Unwanted tones can occur for many reasons, including pigment remaining in the hair after a bleaching treatment, exposure to sunlight and shampoo, and application of the wrong color base. Wella is a well-known and trusted brand to fix these issues, but many wonders which Wella toner to use on their hair.
We’ll discuss the best Wella toners for common color issues to help you bring back the “just walked out of the salon” brilliance or correct unwanted tones in your hair.
Which Wella Toner to Use?
The options are widely variable, and it can be a challenge to determine which Wella toner to use. The color descriptions look like code, and finding the right hair toner for your color seems to be a best guess when comparing color swatches.
For any of the Wella toners to reduce unwanted warmth, brassiness, or other undesired tones, the hair must be pre-lightened to a pale yellow (think of the inside of a banana peel), yellow, or gold.
Eight permanent Wella Color Charm toners are divided into three color families: Ash, beige, and silver. These toners remove unwanted brassiness and warm tones on naturally blonde hair and following bleaching treatments. Wella toners are also used as the final step to achieve the desired shade of blonde during color processing.
A newly introduced Wella toner lineup is the Blondor toner, with five different toner options and a new “Brass Kicker” additive to neutralize remaining underlying pigments after a bleaching treatment.
We’ve put together a complete breakdown of toners, the designated color family, and how to decide which Wella toner to use.
Highlights
| Hair Shade | Wella Toner | Toner Family | Additive (if any) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow | T18 | Ash | N/A |
| Orange | Beige T11 or T35, 050 Cooling Violet | Beige | More or less Brass Kicker depending on tone |
| Brown (Level 6 or lighter) | Beige family | Beige | 042 Warming Gold |
| Blonde | T11 or T18 or mix both | Beige or Ash | N/A |
| Green | T15 | Beige | 042 Warming Gold |
| Platinum | T10 or T28 | Silver | N/A |
| Silver/Gray | T14 or T18 or mix both | Ash | N/A |
| Level 7-8 | T14 | Ash | N/A |
Note: For any Wella toner to work effectively, the hair must be pre-lightened to a pale yellow, yellow, or gold. The Blondor toner line also offers different shades for blonde hair and comes with a Brass Kicker additive to neutralize underlying pigments after a bleaching treatment.
Wella Color Charm Toner Families
Wella Color Charm permanent toners are grouped by what is called a toner family. The toner family determines the undertones and what results you can expect on your naturally blonde or pre-lightened hair.
- Ash – Ash family toner colors are T14 and T18 and are used for cooler blonde shades. Ash toners will provide blue, gray, and violet undertones.
- Beige – Beige family toner colors are T11, T15, T27, and T35 and are used for warmer shades of blonde.
- Silver – Silver family toner colors are T10 and T28 and are used to achieve that perfect platinum coloration.
- Cooling Violet – 050 – An ash family shade, but not technically a toner. 050 is used as an additive in combination with the “T” toners to neutralize certain undesired brassiness and warm tones.
- Warming Gold – 042 – not technically a toner, but is used as an additive in combination with the “T” toners to add warmth to blonde shades.
Wella Blondor Toner
The Wella Blondor toner line offers medium beige, lightest natural, lightest pearl, pale silver, and pale platinum colors. The Brass Kicker additive combats unwanted pigments left over after bleaching treatments.
Choosing a Wella Blondor toner shade will depend on the color of your naturally blonde hair or the level of lift achieved during a bleaching treatment.
Which Wella Toner for Brassy Hair?
For those warm tones that are coming through in the weeks following a color treatment, a toner can neutralize those brassy undertones. All of the Wella Color Charm toners assist in reducing or neutralizing brassiness.
Is your hair brassy with a yellow or orange hue? The Wella toner you will use depends on knowing which color you have and want to remove.
For yellow brassy hair, the T18 in the Ash family removes unwanted pigment. The T18 toner is Wella’s best seller with concentrated purple pigments. Purple neutralizes brassiness and leaves you with an icy blonde mane.
In the Wella Blondor line, Medium Beige and Lightest Natural used in conjunction with the Brass Kicker will combat unwanted brassy hair.
Which Wella Toner for Blonde Hair?
Natural blonde hair and dyed blonde hair lose luster over time. Shampoos, hair products, and exposure to chlorine and other chemicals can also affect your hair color.
Wella toner T11 (lightest beige blonde) gives a very light, natural tone to blonde hair. Wella T18 (lightest ash blonde) lends white ash blonde to hair. If you don’t want the toner effect of the T18 to be too ashy, mixing the T11 and T18 will result in light blonde colors.
