Why Toner is so Important to your Blonde Hair

What does a toner do?

This question definitely comes in to our top 5 questions that clients ask. All you know is your hair is lightening in those pretty little foil packets, it then gets rinsed out and your hairdresser says, “I’m just going to mix up your toner.” You smile, nod and agree, all the while having no idea what she is talking about but every hairdresser does it so it must be a thing. So peeps, it’s now time to take control and finally know what happens when we place that weird, cold solution on your head at the basin.

Basically, any time we lighten hair it throws off warmth. That’s what hair does and that’s the way it was designed and has done so since the dawn of time. It lifts through red, orange, yellow and finally palest yellow, which is where you want to be if you are wanting platinum, ash blonde or silver. No we don’t lift to white, as this is the point when hair breaks so we like it to hang out at pale yellow and remain on your head. This is where the toner comes in.

Basically a toner is used in most cases to counteract any warmth in the hair and create a more neutral colour as this is a much nicer look on your skin tone. It can also enhance or be used to create fashion colors but in the case of this blog we will concentrate on the neutralizing part of the toning process.

Say you were wanting platinum blonde, we would have to lift you light enough to get to pale yellow. We then would ‘tone’ or neutralize the pale yellow colour with a violet based blonde toner. This is because violet is opposite to yellow on the colour wheel. Remember grade 2 colour wheel activities where you mixed purple with yellow to make brown, or as we call it in hairdressing, neutral. This colour doesn't show up as brown but a neutral, clean, vanilla blonde.

Now let's just say your hair could only lift to orange, due to tint build up or your hair being darker naturally to start with, then we would use a blue based toner creating an ash brown colour. If we used a blue based toner over yellow hair, this would create a green or murky colour as blue and yellow make green. Again see Grade 2 colour mixing. This seems to be a common problem when people get toners in their hair as a lot of hairdressers only see ash (blue) as a universal toning option. This leaves the dull blonde look where hair lacks brightness and lightness. Another common toning faux pas is called ‘breaking the base’ where the toner used has a high level of ammonia which ends up lightening the natural hair around the foils, creating a warm or orange tinge to the overall look of the hair.

Toners can also be altered to create different tones on blonde hair. There are many ways hairdressers can manipulate toners to intensify fashion looks like greys and pinks, produce depth at the roots using a darker toner called a ‘root stretch, blend out balayage by using 2 levels of toner and using toner to initiate levels of fade when the hair is washed.

Toners should be soft, never burn and never make the hair look dull. A toner should look like a cellophane on the hair, neutralizing the colour and complementing your skin tone. They are an important part of the colour process and if done correctly, can give you your perfect blonde.

Here at Birdie we will always tone our clients blonde at the chair in front of the mirror as apposed to the basin. Firstly this is an easier process for us and cleaner to apply but we also do this to educate our clients as to what their hair colour looks like when freshly lightened and then to visually see what the toner does to their hair colour after application.

Please remember that toners fade from the hair like all hair colour does, but being a lighter tone, they are designed to last about 4-6 weeks. You may find that you need to visit your hairdresser around this time to get the toner refreshed. A violet based shampoo or conditioner will also help the colour from looking brassy.

How the humble Scrunchie can keep your blonde hair from breaking

So this week I had a hair epiphany thanks to a couple of my clients. I have educated them well in all the blonde tricks; turn down the irons and regular treatments, yet I’m still seeing hair breakage around the areas where they tie their hair up. So this is the point that I introduce you to the humble Scrunchie. The 80s icon may just be what your blonde hair needs. For those of you that don’t know what a Scrunchie is, let me explain. A Scrunchie is a piece of elastic incased in a piece of material. Colour matched to your outfit if you so choose. If you are seeing unnecessary breakage around the area that you regularly tie your hair up then let me tell you what a Scrunchie can do for you.

1. Less damage than a regular elastic- especially a rubber band. Anything grippy on your hair will pull and trap the hair, causing breakage. A Scrunchie is softer on the hair and the material stops the pull of a bare elastic.
2. A Scrunchie is way more comfortable than a regular elastic- less pulling means less headaches
3. A Scrunchie is easier to find- they are bigger and brighter so no more lost hair ties
4. They look good as a bracelet on your arm- much nicer and less suffocating than a hair elastic
5. They are much easier to remove from your hair and won’t cause knots- no catching, pulling or tangling
6. You can custom match to your outfit- if you so desire. Yes it was a look in the 80s but I’m sure it can be rocked in this day.

Some other tips to help the integrity of your hair:

• Never tie your hair up wet, even with a Scrunchie, as hair is in it’s most vulnerable state when wet.
• Never sleep with your hair in a ponytail. The movement throughout the night can cause breakage.
• Change up the location of your ponytails to move the pressure of the one area. Think of all the new looks you can discover. Life’s too short for the same ponytail position.

So in conclusion if you are doing all the right things and you still have breakage on your blonde hair then consider hunting down a Scrunchie or two.

Why are consultations so important?

Consultations are a vital part of your hairdressing service. Without them, how will your Stylist truely know what you are after? A consultation should be the perfect symphony between the hairdressing world and the client world. This is the point where magic begins. So how can you as a client get the best out of your consultation and provide your hairdresser with all the insight they need?

1. Don't be shy No we don't bite. Even though we look like we have it all going on, at the end of the day, we are human and there to service you. If you hold back, we will never know your true personality and find it hard to get information out of you. Own that shit...and be who you really are. If your Stylist puts you down or makes you feel uncomfortable, then I suggest you get up and walk away.

