo because it also nourishes and repairs damaged hair. This product removes brassiness, and it also gets rid of the yellow tones that appear once you wash your hair. As well, this mask helps condition the hair strands, so they look healthy and soft.

Think of it as a preventive hair treatment because it is infused with natural oils, soy proteins, and Vitamin B5, which makes hair soft and silky to the touch. Also, it contains UV filters that prevent the sun’s rays from breaking down the pigment in your hair color. Thus your hair doesn’t suffer sun damage. Don’t overlook the importance of UV protection because these rays are hair color’s number one enemy.

Pros

  • This pigmented violet mask neutralizes brassy tones as well as other types of yellows that many other toners miss.
  • The product is free from parabens, sulfate, and silicone – the ingredients known to damage hair follicles.
  • This is a cruelty-free product, and it is not tested on animals.
  • The formula is infused with conditioning oils such as Marula, Jojoba, and coconut, and these ingredients work to repair damaged hair.

Cons

  • It is more expensive than regular toning shampoo.
  • Some customers experienced dry hair after prolonged use.

Best For Medium and Dark Blonde Hair: Purple Shampoo for Blonde Hair by GBG

Purple Shampoo For Blonde Hair By Gbg

While the packaging claims this product is excellent for all blonde shades, we recommend it most for those with a medium to dark blonde. The reason for that is because this product is potent enough to get rid of any brassy and yellow tones and leave you with pure hair color. It also offers protection from UV rays because it contains photo stabilizers. Therefore, it leaves color bright, vibrant, and fresh.

This GBG toner is made with fresh organic compounds and coconut oil. It helps prevent dryness that’s usually associated with toning. The ingredients work to neutralize brassiness and cleanse any grime, dirt, and oil that is stuck to the strands and roots. So, this product does more than just tone; it repairs, cleanses, and keeps color looking its best. As a bonus, this product also removes frizz.

Pros

  • The product contains collagen, which protects your hair strands against damage, breakage, and split ends, for beautiful hair.
  • It is easy to use the product because there is no mixing required. Simply lather the cream onto wet hair.
  • This is a cleansing toner, so it leaves hair feeling lightweight because it removes grime and oil.
  • It is excellent for getting rid of frizziness because the formula contains Keratin, which smooths hair.

Cons

  • The product offers the best results after 2 or 3 washes.
  • You might need to use a conditioner to make hair softer.

Best for Brunettes: dpHUE Cool Brunette Shampoo

Dphue Cool Brunette Shampoo

Brunette shades also face brassiness, and the best neutralizing pigment to counteract it is blue. This is a gluten-free moisturizing shampoo that gets rid of brassy, red, and orange tones in light brunette hair colors. The foam formula is easy to apply and covers all hair strands. If your hair lacks shine, this formula helps hair regain its shine, luster, and vibrancy.

The manufacturer recommends that you use the toner weekly to neutralize brassiness. But since the formula is free of sulfates, parabens, and silicone, you can use it every two or three days to restore your color to its perfect shade. With the toner, you can save money and time in-between salon visits.

Pros

  • The shampoo does not contain any sulfate and does not strip hair of its blonde color.
  • This formula is hydrating and moisturizing and claims to leave your hair shinier and sleeker than before use.
  • This toner works well on dark blonde hair as well as lighter brunette tones.
  • It even removes the red tones in dark brown hair.

Cons

  • It is a more expensive product that costs about $30.
  • Some people only noticed results after the second wash.

Most Innovative Product: IGK Mixed Feelings Leave-In Blonde Toning Drops

Igk Mixed Feelings Leave In Blonde Toning Drops

As far as a toner goes, this is by far the most innovative toner for brassy hair on our list. These are drops that you mix into your daily shampoo and conditioner. It is truly revolutionary because you can turn any of your favorite hair products into a toner by simply adding a few drops of this product! So, there’s no need to throw out your beloved shampoos and conditioners.

You can wash the toner out or add it to styling products, in which case it becomes a leave-in toner that gives better results for longer. There is no need to worry about specific quantities because the product comes with a dosage chart, which shows you how many drops are required depending on the formula you are adding it to.

Pros

  • This formula is vegan and cruelty-free. It is also free from parabens, mineral oils, and sulfates.
  • It also works to soften hair strands and offers lots of shine because it contains prickly pear extract.
  • You can mix drops of this product into shampoo, conditioner, and styling products such as serums.
  • It offers UV protection.