The Wella Blondor line offers several toners for blonde hair. The lightest Pearl is best for creamy blonde. The lightest Natural is used to obtain that “born with it” blonde, and Medium Beige produces blonde hair with warm tones.
Which Wella Toner for Orange Hair?
If you find that you are left with orange hair ranging from the same shade as a creamsicle to brassy orange roots or ends, don’t fret. Applying a bleach treatment to medium-dark and darker hair often leaves behind an orange pigment.
The Wella Color Charm beige family toners are best for correcting orange hair. Beige T11 is the lightest of the beige family, while T35 is the darkest. Depending on what shade of beige blonde your goal is will determine which toner to use.
050 Cooling Violet alone can be used for brassy orange hair. The Wella Blondor line lends itself to using any shade. What is different is the amount of Brass Kicker added to the formula. For extreme orange or orange-red tones, more Brass Kicker is used, and for pale orange tones, less Brass Kicker is added.
Which Wella Toner for Brown Hair?
The Wella toners will not lend much to hair that is a medium to darker brown, whether dyed or natural. The hair must be pre-lightened for these toners to be used and have an effect. If your hair is a level 6 or lighter brown, the beige family will add warm facets.
The Wella 042 Warming Gold additive can also be used with the Beige family of Color Charm toner to increase the warmth and add multi-tonal facets to brown hair that is a level six or lighter brown.
If your hair is a level 6 shade of brown and not dark brown, the Blondor toners can be used to neutralize and add depth to your hair color. No Brass Kicker additive is used when applying to brown shades of hair.
Which Wella Toner for Yellow Hair?
This one almost goes without saying because it’s the best seller in the range. Wella T18 is packed with purple pigments, which will neutralize those yellow tones and leave you with an icy blonde result.
The Wella T18 Toner is the only purple-based toner in the range, and it’s the most powerful at combatting yellow tones.
Which Wella Toner for Green Hair?
Green hair comes from purposefully using permanent fashion colors to dye hair, from swimming in chlorinated water, and from exposure to some shampoos after coloring. Using an ashy permanent hair color for extended periods can also leave a greenish tint to your hair.
Wella Color Charms Beige family T15 contains warm red pigments, which will neutralize green tones. If you have used a green hair color and want to change the color, let the green fade over time or use a clarifying shampoo to fade the color.
Depending on the extent of the green tone in your hair, the toner can be left in for as little as five minutes or as long as 20 minutes if the pigment is dark green. If you do not want to change the base color of your hair, you must check the toner process very frequently. The lighter the green hue, the less you’ll have to leave the toner on.
The Wella 042 warming gold additive can also be used with the Beige T15 to increase the warm tone and reduce greens.
Which Wella Toner for Platinum Hair?
To achieve platinum hair on hair bleached to a light yellow, the Silver T10 and T28 create the perfect look. A platinum color cannot be achieved using these toners if you have any hint of orange or brass in your hair,
In the Wella Blondor line, select Pale Platinum to achieve your desired look. No brassiness or orange can be present for this tone to bring your hair to the light platinum hue.
Which Wella Toner for Silver or Gray Hair?
Naturally silver or gray hair can become dull over time. If you have bleached your hair to the palest yellow (think of the color of the inside of a banana peel) and want to achieve a platinum color, toner is the answer.
Using Wella Color Charm Ash T14 is perfect for adding beautiful gray tones to naturally gray or silver hair. If your hair is naturally gray or silver but has dulled and the ends have become yellowed, mixing the T14 and T18 will combat these issues.
The Ash family of Wella toners will impart a silvery or gray hue to pre-lightened hair. Wella T14 and T18 add depth and dimension to cooler blonde shades with gray, blue, and violet undertones.
Which Wella Toner for Level 7 and Level 8 Hair?
Hair that has been lightened to a level seven or eight often has orange or orange-red tones, as seen on the color wheel chart.
To neutralize and correct these tones, using the Wella Blondor toner line in Medium Beige, Lightest Natural, Lightest Pearl, Pale Silver, and Pale Platinum will affect hair lightened to a level 7 and level 8.
While none of these Blondor toners will result in light blonde hair, they will calm the remaining orange tones.
For the Wella Colorcharm toner line, a blue-based toner will help neutralize orange tones in level 7 and 8 hair. The T14 toner (pale ash blonde) will neutralize orange and gold pigments left behind by bleach treatments.
