Hair toners are not permanent, and they do not change the color of your hair. Over time, a span of 6-8 weeks, the color will fade, and the brassy undertones will be there again. Moreover, the longevity of your toner depends on how it was applied.
However, regardless of how long toner should last on your hair, there are certain things you do that make your color fade faster.
Hair toners are very important to your dye or bleach job and for this reason, there is some information you should be girded with to enjoy your colored hair.
Ahead, this article answers your questions on how long toner lasts and what to do to get your toner to last long.
Does Hair Toner Work?
Yes, hair toner works. While you get your hair dyed or bleached, your colorist applies toner during or after the dye or bleach job. Using toner when you first get your hair colored helps to protect your hair from the damage of the coloring process.
Moreover, it helps to extend the wearing period of your colored hair. As the color wears out, it leaves your hair protected from potential damage.
In between dye jobs, applying toner to your hair protects your cuticles from swelling and changing shape. The coloring process can be quite harsh on your hair and toners salvage a major part of the damages that should happen.
In addition, as time goes by, your colored hair begins to show brassy and sometimes too-warm undertones that give you a funny look.
You can use hair toners to correct this and fine-tune your hair color. Toners bring out the color that has been deposited in your hair cuticles, rather than adding color to your hair. Also, toning your hair helps to balance hair porosity.
How Long Does Toner Last in Hair?
Toner lasts anywhere around five to eight weeks depending on how well it was applied. How long toner lasts in your hair is also up to you and your daily activities.
You should imbibe a good routine for colored hair if you’ll want your last toning appointment to pay off well. The type of toner you use, how the toner was applied, and how you care for your colored hair are predetermining factors of how long toner will last.
With different brands come different concentrations of hair toner. You may find that one product lasts longer than the other. Generally, toners made for at-home use and toners made for professional use will not have the same concentrations.
Consequently, they will not last equal durations. Therefore, you may have frequent toning appointments if you always use toners made for at-home use.
How Do You Choose Toner That Will Last Long?
Toner will last long based on its permanency which is determined by its formula. Three are three levels of permanency and they include permanent toners, demi-permanent toners, and semi-permanent toners.
Of all three, permanent toners last the longest. This type of toner is used with permanent hair dyes to extend longevity and reduce damage. Also, it helps to cover previous dye jobs that are showing brassiness.
Next to permanent toners is the demi-permanent toners which have an ammonia-based formula. These toners are used a few days after bleaching your hair. It does not last for as long as permanent toners would, but you can enjoy revamped hair for up to 20 washes.
The semi-permanent toners have the shortest lasting period. After about 10-12 washes, all the color is out. These toners are usually in the form of toning shampoos and are the easiest to use.
How Long Does Toner Last After a Salon Visit?
Having a professional apply toner to your hair can guarantee long-lasting toner for up to 8 weeks. This is because the colorist who is very conversant with coloring hair can pick the correct toner and the formula that suits your brassy undertones.
Moreover, the formula is more concentrated, and the toner delivers pigment correctly and fully covers your hair. An in-salon toning appointment will be more productive than when you have it done yourself.
Additionally, a colorist is more skilled in toning your hair. He/she knows what areas of your hair need the most attention.
How Long Does Toner Last After Toning at Home?
At-home toning will not last as long as a salon visit would. Products made for at-home toning are less concentrated than those used in the salon, by professionals.
Toners made for at-home use include toning shampoos and conditioners, and ready-to-use toner packs.
Such toners help to revive your color jobs in between your salon visits. Also, they keep your colored hair looking its best for as long as you have it on. They are easy to use as they come with simplified instructional guides in their packs.
How Long Does Purple Shampoo Last in Hair?
Purple shampoo is an example of semi-permanent toner. Its effect does not last long in your hair. The pigment stains the surface of your hair and infers color. After about 10 washes, the color will eventually wash out.
This toning shampoo is easy to use and can help revive your blonde from the comfort of your bathroom. All you need to do is lather the shampoo into your hair and leave it in for 10-15 minutes so it fully deposits pigment before you rinse it out.
How Can You Get Toner to Work Better?
To get toners to work better on your hair, the first thing you need to do is to pick the right color and formula. Then, you should be sure your hair is well bleached. Otherwise, the toner will not deposit pigment as expected.
