Want to learn How To DIY Blue Toner For Orange Hair? DIY blue toner is a safe and effective way to tone down orange hair at home. Learn how to choose the right blue toner for your hair color and level of brassiness, and how to apply it to achieve the desired results. With proper care, your toned hair color can last for several weeks or even months.

How to DIY Blue Toner For Orange Hair

Understanding Hair Toning

Let's start with the basics. What is hair toning? Well, it's like a magic trick for your hair. You see, when we bleach or dye our hair, it can sometimes turn orange. 

It happens because of the underlying pigments in your hair. But toning can help neutralize those unwanted shades.

There are different types of toners, but for our orange-hued hair, we'll be focusing on the blue toner. Blue is the opposite of orange on the color wheel, and that's the secret to neutralizing those brassy tones.

• Related: Can a Toner Make Blonde Hair Brown

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Preparing for Toning

Before you jump into toning, you'll need to gather a few things:

• Blue Toner Ingredients:
  • A purple or blue semi-permanent hair dye (more on this later).
  • A white conditioner.
  • A mixing bowl and brush.
  • Plastic gloves.
  • An old t-shirt or hairdressing cape to protect your clothes.
• Precautions:
  • Make sure you're in a well-ventilated area.
  • Use an old towel or cape to protect your surroundings.
  • Do a patch test to check for allergies.

The DIY Blue Toner Recipe

Now, here comes the exciting part - making your own DIY blue toner! Here's what you'll need:

• A purple or blue semi-permanent hair dye: I recommend going for a professional-grade product. I've had good results with brands like Wella, Manic Panic, or Ion Brilliance.

• A white conditioner: Choose a thick, white conditioner that will dilute the color effectively.

• A mixing bowl and brush: You can pick up hairdressing tools at your local beauty supply store or online.

• Plastic gloves: Protect your hands from staining.

• An old t-shirt or hairdressing cape: Avoid staining your clothes during the process.

Step 1: Mixing the Toner

• Squeeze out about 3-4 tablespoons of the white conditioner into the mixing bowl.

• Add a small amount of the purple or blue dye. Start with a dime-sized amount and mix it into the conditioner. The idea is to create a light pastel blue mixture.

• Keep adding the dye incrementally and mixing until you achieve the desired shade. A little goes a long way, so don't overdo it.

Step 2: Consistency Check

• The toner should have a creamy, easy-to-spread consistency. It should resemble a light blue paste. If it's too dark, add more conditioner to dilute it.

Applying the Blue Toner

Now that your DIY blue toner is ready, it's time to put it to work.

Step 1: Preparing Your Hair

• Start with clean, dry hair. Shampoo your hair and make sure it's completely dry before you begin.

• Put on your plastic gloves to avoid staining your hands.

Step 2: Applying the Toner

• Section your hair into manageable parts. This ensures that you cover every strand evenly.

• Use the brush to apply the toner, starting from the roots and working your way down to the tips.

• Be thorough but not heavy-handed. Less is more; you can always add more toner if needed.

Step 3: Waiting Time and Visual Cues

• The toning process usually takes about 10-15 minutes. However, the timing can vary depending on your hair's condition and the toner used.

• Keep an eye on your hair during this time. You'll notice the orange tones gradually turning into a more pleasant, neutral color.

• If you're using a deep blue toner, don't be alarmed if your hair turns a bit purplish during the process. This is normal and will fade after a few washes.

Rinsing and Aftercare

Once your hair has reached the desired shade, it's time to rinse and take care of your newly toned locks.

Step 1: Rinsing Out the Toner

• Rinse your hair with cool water until the water runs clear. Avoid using hot water, as it can strip the toner.

• You can condition your hair afterward, but skip the shampoo this time.

Step 2: Post-Toning Care

• Your hair might feel a bit dry after toning, so make sure to use a deep conditioner to restore moisture.

• To maintain the tone, use sulfate-free and color-safe hair products for your regular hair care routine.

Related: How to choose a Toner for Brassy Bleached Hair

Troubleshooting Hair Toning Issues

Sometimes, the toning process doesn't go as planned. Don't fret; it happens to the best of us. Here are some common issues and how to address them:

• Hair is too blue: If your hair turns too blue, don't panic. It will fade with each wash. You can also wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo to speed up the process.

• Toner didn't work: If you didn't achieve the desired results, you might need a stronger toner or more time. Just be patient and repeat the process after a week or so.

• Uneven application: To avoid this, ensure you section your hair and apply the toner evenly. If you have streaks or uneven tones, you might need to correct it by toning those sections again.

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Maintaining Toned Hair

Congratulations, your hair is now beautifully toned, but how do you keep it that way?

• Use color-safe products: Regular shampoos can strip the color. Opt for sulfate-free and color-safe products.

• Limit heat styling: High heat can make the color fade faster. Use heat protectants and lower heat settings on your styling tools.

• Re-tone when needed: As your hair grows or the color fades, you may need to re-tone it. Follow the same steps as before.

Benefits of DIY Blue Toner

There are many benefits to using DIY blue toner for orange hair:

• It's affordable. You can make your own blue toner for a fraction of the cost of buying a commercial toner.

• It's easy to use. All you need is a few simple ingredients and a few minutes of your time.

• It's customizable. You can adjust the amount of blue food coloring you use to create a custom toner that's perfect for your hair color and level of brassiness.

• It's gentle on your hair. DIY blue toner is semi-permanent, so it doesn't damage your hair like permanent hair dye can.

How to Choose the Right Blue Toner for Your Hair Color and Level of Brassiness

If you have light brown hair with orange tones, you may want to use a lighter blue toner. If you have dark brown or black hair with orange tones, you may want to use a darker blue toner.