How to Use Wella Toners
If you apply toner immediately after a bleaching treatment, thoroughly rinse all bleaching products from your hair. Any bleach remaining in your hair can continue to develop and cause damage and uneven lightening.
Towel dry your hair to remove excess water and mix the toner. Use a 20-volume developer unless you are removing mildly brassy tones or the developer has a darker tone for less dramatic results.
Wella Blondor toners are mixed at a 1:2 ratio meaning one part toner and two parts developer. Wella Color Charm toners are also mixed at a 1:2 ratio.
Apply the toner to your hair and set a timer, performing a strand test every few minutes until the desired results are achieved. Rinse your hair thoroughly and style it as normal.
How Long to Leave Wella Toner on Your Hair?
On average, you can expect your toner results to last 4 to 6 weeks before a touch-up is needed.
The length of time to leave Wella toner on your hair depends on the condition of your hair, the base color, and what color you want to achieve.
Hair that is severely damaged or double-processed is more porous than natural hair or hair that has been lightened only a few levels. Always perform a strand test and test every few minutes during processing.
The Wella Color Charm toners have a processing time that varies from 5 minutes up to 30 minutes. For minimal pale yellow, test a strand after 5 minutes and repeat every few minutes. The full 30 minutes is required for hair with deeper brassy pigments or hair that resists color.
Always strand test your hair every 3 to 5 minutes, and remember that your hair looks darker when wet.
The Blondor toners have a processing time of ten minutes for an all-over pastel blonde on hair that has been pre-lightened to a level 9 or 10 with minimal yellow or pale orange undertones. A 20-minute processing time is used for hair that has deeper orange or yellow tones.
How Long Do Wella Toners Last?
The length of time toner results will last depends on how you care for your hair and your daily routine. Waiting three days after a toner application permits the hair cuticle to seal and results in color lasting longer.
Shampoo, styling products, heat styling products, and exposure to sun and water from the beach or chlorinated pools all take a toll on hair color treatments, including toner.
Washing your hair no more than every other day will extend the life of your toner application, as will limiting time in the sun or water.
Do Wella Toners Damage Your Hair?
Wella toners themselves contain no peroxide or lifting chemicals. When toners are mixed with a 20-volume developer, the damage is minimal if recommended processing times are followed.
If toners are applied after a bleaching treatment, remember that any processing will cause some damage and dryness.
How to Maintain Healthy Hair After Applying Wella Toner?
It is essential to moisturize your hair following any color treatment, including Wella toners. A high-quality conditioner should be applied after rinsing the toner from your hair to replenish moisture lost during the bleaching and toning process.
Daily shampooing strips the oils from your hair and scalp. Washing your hair every few days keeps your hair healthier and your color brighter. Dry shampoo can be used to freshen your style between washes.
Use a heat protectant spray before any heat styling, and a leave-on conditioner protects your hair and color from damage caused by UV rays and pool chemicals.
Wella Toner Vs Demi Permanent Dye – What’s the difference?
Toner and hair dye both deposit color on the hair. The difference? Demi-permanent dyes use peroxide to develop and alter the overall color of your hair, with the effects last approximately four to six weeks.
A toner is applied after lightening or coloring hair to soften color, neutralize brassy or orange tones, and even the color. Toner is also used to blend gray hair with your natural hair color.
So, How Do You Choose Wella Toner?
Always consider the color level of your hair and the desired result, referencing a color wheel, and keep your expectations realistic. Remember that you cannot tone hair that is lightened to a brassy orange to platinum with just a toner.
Orange and yellows tones are neutralized with some toners, while an ashy hue is imparted with others. Choose a Wella toner that will neutralize unwanted shades, and you will be on your way to the gorgeous blonde hair that you want.
FAQs
10-volume developer works best with a darker toner and is the least powerful. 10-volume developer also works better if you are neutralizing mild brassy tones.
The ash family of Wella toners lends a blue base, depending on the color of your hair. The Wella T14 is a violet-blue-based toner.
The Blondor toner line and the Wella Color Charm line of toners are all permanent toners.
No. Toners should not cause burns, tingling, or stinging sensations. If the product burns on application, immediately rinse your hair, scalp, and hands thoroughly to remove the application.
Yes. Once a toner is opened, oxidation can occur if the cap is not twisted tightly to seal. Oxidation causes the toner to turn dark. Unopened toner is good to use for approximately three years.
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