Furthermore, you should not make assumptions about the brassiness of your hair. Your hair must be brassy enough for the elimination and replacement of undertones.
If you are battling high porosity, you should fix that before you go ahead to apply toner to your hair. In addition, you should mix your toner with a developer. The developer will help with the consistency of the toner and help to effectively deposit pigment.
Why Does Toner Not Last Long in Your Hair?
You may find that toners do not last long in your hair, and it could be a result of many reasons that do not include the permanency of the toner you use.
One reason why toners do not last long in your hair is that you did not use the correct volume of developer.
Mixing toner with the developer helps to effectively lift, eliminate and replace color and undertones. A 10% volume developer will not effectively eliminate and replace undertones as a 20% volume developer would.
Additionally, toners may not last long in your hair because of too frequent and prolonged exposure to sunlight without wearing protection over your hair.
The sun’s rays can cause the color to fade earlier than expected and at the same time damage your hair strands.
Too frequent pool time, having your head in chlorinated and saltwater can make your hair color wash out. These chemicals and color do not make a good pair; one must leave. And the color gives way instead.
If you have colored your hair, you cannot wash your hair as frequently as a person without colored hair would.
There are products and habits you should stay away from if you want to keep your colored hair. Doing any of these things will make the toner wash out and fade faster.
How Can You Get Toner to Last Longer?
If there are things you do that make toning your hair not last long, then you can do the opposite and enjoy long-lasting toner.
It becomes easier to care for your hair when you settle in the fact that coloring your hair means you can no longer treat your hair as you did when it was not colored.
Follow these helpful tips to get toners to last longer in your hair:
- Use toners that will banish the unwanted undertones
- Do not over-tone
- Mix toner with an appropriate developer
- Stay away from water for the first 48 hours
- Cut down on your wash days. Wash your hair every three days with a color-safe shampoo and conditioner
- Alternate wet poo days with cleansing your scalp with dry shampoo
- Avoid washing or rinsing your hair with hot water
- Use products designed for colored hair. For example, toning shampoo
- Always apply hair color protectors
- Before dipping your hair into pool or beach water, use a hair sunscreen to shield your hair from the bleaching effects of these compounds
- Wear hair sunscreen if you’ll be in the sun for long hours
- Make a weekly routine of deep conditioning your hair
- Do not use hair masks in the first five days of toning your hair
- Reduce your frequency of using heat styling tools. If necessary, apply a heat protectant before you use a heat tool
- Always do an at-home touch-up (only when necessary)
- Do not use alcohol-based products
- Build a hair care routine that works for your colored hair
- Most importantly, always consult your colorist before you make major hair-changing decisions on your colored hair
How Often Should You Tone Your Hair?
How often you tone your hair depends on how much time it takes for the toner to fade out of your hair. And how long toner lasts depends on how you manage and care for your hair.
If you use toners with longer permanency, you may not have to reapply until after two to three weeks. Also, if a professional toned your hair, it may last up to 6-8 weeks depending on how frequently you wash your hair.
FAQs
Can toner damage your hair?
Toner is generally safe for your hair if you use the right toner and apply it correctly. The hair coloring process can damage your cuticles because hair dyes penetrate your hair shaft and alter the structure of your cuticles.
Using a hair toner will protect your hair from this damage and also help to balance hair porosity.
Why does your hair toner fade so fast?
Your hair toner fades so fast because you either wash your hair too frequently or you’re using the wrong products like a clarifying shampoo. Also, it could be because your hair has too frequent contact with chlorinated and saltwater.
How many washes does toner last?
The number of washes a hair toner survives depends on the permanency of the toner, if it’s a toning shampoo, and the type of shampoo you wash your hair with.
Some toners can last up to 20-22 washes while others are less. If you wash your hair every day and maybe with a clarifying shampoo, the toner will wash out faster.
Conclusion
How long toner lasts depends majorly on you. You need to get it right with your choice of toner and its application. Then, how you care for and manage your hair afterward determines whether you’ll have toner in your hair for a long time or not.
Colored hair and your natural hair are two different hairs and should be treated as such. As you had a routine to care for your hair before you added or stripped off its color, you should build a routine for your colored hair.
From the products your use to how you use them; your colored hair needs TLC to live its best days.
Thanks for reading.
If you need to read the best hair care guides, Check Serum101.