Here is a general guide to choosing the right blue toner for your hair color and level of brassiness:

• Light brown hair with orange tones: Use a light blue toner, such as turquoise or sky blue.
• Medium brown hair with orange tones: Use a medium blue toner, such as cobalt blue or royal blue.
• Dark brown hair with orange tones: Use a dark blue toner, such as navy blue or indigo blue.
• Black hair with orange tones: Use a very dark blue toner, such as midnight blue or black blue.

If you're not sure what blue toner to use, it's always best to start with a lighter toner and gradually add more blue food coloring if needed.

How to Maintain Your Toned Hair Color

To help keep your toned hair color from becoming brassy again, you should use a purple shampoo and conditioner every few washes. You should also avoid using heat styling tools on your hair too often, as this can damage your hair and make it more prone to brassiness.

My Personal Experience with DIY Blue Toner

I've been using DIY blue toner for my hair for over a year now, and I love it! It's the easiest and most affordable way to keep my hair looking its best.

I have light brown hair with natural brassy tones. I use a light blue toner, such as turquoise or sky blue, every few weeks to tone down the brassiness and achieve a cooler, more natural-looking hair color.

I've found that the best way to apply blue toner is to mix it with my conditioner. This helps to distribute the toner evenly throughout my hair and prevents it from over-toning my hair.

I usually leave the toner on for 5-10 minutes, depending on how intense I want the blue hue to be. I then rinse the toner out of my hair with cool water and condition my hair as usual.

Here are a few additional tips for using DIY blue toner:

• If you have very dry hair, you may want to add a few drops of oil to the toner mixture. This will help to keep your hair hydrated and prevent it from becoming brittle.
• If you have very porous hair, you may want to leave the toner on for a shorter period of time to avoid over-toning your hair.
• If you're not sure how long to leave the toner on, start with a shorter period of time and gradually increase the time as needed.
• You can also use DIY blue toner to create fun and funky hair colors. For example, if you mix blue toner with purple toner, you can create a beautiful lavender color. Or, if you mix blue toner with green toner, you can create a unique turquoise color.

Here are some tips for maintaining your toned hair color:

• Avoid using heat styling tools on your hair too often. Heat styling can damage your hair and make it more prone to brassiness.
• When you do use heat styling tools, be sure to use a heat protectant spray first. This will help to minimize the damage to your hair.
• Use a purple shampoo and conditioner every few washes. This will help to keep your toned hair color from fading and becoming brassy again.
• Get regular trims. Split ends can make your hair look dry and unhealthy, and they can also contribute to brassiness. By getting regular trims, you can keep your hair split-end free and looking its best.

How to Choose the Right Blue Toner for Your Hair Color and Level of Brassiness

If you have light brown hair with orange tones, you may want to use a lighter blue toner. If you have dark brown or black hair with orange tones, you may want to use a darker blue toner.

Here is a general guide to choosing the right blue toner for your hair color and level of brassiness:

• Light brown hair with orange tones: Use a light blue toner, such as turquoise or sky blue.
• Medium brown hair with orange tones: Use a medium blue toner, such as cobalt blue or royal blue.
• Dark brown hair with orange tones: Use a dark blue toner, such as navy blue or indigo blue.
• Black hair with orange tones: Use a very dark blue toner, such as midnight blue or black blue.

If you're not sure what blue toner to use, it's always best to start with a lighter toner and gradually add more blue food coloring if needed. 

You can also do a strand test on a small section of your hair before applying the toner to your entire head. 

This will help you determine how long you need to leave the toner on to achieve the desired results.

Here are some additional tips for choosing the right blue toner:

• If you have very porous hair, you may want to choose a lighter toner, as your hair is more likely to absorb the color.
• If you have very dry hair, you may want to choose a toner that contains conditioning ingredients.
• If you're looking for a subtle change, you can choose a toner that is one or two shades lighter or darker than your natural hair color. For a more dramatic change, you can choose a toner that is several shades lighter or darker than your natural hair color.

No matter what blue toner you choose, be sure to follow the instructions on the product label carefully. Over-toning your hair can make it look dull and lifeless.

How to Maintain Your Toned Hair Color

To help keep your toned hair color from becoming brassy again, you should:

• Use a purple shampoo and conditioner every few washes. Purple shampoo and conditioner are specially formulated to neutralize brassy tones in the hair.

• Avoid using heat styling tools on your hair too often. Heat styling can damage your hair and make it more prone to brassiness.

• When you do use heat styling tools, be sure to use a heat protectant spray first. This will help to minimize the damage to your hair.

• Get regular trims. Split ends can make your hair look dry and unhealthy, and they can also contribute to brassiness. By getting regular trims, you can keep your hair split-end free and looking its best.

Here are some additional tips for maintaining your toned hair color:

• Avoid swimming in pools or the ocean without wearing a swim cap. The chlorine and salt water in these bodies of water can strip your hair of its color and make it more prone to brassiness.

• If you live in a sunny climate, be sure to wear a hat or scarf when you're outdoors. Sun exposure can also cause your hair to fade and become brassy.

• Eat a healthy diet and drink plenty of water. This will help to keep your hair healthy and strong, which will make it less prone to brassiness.

With proper care, your toned hair color can last for several weeks or even months. Just be sure to follow the tips above to help keep your hair looking its best.

Final Thoughts

I know the journey to perfect hair can be challenging, but with a little DIY spirit and the right guidance, you can achieve the hair color you've been dreaming of. Happy toning, and here's to vibrant, beautiful locks!

Conclusion

There you have it - my tried-and-tested guide to DIY blue toning for orange hair. I hope this article has been helpful in rescuing your hair from the dreaded brassiness. Remember, hair care is a journey, and experimenting is part of the fun. Embrace your new, beautifully toned hair, and don't be afraid to get creative with different shades!