Cons

  • The product has an intense scent, which some customers find off-putting.

Best Foam For Blondes: COLOR WOW Color Control Purple Toning + Styling Foam for Blonde Hair

Color Wow Color Control Purple Toning Styling Foam For Blonde Hair

This product is ideal for daily color maintenance. It is a light formula, so you’re not going to get that intense result the first time, but it has a light lavender tint that keeps brassiness at bay. Because it has a mousse formula, this product doesn’t dry out your hair like some other toners. As well, it gives you shiny and healthy-looking hair, so it looks like you just walked out of the salon.

There is no alcohol in this formula, so consider it a less damaging alternative. It uses a rubber-like formula that gives hair strands added volume, shine, and hold, so it looks like you used a volumizing hairspray. It’s safe to say you can skip many of the regular styling products and stick with this mousse. You’ll love this product if you want to combat brassiness daily because your color is always going to look fresh.

Pros

  • Since this is a mousse product, it doesn’t have to be applied to the scalp. For that reason, it’s healthier for your hair. Some toners irritate the scalp and cause itchiness, but this one is gentle.
  • It is perfect for color-correcting on the go, as you apply it and leave it in.
  • This product’s clean formula is excellent, as it is free from 60 of the most common harsh chemicals found in other hair products.
  • Hair is not sticky or flat because this mousse offers volume, shine, and makes detangling easy.

Cons

  • It is expensive for a mousse product – it costs approximately $25.
  • It doesn’t offer heat protection.

Best Permanent Toner: Wella Color Charm Permanent Liquid Hair Toner

Wella Color Charm Permanent Liquid Hair Toner

A permanent toner is an excellent choice if brassiness is something you struggle with often. This product is recommended for women who are familiar with using toners and DIY blonde hair color. It has a strong formula that penetrates the hair strands. Wella’s special technology also improves saturation, which means your hair absorbs more of the neutralizing pigments. You’ll also be glad to know this professional product has a low price.

There are eight different toner shades for blondes in this Wella range, so you can be sure to find one that suits your type of blonde. And because it’s Wella, there’s no doubt the toner works efficiently and removes brassy colors and yellow tones. Just make sure to follow the instructions and use it with a developer. You can choose between a 10 or 20 developer, depending on how brassy your hair is.

Pros

  • This product uses Liquidfuse technology, so it penetrates hair effectively, thus removing unwanted tones.
  • The toner costs less than $10, which is cheap for a well-known brand like Wella.
  • Wella’s permanent toners give lasting effects, so you don’t need to tone as often.
  • It works to lift off brassy tones after you lighten your hair, before brassiness sets in.

Cons

  • This is a harsh toner, and it does cause some damage to your hair, especially if you use it with a 20 developer.

Buyer’s Guide

What to look for in a toner?

Not all toners are created equal. The type of toner your hair needs depends on your hair color. As I mentioned before, toners are usually a must-have product for blondes, because this color is most susceptible to brassiness.

If you have a platinum blonde hair color, you need a strong toner, preferable a mask or shampoo. Hair that undergoes a dramatic color change, like a brunette to platinum transformation, needs an ammonia-based toner to remove brassy tones. When you bleach hair, it tends to become full of orange undertones. Therefore a pigmented purple toner is essential to color-correct hair strands.

Natural blondes and beach blondes can neutralize the brassy yellow tones with a good purple shampoo. The purple pigment balances the color and gives a cool-toned blonde shade.

Brunettes should look for toners with blue pigment, which correct the reddish tones that appear after coloring.

How often can I use a toner?

It depends on the type of toning product. If you use a classic toner cream or liquid with developers, stylists recommend you use a toner every six to eight weeks to prevent oxidization and brassiness. It is a way to refresh the blonde color and make it look good.

If you use shampoos, mousse, foams, and masks, you can use them weekly to keep hair looking its best. Many of the foams and mousses are light toners, so they do not cause significant hair damage, and that is why you can use them more often.

The Bottom Line

You’ve seen our pick for best toners for blondes and brunettes. Now, it is up to you to choose the type of formula that works best for your hair type. Always follow instructions that come with the product and don’t overuse toning products, as these may cause damage and dryness.

So, if you want to neutralize brassy tones and go back to the most beautiful shade of blonde, don’t hesitate to order one of these great toners. Best of all, they are budget-friendly and easy to use!