Are toners really necessary? In short, yes. That is to say, if you want the best possible tone or level of dimension for your highlights. In all of my sixteen years of doing hair, I can count on one hand how many clients are eligible for “no toner” hair. Any guesses why? It’s because in order to skip the toner, the client has to be so blonde naturally, that raw bleach wouldn't able to create a lot of dimension for them.

Toners are a necessary step when your finished highlights look orange-y, brassy, or too contrasting next to the existing dark from a natural base hair color. Luckily, your stylist has been trained on how to spot that perfect blonde/lightened hair for your skin tone and they’ll make sure that it enhances your natural color. In this blog, I’ll explain the three most common toners.

I’ll use the analogy of tinted saran wrap from the holiday parties straight from the 80’s, parchment paper (otherwise known as wax paper), and aluminum foil. Sit tight, it’ll all make sense in no time!