How to Use Wella Toner after Bleach

Pick the right toner and use the correct application method for perfectly bleached hair

Co-authored by Yan Kandkhorov and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: March 29, 2023 References Approved

Choosing Toner and Developer

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Applying Toner

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Maintaining Your Shade

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Q&A

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Tips

You love your brightly bleached hair, but those orange undertones have got to go. That’s what toner is for! Wella toner is a popular brand that you can find almost everywhere, so it’s a favorite of many DIYers and professionals alike. If you’re overwhelmed by the sheer number of options you can choose from, we’ve got you covered: we’ll tell you exactly which toner to buy to make your bleached hair shine, plus how to apply it flawlessly. Let’s get started!

Things You Should Know

If your hair is naturally dark, pick T15, T11, T27, or T35.
If you want a platinum or ash blonde shade, go with T10, T18, T14, or T28.
Mix darker toner with 10 volume developer, and mix lighter toner with 20 volume developer.
Apply the toner to your hair when it’s damp, then let it sit for about 20 minutes before rinsing it out.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Choosing Toner and Developer

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Go with T15, T11, T27, or T35 if your hair is naturally dark. If your natural hair color is brown or black and you’ve recently dyed it blonde, there’s likely a lot of orange in the strands. The lightest Wella toners won’t be able to cancel out the brassiness completely. Instead, opt for a richer beige shade to lift your color. These shades are also great if you want hair that’s light but not quite platinum.^{[1]
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- If you want to lighten your hair after using the medium shade, wait a few weeks, then tone again with a lighter toner, like T10, T18, T14, or T28. Now that the orange has been lifted out, your hair will be able to pick up the platinum shades more effectively.
- To see what these shades look like, view Wella’s shade chart.
2
Choose T10, T18, T14, or T28 to get a pale or ash blonde shade. These lightest, whitest shades will get you to a platinum color if your hair is already a lemony blonde. If your hair is still brassy and orange, wait on using this light toner, because it won’t be strong enough to noticeably change the shade of your hair.^{[2]
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Use a 10 volume developer with a darker toner. Choosing a developer is important, because hair developer helps open up the hair cuticle so that it can pick up the color more effectively. A 10 volume developer is the least powerful, and works best if you’re trying to maintain ash brown hair or if you’re trying to get rid of only mild brassy tones.^{[3]
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Choose a 20 volume developer on hair tinted a darker orange. A stronger 20 volume developer will not only open up your hair cuticle to help the toner take effect, but will also lighten your hair on its own. This makes it a great choice if you’re looking to tone your hair to a very light blonde shade or if your hair is a more noticeable orange color.^{[4]
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- Don’t use a 30 or 40 volume developer at home. Higher volume developers could seriously damage your hair if not applied by a professional colorist. Restoring damaged hair is possible, but it’s best to avoid it if you can.
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Buy Wella toner and developer online. The best place to buy Wella products is online through sites like Amazon and Sally Beauty. You can also ask your local hair salon or beauty store if they carry Wella products in stock.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Applying Toner

1
Apply toner right after bleaching for the fastest results. Toner works best if you’ve already bleached your hair, because it will lighten or darken strands that are already around the shade you want. After bleaching, rinse your hair with water. If you’re toning immediately afterwards, don’t condition just yet.^{[5]
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- Although many people choose to tone right after bleaching, you may need a few days to buy your toner or to decide if you want to use one at all. Don’t worry! You can tone your hair at any point after bleaching it.
2
Towel dry your hair but leave it somewhat damp. After washing out the bleach, towel dry your hair. It’s best to apply toner to hair that’s still a bit wet so it gets distributed evenly, so dry your hair enough so that it’s still slightly damp but not dripping.
- If you’re not using toner right after bleaching, simply wash your hair with shampoo beforehand and towel dry the same way.
3
Pull on some plastic or latex gloves and an old T-shirt. Toner will stain your hands, so it’s best to protect them with disposable gloves. It will also leave spots on your clothing, so wear a shirt you don’t care about staining.^{[6]
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4
Mix 2 parts developer with 1 part toner in a bowl. If you have long hair, several inches past your shoulders, use the whole bottle of toner. Fill up the empty bottle twice with developer and pour it into the same bowl. If your hair is shorter, just below or at your shoulders, use half a bottle of toner and twice as much developer.^{[7]
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Clip up the top few layers of your hair. Use hair ties or long plastic hair clips and let the very bottom layer hang down. This is where most people have the most brassy, orange tones, so it’s a good place to start your toning.^{[8]
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Brush on the toner with the applicator brush. Starting with a small section of hair on one side, paint the toner on evenly from root to tip. The strands should look darker and wetter once the toner is fully on. Work from one side to the other, using a mirror to make sure you don’t miss any sections.^{[9]
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- You can use the same applicator brush for your toner that you used to apply bleach to your hair.
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Unclip your hair and take down another thin layer. Repeat the process of brushing on the toner with this layer, then move on to the next until you reach the top layer and all your hair has been covered in toner.^{[10]
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Scrunch any leftover mixture through your hair with your hands. Focus on your roots and the back of your head, which are often the hardest parts to hit with the applicator brush. Remember to keep your gloves on through this process so you don’t stain your hands.^{[11]
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- It’s okay if you don’t have any extra toner mixture left to apply. This is just a way of making sure you don’t waste any leftovers.
9
Let it process for 20 minutes. Your hair will start to look dark and blue or even purple, but don’t worry. This is a normal part of the toning process, and your hair definitely won’t be purple when you wash it out!^{[12]
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- To minimize the staining on your shirt, clip your hair up with a plastic clip while you wait for it to process.
10
Rinse out the toner and apply a moisturizing conditioner. It’s best to wait at least 24 hours before you shampoo your newly-toned hair to make sure the color won’t fade before it’s fully set in. Instead, rinse your hair with cool water in the shower and rub in a moisturizing conditioner from the middle of your head down to your tips.
- Wella makes a moisturizing conditioner that you can buy at the same time as the toner.

