toner & gloss
Fix brassy blonde with a toner refresh
From $70, before GST
Toner is the fastest way to take warmth or brassiness out of blonde or lightened hair. I do it as a standalone appointment or alongside colour, from my chair inside Logix Hair Salon in Marda Loop, Calgary.
What a toner actually does
Lightened hair carries an underlying warmth, usually yellow or orange, that shows through once the lightener has done its job. Toner is a layer of colour deposited on top of that lift to cancel out the warmth and bring the blonde to the tone you actually asked for, whether that's cool platinum, a soft beige, or something warmer on purpose.
Gloss works the same way but adds shine and a slight tint rather than a full correction, which is why I use it more often on hair that only needs a small refresh between colour appointments rather than a real fix.
Toner is not permanent. It fades with every wash, which is normal and not a sign anything went wrong. It's also why I keep the pricing separate from a full colour service. You don't need to pay for a balayage every time your tone starts drifting warm.
Calgary's winters make this worse than most places. Dry indoor heat and constant hat and toque wear both speed up how fast a toner fades, so a lot of my clients come in for a refresh more often between November and March than they do in summer. Chlorinated pools and hot tubs do the same thing year round, pulling tone out faster than plain water ever would.
How the appointment goes
- Quick consultation. I check your current tone against what you want and confirm your base colour is even enough for a toner alone to do the job.
- Mixing the tone. I mix the toner to your hair's exact warmth rather than using the same formula on everyone, since two heads of "blonde" rarely need the same correction.
- Processing. Toner processes faster than a full colour service, which is most of why this appointment is shorter and priced lower.
- Rinse and finish. A cool rinse locks in the tone before you leave, and I'll tell you honestly how many weeks you should expect it to hold.
Price
Prices are before 5% GST. Length and how much correction your tone needs move you within that range. Toner lasts roughly six to eight weeks for most people, so I usually suggest booking it in as a standalone refresh between your full colour appointments rather than skipping it and living with brassiness in between.
Where I say no
A toner will not fix uneven colour, bands, or patchy lightening underneath it. If your base colour needs work first, I will tell you at the consultation instead of applying a toner that fades in two weeks because it was sitting on a problem it was never meant to solve. That usually means a colour correction appointment before we talk about toner at all.
I also won't promise an exact shade over a text message or an Instagram DM. Every head of blonde carries different underlying warmth, so the toner I mix for you in the chair is never quite the same formula I used on the last person who asked for "cool blonde."
Aftercare
- Use a sulfate-free shampoo. This is the single biggest factor in how long a toner holds.
- Wash less often if you can. Every wash pulls a little of the toner out.
- Finish showers with a cool rinse to close the cuticle and slow the fade.
- Book your next refresh around the six to eight week mark rather than waiting until the brassiness is already back.
Questions
How much does a toner cost?
An express toner is $70 to $120 before GST, depending on length and how much correction the tone needs. It is priced separately from a full colour or balayage appointment.
How long does toner last?
Six to eight weeks for most people, less if you wash your hair often or swim in chlorinated water. A sulfate-free shampoo and a cool final rinse both slow how fast it fades.
Why does my blonde turn brassy?
Toner is a deposit of colour that sits on top of your lightened hair to cancel out warmth. It washes out gradually with every shampoo, and once enough of it is gone, the underlying yellow or orange pigment in your hair starts to show through again.
Can I get a toner without a full colour appointment?
Yes, as long as your base colour is already even. A toner only refreshes tone, it does not lighten or fix uneven colour underneath. If your regrowth or base needs work first, I will tell you at the consultation.
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