Disclaimer: For informational purposes only, not intended for professional advice. This article reflects the author’s independent views and is not intended to influence your perception of the brand.
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 wonder 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 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.
Important Note: For Wella Color Charm “T” toners to work effectively, your hair must already be pre-lightened to a Level 9 or 10. These toners deposit a light, semi-transparent tint and will not work on dark hair or dark orange brassiness.
To make finding the exact right toner as easy as possible, we’ve broken this guide into two steps.
How to Use These Tables:
- Step 1: Diagnose your problem (Table 1). Look at the current undertones of your lightened hair. Are you seeing pale yellow, mint green, or stubborn orange? Table 1 will tell you which Wella toner will fix it, or importantly, if your hair is still too dark/orange for a Wella “T” toner to work at all.
- Step 2: Choose your final finish (Table 2). Wella T toners are translucent. To achieve the beautiful salon finishes in Table 2 (like Icy, Platinum, or Silver), your hair must already be pre-lightened to a clean, pale yellow (Level 9 or 10). You will not see orange or green in Table 2, because those are undertones to neutralize, not final hair goals!
Table 1: Neutralizing Unwanted Tones
| Current Unwanted Tone | Wella Color Charm Toner | Color Theory Base | Why it Works |
| Pale Yellow (Inside of a banana peel) | T18 (Lightest Ash Blonde) | Violet | Violet directly neutralizes yellow pigments, leaving a pure, icy blonde. |
| Pale Yellow-Orange / Brassy | T14 (Pale Ash Blonde) | Blue / Violet | The blue base neutralizes pale orange, while the violet tackles the yellow. |
| Pale Pastel Green / Mint | T05 (Pale Rose Blonde) | Red-Violet / Rose | Red neutralizes green. Wella T05 contains a red-violet base, making it the perfect choice to gently cancel out a pale mint or muddy green tint on Level 9/10 hair. |
| ANY Unwanted Tone on Brown/Dark Hair (Orange, Brass, or Green) | DO NOT USE “T” TONERS. | N/A | “T” toners are too sheer to show up on brown hair. To fix green on brown hair, use a warm/red demi-permanent dye. To fix orange, use an ash/blue demi-permanent dye. |
Table 2: Achieving Specific Looks
| Desired Look | Required Starting Color | Wella Color Charm Toner | Toner Family | Additive (Optional) |
| Icy / White Blonde | Pale Yellow (Level 10) | T18 | Ash | N/A |
| Platinum | Pale Yellow (Level 10) | T10 or T28 | Silver | N/A |
| Silver / Gray Tone | Pale Yellow (Level 10) | T14 (or a mix of T14 + T18) | Ash | Add 2-4 capfuls of 050 Cooling Violet to enhance the deep silver/gray result. |
| Warm / Creamy Beige | Yellow to Pale Yellow (Level 9 or 10) | T11 or T35 | Beige | Add 042 Warming Gold if extra warmth is desired. |
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 Blonde Hair?
Natural blonde hair and dyed blonde hair lose luster over time. Shampoos, heat styling, and exposure to chlorine can strip your toner, exposing the underlying warm pale yellow or light gold undertone.
Whether you want to neutralize that yellow into a cool blonde or warm sun-kissed honey blonde depends on choosing the right Wella product.
Cool, Icy, or White Blonde:
If your blonde has faded to a brassy, pale yellow undertone (the color of the inside of a banana peel) and you want a stark, cool finish, Wella T18 (Lightest Ash Blonde) is the ultimate go-to. It uses a powerful violet base to directly cancel out yellow, leaving a pure, white ash tone.
Pro Tip: If you feel the T18 alone is too ashy or silver, mixing equal parts T11 and T18 will give you a beautifully balanced, light natural blonde.
Warm, Creamy, or Sandy Blonde:
If your hair has a pale yellow or light gold undertone and you want a warm, natural-looking finish, the Wella Beige family is perfect for you. Here are the best options:
- T11 (Lightest Beige Blonde): Use this on hair with a very pale yellow undertone (Level 10) for a creamy, sandy, “born-with-it” light blonde without a stark, icy finish.
- T15 (Pale Beige Blonde): Perfect for pale yellow or light gold undertones (Level 9 or 10) when you actively want a soft, honey-blonde finish. It adds beautiful dimension and richness without looking brassy.
- T35 (Beige Blonde): The darkest of the three, T35 is absolutely perfect for the lightened pieces of a brunette balayage. When applied to yellow bleached highlights, it tones them into a beautiful, warm caramel that blends seamlessly with a brown base.
Which Wella Toner for Orange Hair?
If you find that your hair is pale, brassy orange (Level 8), a blue-based toner is required to neutralize the warmth. For the Wella Color Charm line, a blue-ash toner like T14 can help cool down pale orange-gold tones.
With the Wella Blondor Liquid Toner line, you can add “Brass Kicker” to your formula. Brass Kicker is an additive designed to give your toner an extra boost of violet/blue pigment to combat stubborn underlying warmth.
Warning: If your hair is “extreme orange” or “orange-red” (Level 7 or darker), do not use a Wella T-toner. Your hair has not been lightened enough. No amount of blue toner or Brass Kicker will fix dark orange-red hair; you will simply need another lightening session to reach a pale yellow canvas before toning.