2. Bring in photos Pinterest photos are not lame. They help us understand what look you are after, especially if you have trouble with the correct hairdressing terms. My only advice is to make sure the person in the photo has similar hair texture and thickness to you and you are realistic about your requests. A good Stylist will tell you if it's unachievable and alternernative ways to create what you are after

3. Don't expect your hair to look like the photo. Photos should be an inspiration. Hairdressing is not a cookie cutting excercise so we can get your hair close to what you are after but there will be differences depending on your hair type and colour. Photos are also edited, filtered and lit in ways to make them more visually appealling.

4. Give clear and consistent information It's hard to consult if a client doesn't even have a ballpark idea of what they want. Similarly, if a client keeps changing their mind in a consultation, then we find it hard to plan the look you are after. Make sure you have a clear idea and stick to it. Your Stylist can steer you in the right direction if the look is unachievable.

5. Listen very carefully You show us the pics, describe what you want and ask for our opinion. Now please listen very carefully to our thoughts. If it's doable we will say so. If not we will explain the process of what is achievable. So at that point, please drop the fantasy you have ingrained in your mind and be a realist. We will explain what will suit you, set out a contingency plan and tell you how to make the most of your hair.

6. Be aware of the limitations of your hair We all have the ideal hair that we visualize having. We would also all love to ride a unicorn to work everyday but in reality, some things just ain't gonna happen. If you have fine hair, we cannot cut your hair to look thick. Embrace your hair the way it is and learn to make the most of it. Good hair is not born, it is made possible by a kick ass Stylist who works with what you have.

7. Lying only makes it worse. If you tell us hair lies, the results will show this, but we can usually figure this out beforehand anyway. If we can see black die in your hair but you swear you have never coloured it, you are not doing either of us any favors. We are not here to hair shame you. So you box dyed your hair. No need to feel guilty but we do need to know these things as colour reacts differently on pre coloured hair. Please let us know of any previous bleaching services now covered by brown dye. We will find this out when your hair snaps while coloring. Get the point! We only ask you these things to get the best colour possible and keep the integrity of your hair.

8. We talk products and treatments for a reason. This is because we truely believe in them. Not because we need to make a quota for the month. By you using good quality products, it makes our job easier and our work look better. This helps you style your hair more successfully and have a kick ass colour for longer. Treatments are a must after any colouring service. It puts the nutrients back in your hair and holds your colour longer. We all use shampoo and conditioner so why not let the person who has just spent 3 hours on your hair be the one who tells you what is best for it.

9. If you need a quote, just ask. Prices vary greatly in our industry and each salon has their reasoning for what they charge. Here at Birdie are color prices are based on time and amount of product used. If cost is an issue, please ask or come in for a consultation. We would much rather quote you, then have you feel uncomfortable the whole service. But be aware, we value what we do and in the end you do get what you pay for.

And finally...

1. Please don't ask us if it will look good. Come on. This one is a no brainer. We wouldn't do anything that doesn't suit you and if we believe it will look bad on you, we will steer you in another direction. And what kind of response were you thinking you would get anyway?

So there you have it. The hairdresser/ client experience is a sacred one and like all good relationships, is based on truth, honesty, clear communication and effort on both sides. Heres to a long and happy hair dating life.💋

If your blonde is looking sad, just change tones.

All blondes face it at one time or another. The dreaded 'worn blonde' look. But your blonde looked so special 6 months ago. Same hairdresser, same tones, same hair. So why does your blonde hair suddenly look like it belongs to some cash strapped stripper? Well the reason is that skin and hair tones change seasonally, along with your clothes. Fashion changes and we get used to the new look and can't even imagine how we dared look like that. (Think 90s thin brows...EEWW!) Let's never say never, because these looks will come around again. So what you liked for your hair 6 months ago, is no longer on your radar. 6 months ago everyone wanted ash. No warmth they would say! "I can still see warmth!!!" This sparked a flood of Frozen's Elsa memes. Now clients are warming up their tones again. We are seeing a lot of beige, rose gold and golden blonde tones. So instead of freaking out and yelling "I want to go brunette", read on for all the blonde tones you can play with to keep your blonde interesting.

ASH (Cool tone, the colour of light concrete) Blue based with a slightly deeper tone. This tone is for people who like a flat looking blonde and see warmth in everything

BEIGE (Warm/Cool tone, the colour of an fresh baked vanilla cupcake) In between warm and cool, this look is soft and neutral for those who want a slight amount of warmth.

CLEAN (Cool tone, the colour of vanilla cupcake icing) Not too grey, not too warm and the blonde still has brightness

WARM (Warm tone, the colour of McDonald French Fries) A warmer vesion of beige. Still clean and bright but without any cool tones

ROSE GOLD (Warm/Cool tone, the colour of a rose gold necklace) Slight pink tone, slight ash tone with an undertone of warmth. Blonde is slightly deeper.

SILVER (Cool tone, the colour of light grey tracksuit pants) Slight grey tone. Looks like an overtoned ash but still fairly clean looking

CHAMPAGNE (Warm tone, the colour of pink champagne) A pink/beige tone. Has a warm look with a slight pink reflect.

STRAWBERRY (Warm tone, the colour of a penny) A pink copper tone. Deeper blonde with soft auburn tones.

COPPER (Warm tone, the colour of a tangerine) Has a natural looking warm orange tone. Is a deeper looking blonde.

SANDY (Warm tone, the colour of sand at the beach) Golden caramel tone. Warm but still fairly neutral.

LICAC (Cool tone, the colour of a purple Fruit Tingle) Pearly colour with a slight lilac hue.

GOLDEN (Warm tone, colour of a gold ring) Warm yellow tone

SMOKEY (Cool tone, colour of an oyster shell) Beige/grey blonde. A deeper tone

PINKY (Warm/cool tone, the colour of a strawberry milkshake) Clean blonde with a hue of pink

GREY (Cool tone, the colour of your favourite grey hoodie) The colour of grey hair when it goes salt and pepper. Be prepared to look grey.