A hair toner is the finishing step that turns lightened hair into the exact shade you asked for. Bleach and foils lift colour out of the hair; a toner puts the right tone back in, softening yellow or orange, adding shine, and evening everything out. At Iron + Ivy Hair Studio in Queenstown a toner is from $59 and is part of every foil and balayage appointment.
Think of lightening as the groundwork and toning as the finish. Without it, blonde can look brassy, flat or patchy, however well the foils were placed. With it, the colour looks expensive.
Toner
Applied at the basin after lightening, 10 to 20 minutes
from $59
Toner refresh between colour appointments
Standalone appointment with a blow dry
from $59 + blow dry
Included in
Full head foils, half head foils, balayage
People use the words interchangeably, and in the salon they overlap. A toner adjusts the tone of lightened hair (cool, neutral, warm). A gloss is a sheer, shine-focused colour that can be used on any hair, lightened or not, to boost richness and condition. At Iron + Ivy the same service covers both: your artist picks the formula your hair needs and you pay one price.
If you have natural brunette hair and want more depth and shine without a colour change, ask for a gloss. If you’re blonde and the tone has drifted, you want a toner. Either way, book the Toner service and tell us what you’re after.
Four to eight weeks for most people. Toners are semi-permanent and fade gradually with washing. Cooler tones (ash, icy) fade fastest; warmer and neutral tones hang on longer. Sulphate-free shampoo, washing in lukewarm water and a purple shampoo once a week will stretch it out. See our purple shampoo guide.
Yes. Lightening lifts pigment unevenly and leaves warmth behind. A toner evens the result and sets the final shade, which is why it is included in every foil and balayage appointment at Iron + Ivy. It is from $59.
Yes. A standalone toner refresh is a popular appointment between colour visits. It is booked with a blow dry so you leave with the colour finished and styled, from $59 for the toner plus the blow dry for your artist level.
Four to eight weeks depending on the tone, how often you wash and the products you use at home. Cool ash tones fade fastest.
No. Toners are gentle, low-developer colours. Many of ours add shine and condition rather than taking anything away.
A toner corrects the tone of lightened hair. A gloss adds sheer colour and shine to any hair. At Iron + Ivy one service covers both and your artist chooses the formula.
Yes. A toner is one of the most effective ways to neutralise brassiness and bring blonde back to a clean ash, platinum or soft natural shade.
A toner is semi-permanent. It sits on the outer layer of the hair to adjust tone and add shine, then fades gradually with washing. Permanent colour goes deeper into the hair to create a lasting change.
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