Which Wella Toner for Brown Hair?
Wella T toners are formulated for pale blonde hair (Levels 9 and 10). Applying them to solid dark brown hair will not give you enough pigment to neutralize dark orange or red tones, and using them with a 20-volume developer can accidentally lighten your natural base, exposing more brassiness!
If you need to safely neutralize brassy brown hair without lifting your natural color, skip the “T” toners entirely. Instead, use a Wella Color Charm Demi-Permanent hair color (like a 6A or 7A Ash) mixed with a 10-volume developer.
The only time a brunette should use a Wella “T” toner (like T35 Beige Blonde) is if they have pre-lightened highlights or balayage. In that case, the toner is only acting on the bleached blonde pieces, not the brown hair itself.
Which Wella Toner for Yellow Hair?
This one almost goes without saying because it’s the best seller in the range. Wella T18 is formulated with a violet base, which will develop to neutralize those yellow tones and leave you with an icy blonde result.
The Wella T18 Toner has a strong violet base, making it one of the most powerful options in the range for combatting yellow tones.
Which Wella Toner for Green Hair?
Green hair usually happens for a few reasons: swimming in chlorinated pools, fading semi-permanent fashion colors, or accidentally applying a heavy ash (blue/green-based) toner to blonde hair that is highly porous.
In the rules of color theory, the exact opposite of green is red/pink. To safely color-correct a green tint, you need a toner with pink undertones.
Wella’s T05 (Pale Rose Blonde) toner is formulated with a neutral red-violet base. If you have a stubborn pale green or mint tint on pre-lightened Level 9 or 10 hair, applying T05 will effectively neutralize the green, using its red tones to leave you with a beautiful, clean blonde.
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 (medium blonde) or level eight (light blonde) almost always reveals stubborn orange, gold, or brassy undertones. Wella Color Charm “T” toners are designed for pale yellow hair (Levels 9 and 10).
For Level 7 (Orange): Skip the Wella “T” toners entirely. They are too translucent to neutralize the heavy orange pigments at a Level 7. To fix Level 7 brass, you should use a deposit-only demi-permanent ash dye (like Wella Color Charm Demi-Permanent 7A) to cool down the color, or you will need another bleaching session to safely lift the hair to a Level 9.
For Level 8 (Yellow-Orange): You can use a blue-based toner like Wella T14 (Pale Ash Blonde). Its strong blue-ash base will help neutralize the orange-gold pigments. However, keep your expectations realistic: applying T14 to Level 8 hair will leave you with a cool, dark blonde, not a silver or platinum finish.
Alternatively, the Wella Blondor Liquid Toner line (in shades like Medium Beige or Lightest Natural) can help calm the remaining warmth at a Level 8, especially when mixed with a small amount of the Brass Kicker additive.
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 (as directed by Wella), or use a 10-volume developer if you only need to deposit color and want to prevent lifting your natural base.
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. Avoid contact with eyes.
Warning: Do not use this product to dye eyelashes or eyebrows, as doing so may cause blindness. If the mixture gets into your eyes, flush immediately with plenty of water and seek medical attention.
How Long to Leave Wella Toner on Your Hair?
On average, you can expect your toning 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. Test your hair every 3 to 5 minutes, and remember that your hair looks darker when wet.
Caution: The full 30 minutes is required for healthy hair with deeper brassy pigments. If your hair is severely damaged or highly porous from double-processing, do not leave the toner on for 30 minutes, as this can cause the hair to break off. Process for a fraction of the time and monitor continuously.
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?
Any chemical processing causes some degree of hair damage. Most Wella toners needs to be mixed with a developer to activate or contains ammonia. So these toners damage your hair to some extent.
While Wella officially recommends using a 20-volume developer, some stylists use 10-volume developer to keep chemical damage minimum.
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?
Wella “T” toners (like T18) contain ammonia. When mixed with a 20-volume developer, it can lift your natural hair color 1-2 level while depositing pigments.
While this slight lift is great for pale blondes (Levels 9/10), on darker hair it can actually expose more underlying brassiness. Because their pigments are sheer and translucent, they simply aren’t strong enough to cover heavy orange tones.
Demi-Permanent dyes are ammonia-free, use a very low-volume developer, and are strictly deposit-only, which means no lifting and no new brassiness exposed.
They have a heavier, semi-opaque pigment that is strong enough to successfully coat and neutralize stubborn orange hair right at its current level, all while being much gentler.
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 yellow tones can not be neutralized with same toner. 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
While Wella officially recommends 20-volume developer, 10-volume developer is best for neutralizing mild brassy tones on already bleached hair as it causes less damage.
The Wella T14 is a blue-ash-based toner, making it ideal for cooling down pale orange or gold tones.
The Blondor toner line and the Wella Color Charm line of toners are all permanent toners.
While a properly formulated toner shouldn’t severely burn a healthy scalp, toners contain ammonia and are mixed with developer, which can cause tingling, irritation, or chemical burns on a freshly bleached scalp. Always wear gloves during application. If the product burns on application, immediately rinse your hair and scalp thoroughly to remove the mixture.
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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