Part 3

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Maintaining Your Shade

1
Wash your hair every 2-3 days with a sulfate-free shampoo. This will prevent your toner from fading too quickly. Use a sulfate-free shampoo made specifically for color-treated hair, which is gentle enough to help your toner stay put.
- Try using dry shampoo if you need to wash your hair more often. You can also rinse your hair with water and apply some conditioner, which won’t strip the color.
2
Use purple shampoo or conditioner once a week. Lather in the purple shampoo or rub the purple conditioner evenly throughout your hair. For your first few washes, leave the shampoo or conditioner in for 2-3 minutes before washing it out. Leave it in for a little longer each time, eventually working up to 10 minutes.^{[13]
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- Don’t go any longer than 10 minutes or use the shampoo or conditioner any more frequently than once a week. Overusing purple shampoo will leave your hair looking dull or even gray.
- For the same reason, only use purple shampoo or purple conditioner, not both.
3
Use heat protectant before straightening or blow drying. Rub in a lightweight hair oil from the middle of your hair down to the ends to hydrate it and protect its color. You can also use a heat protectant spray. Turn down the heat on your styling tools to protect your hair from damage.^{[14]
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- As an extra, more expensive preventative measure, you can also look for straighteners that are made specifically for color-treated hair.
- Avoid washing your hair in very hot water for the same reason.
4
Use a hair gloss once per month. A hair gloss closes your hair cuticle, which helps to hold in the color and gives the strands some extra shine. This is a great solution if you’re taking good care of your hair and using the right products, but still seeing your toner fade. You can go to the salon for a gloss, or do it yourself at home.^{[15]
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5
Rinse your hair before you get in a pool and wash it right after. Standing under a shower for a minute or so before jumping in the pool allows your hair to soak up clean water, which means it won’t be able to absorb as much pool water. For extra protection, rub a bit of conditioner into your hair from the middle of your head down to the tips. After you get out, wash your hair as soon as you can with your sulfate-free shampoo.^{[16]
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- If you can’t take a shower before you get in the pool, empty a water bottle over your head.
- Use the same process before and after you swim in the ocean, as well.
6
Reapply your toner every 5-6 weeks to maintain your color. Toner will typically last 2-8 weeks, but you might see your color start to fade before that. Since it’s a simple and relatively cheap process, and isn’t quite as hard on your hair as bleaching or dying, you can tone again after about a month.

Community Q&A

Question

I highlighted someone's hair, and after the process finished the hair was very orange. Could I tone it down with Wella 8.1 and after that Kolestone 10.16?

Community Answer

Yes, I did the same, and It worked wonders! That seems to be the best approach; I would also suggest giving the hair a very thorough washing.
Question

My stylist toned my hair after it was blonde. It turned a dark brown/gray color after I washed it out. Will it go back to blonde?

Community Answer

If your hair is not naturally blonde, it will not turn blonde again unless you bleach it. if you decide to bleach it, you should wait until the new color fades, or you can ruin your hair.
Question

I have level 10 blond. My hair stylist gave me multidimensional shades. After it was done, my hair turned a dark gray. How do I correct it at home?

Community Answer

I've found that if you hair turns out that gray color, then you can try doing an egg wash.