How to properly tone hair after bleaching at home: choosing dye and improvised means

So, you have bleached your hair and something terrible has happened—an unpleasant yellowness has appeared. You can put up with it, but it would be better to do tinting of highlighted hair at home. First, it is worth understanding what it is—hair tinting.

This is a procedure similar to dyeing, but the pigment does not penetrate the pores of the hair but remains on the surface.

You can find more information about the toning products and procedures in this article.

Professional toning products

You can tint your hair with different products. When you go to the store, not every professional stylist will be able to choose the necessary composition.

Below is a list of products that you should pay attention to first.

Tinting paint

Many people use dye to tone their hair at home. Its effect lasts for more than a month, with almost no shading. The following have proven to be the best:

Paul Mitchell. Ammonia-free paint, almost harmless to hair. Can change the shade up to 4 tones. The smell of paint is pleasant, does not cause dizziness.

Estel series “De Luxe”. Suitable for light toning. Does not change the shade significantly, but removes yellowness well.

Londa. The advantage of this paint is its wide range of colors, including colorless compositions.

Tinted balm

If you need a “light” hair tint that will not cause harm, use a balm. Their effect is not as long-lasting, but you can use it more often.

The following balms were rated the best by users:

• Kapous. An excellent composition for blondes who suffer from constant yellowness. “Kapous” smooths out the color well, without drying out the hair.
• Wella. Maintains the intensity of the base tone well, making it more expressive. The balm contains moisturizers that remove the consequences of lightening.
• MATRIX. A supporting balm that adds richness to natural color, shine, and silk texture.

Shampoo

If you want to “constantly” maintain the toning of your hair after bleaching, you need a shampoo. In addition to the usual detergent, it contains pigment. Do not pass by these brands:

• Alfaparf. An excellent shampoo for toning light hair with admixtures of other shades. “Alfaparf” neutralizes third-party tones and enhances the brightness of the base.
• Tigi. Expresses the basic shade, while not noticeably affecting the color. The shampoo’s trick is its natural composition, without parabens and sulfates.
• Teotema. A very expensive composition for general care of bleached hair: makes it softer, more manageable and evens out the tone.

Gel

The best gel paint for hair toning is Tigi Bed Head Color Trip. It is applied like a regular toner: on washed hair with a brush, after which it remains to wait half an hour.

But in comparison with other products, one application is enough for up to 20 hair-washing procedures! At the same time, the color is washed out evenly, without highlights.

Spray

If you need a product for dark hair, to cover gray hair, or to remove traces of unsuccessful lightening, it is better to take a spray. It allows you to evenly cover the entire head of hair, without fiddling around in front of the mirror with a brush.

The following are considered the best sprays:

• Label M. gives hair a spectacular, vibrant color with natural shine.
• Kevin Murphy. Consists of a fine-crystalline pigment that penetrates deeply into the hair structure, does not wash out for a long time, and effectively covers uneven color.

Natural Toning Remedies

If you want to tone your light hair using natural means, it is quite possible. In addition to the old Soviet recipe of diluted green paint, there are other ways to give your locks the desired shade.

Coffee

How to tone your hair at home if you don’t want to use store-bought dyes? Try coffee!

Please note, it must be natural, not instant or freeze-dried.

The second one is not capable of imparting any shade.

So, to make a tonic, brew very strong coffee. Strain through cheesecloth—you want the liquid without the grounds.

Afterward, apply coffee to clean your hair and wrap it in a plastic bag. Keep the “tonic” for an hour and rinse with cold water.

The effect is not very long-lasting – for 1-2 washes, but the color is even and quite saturated. By the way, the method is not suitable for blonde hair, only for dark hair.

Wine

Wine contains a lot of anthocyanins—natural dyes, very stable and saturated. Many people know how difficult it is to wash a wine stain from clothes.

You can’t just apply wine to your hair, and it won’t work.

You need to prepare a tinting paste:

• Red wine: 150 grams. It doesn’t have to be expensive; cheap drinks have anthocyanins added to them, and they will penetrate the pores of your hair better.
• Chicken egg. It will make the paste thicker and healthier, saturate the hair with vitamins, proteins, and healthy fats.
• Honey, 2 teaspoons.

Work your hair from roots to ends, put it in a bag, and wrap it in a thick bath towel. Leave the paste on for an hour, then wash your hair with shampoo.

Some people add a few drops of hot pepper tincture to help it penetrate the pores.

The product gives a noticeable burgundy shade to light brown and dark hair, although the tone is washed off unevenly.

Henna

Many people know how to dye their hair with henna, but for tinting you will need a special recipe:

• A spoonful of henna.
• 3 spoons of kefir.
• Chicken egg.

Hot water. Add until desired consistency is achieved.

Brew henna and mix with the other ingredients. Apply to the head and wrap in a bag with a towel. After 20 minutes, wash off with shampoo. The effect is not entirely controllable – you may get a rusty shade, but you can remove yellowness.

Herbal infusions

Some herbal decoctions can add a tint to your hair. The effect is weak, but it is quite possible to shift the tone. The following recipes are popular among people:

Chamomile. Gives a subtle but interesting golden color. Also adds a characteristic shine.

Sudanese rose, also known as Hibiscus tea. A well-brewed drink colors no worse than wine and gives an interesting pink color.

Pomegranate peel. Makes hair naturally yellowish.

All decoctions are applied to clean hair and left for at least 15 minutes.

How to Tone Hair After Highlighting and Bleaching

Now you can see how to tone your hair yourself at home, without going to a salon.

Below are the instructions for paint, but they are suitable for both gel and toner:

To protect your face from paint, take a thick cream and apply it along the hairline. Put on thick latex gloves on your hands.

Divide your hair into sections.

Apply the dye to the hair along the entire length with a brush. Then massage the head to improve the penetration of the pigment.

Look at the packaging to see how long you should keep the tonic on your head (usually 30 minutes). Rinse the dye off with warm water without shampoo.

By the way, many may have a question: “How often can you tone your hair?” There are no restrictions with ammonia-free products. As soon as the toner starts to wash off, tone again.