If you’ve applied the wrong toner to your hair and are dissatisfied with the color result, here are some strategies on how to get toner out of hair faster.
What is a Toner?
A hair toner is a dye that makes hair darker, more neutral, or even lighter. Toner usually contains little developer and can be applied directly to the hair and covered with a plastic cap, and left on for only 10 minutes. Why use a toner?
- Toners sometimes correct gray hair by covering it with color.
- A toner can make hair color more uniform.
- Toner can intensify a highlight or lowlight.
What Types of Toner Exist?
Toners come in three forms: Temporary, Demi, and Permanent/Oxidative.
Temporary Toners (Non-oxidative) – These toners contain no developer and can be applied to hair that has been towel dried. This type is entirely non-permanent and washes out with shampooing. You cannot use temporary dye on over-bleached hair because it will not be effective.
Demi-Permanent Toners (Oxidative) – Demi-permanent dye contains hydrogen peroxide, which helps the color penetrate the hair shaft to last until your next shampoo. You can use these colors on over-bleached hair but will not achieve the same depth of color as with non-oxidative dyes.
Permanent (Oxidative) – Permanent dye contains hydrogen peroxide, which helps the color penetrate the hair shaft to last until your next shampoo. These colors can be used on any hair type but require a waiting period of several minutes between the application and the rinsing of the dye.
How to Get Toner out of Hair
Clarifying Shampoo
When it comes to washing out toner from hair, one of the simplest methods is to use a clarifying shampoo. It’s one of the less harsh procedures on this list and an excellent place to start.
Clarifying shampoo is usually used to cleanse the hair of excessive oils and product build-up. However, it is also an excellent method to remove unneeded colors gently. However, it will not remove all of the toners from your hair in one application.
Clarifying shampoos can be drying to the hair and should not be used more than twice a week, so it’s best not to use them too often, and using a deep conditioning mask is advised.
Use Anti-dandruff Shampoo
Anti-dandruff shampoos are very similar to clarifying shampoo. They can be used as a safe way to remove unwanted hair color, especially lowlights and ombre tones.
They contain the same cleansing agents as clarifying shampoos with additional ingredients like coal tar and selenium sulfide that have been proven to fight dandruff.
The downside is that not all anti-dandruff shampoos can be used on color-treated hair, so make sure the shampoo you use doesn’t contain any ingredients that will damage your color.
It works in the same way as clarifying shampoo, breaking down extra oils on the scalp. It cleans deeper than most shampoos and, as a result, aids in hair color fading.
Again, this will take time to work, so don’t expect to remove the toner instantly. However, it will help the toner fade faster by removing moisture from the hair. Sulfates in anti-dandruff shampoos can strip moisture from the hair, so follow a good conditioning treatment.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is a multipurpose product that can be used for everything from baking to cleaning your home and even washing your hair. Add 10 mL of baking soda to your regular shampoo and use it to wash your hair with lukewarm water, repeating the process a few times if necessary.
Dish Soap
Another good approach to speed up the fading of hair toner is dish soap. It’s made to dissolve grease, so it will assist your hair in releasing the unwanted color more rapidly. The primary ingredient in dish soap is water. On contact with hair, however, it can be highly drying. For this reason, it’s advisable to apply no more than twice a week and always follow up with a deep conditioner.
Dish soap can remove hair color if you have darker hair. Apply dish soap directly onto the spot where the toner has been applied, wait five minutes and then rinse it off with warm water.
Conditioner
Mix conditioner with your shampoo. This will remove the toner from your hair; however, it will also strip off the other treatment products you’ve recently applied to your hair.
Shampoo, Vinegar, and Salt
- Mix 1 cup of white vinegar with your favorite clarifying shampoo.
- Apply the mixture to your hair and wait for 10 minutes
- Rinse out mixture and shampoo, as usual.
- Wash again if necessary. Mix 2 tablespoons of salt with 1 cup water.
- Pour over damp hair and allow the salt to dissolve into strand for 5-10 seconds. Thoroughly rinse out salt solution and detangle hair as usual.
Lemon Juice
Lemon juice may be used to help fade unwanted color from hair. It is, however, extremely drying for the hair due to its high acidity.
To apply the lemon juice technique, follow these steps:
- Make sure you have enough lemons. 3 lemons are required for short to medium length hair. For long hair, you’ll need around 6.
- Mix 4 parts lemon juice to 1 part conditioner
- Leave the mixture on your hair for a minimum of 3 hours, but overnight is even better.
- The acid in the lemon juice will slowly remove the color from your hair. If you wish to speed up the process, sit in the sun or use a hair dryer or hooded dryer. This will help the lemon juice to work more effectively.
Conclusion
The above treatments are the most efficient and safe ways on how to get toner out of hair. Just keep in mind that not all of them will work for you.
It’s essential to be careful when choosing how often you need to use these treatments. Any time you’re changing your hair color, it is recommended that you leave at least six weeks between appointments to avoid damaging your hair.
It is also essential to remember that not all treatments are safe for every type of toner on the market. Some toners are made to fade with exposure to air, water, and time. So try to use a treatment that won’t be too harsh on your hair.
