Toner and Gloss Picker
Get professional toner recommendations based on your hair level and tone goals. Receive specific product codes, timing guides, and application instructions for salon-quality results.
🎨 Current Hair Level
🔧 Tone Problems
✨ Desired Result
💇 Hair Condition
Your Toner Recommendations
Professional-grade formulas and application guides for your specific needs
Maintenance & Care
Toner Longevity
Most toners last 4-6 weeks. Use color-safe shampoo and cool water to extend results.
Purple Shampoo
Use 1-2 times weekly to maintain ash/cool tones. Alternate with regular shampoo.
Glossing Schedule
Refresh with a clear gloss every 3-4 weeks for continuous shine and color depth.
What is the Toner and Gloss Picker
It is an interactive hair toner guide. You enter your hair level and tone issues, the tool recommends toner or gloss codes, the right developer volume, and a safe processing time for toner.
The Toner and Gloss Picker turns your base level and tone problems into clear steps you can follow. It suggests formula picks, a gentle developer, and a stopwatch plan you can print. At home users get salon style help in plain English, pros can use it as a fast reference when the chair is full.
Safety first
Patch test 24 to 48 hours before any color. Do a strand test with every new mix. Wear gloves. Never mix cross brand developers. Avoid overlapping toner on fragile ends, pull through for the last 2 to 5 minutes only if needed. If you feel burning or see irritation, rinse right away.
How the Toner and Gloss Picker Works, Hair Level Chart 1 to 10
- Choose your starting point. Pick your natural or current base on the hair level chart.
- Level 1, black. Level 3, dark brown. Level 5, medium brown. Level 7, dark blonde. Level 9, very light blonde. Level 10, palest blonde.
- Not sure if you are a 7 or an 8, hold white paper next to your hair in daylight and compare.
- Call out tone issues. Tap what you see, brass, orange, red, yellow, dull.
- Pick your target. Neutral, ashy, cool, warm, glossy, or neutral cool.
- Add hair condition. Healthy, sensitized, or compromised. The tool auto adjusts processing time for toner or gloss.
- View recommendations. You will see exact toner codes, developer volume, timing, and a printable application order.
Gloss vs Toner, what to pick
- Toner shifts tone and, with higher developer, can nudge level a touch.
- Gloss deposits tone and adds shine with no lift.
- Choose toner when brass is strong and you need a real brass neutralizer.
- Choose gloss when tone is close and you want shine without lightening.
Toner codes, developer volume, and timing explained
- Exact codes. The Picker pairs undertones with the right neutralizer, blue for orange, violet for yellow, green for red.
- Developer volume. For home use, we keep it gentle, brand processing solution or 7 to 10 vol for demi, 10 vol for soft deposit on permanent lines. 20 vol is for slight lift or gray blending, not routine toning. 30 vol is pro only and will not be suggested for glossing.
- Timing that flexes with condition. Healthy hair gets the full window, sensitized hair gets shorter, compromised hair gets the shortest or a gloss only plan.
- Pro vs retail flag. Professional only ranges are marked. Where a safe retail path exists, you will see it.
- Quick safety notes. Strand test timing, when to stop early, and how to avoid overlap on porous ends.
Processing time for toner and application guide
Before you start
- Strand test. Mix a teaspoon, test on a hidden piece, time your result. I set a timer on my phone, no eyeballing.
- Mixing ratios, quick brand notes.
- Redken Shades EQ Gloss, 1 to 1 with Shades processing solution.
- Wella Color Touch, 1 to 2 with emulsion.
- Matrix SoColor Sync, use the dedicated Sync developer per the line chart.
- Majirel and Koleston Perfect, 1 to 1 with 10 to 20 vol when lift is intended.
- Application order.
- Brass in lengths, start mids to ends, do roots last.
- Hot roots, start at roots, pull through for the last 3 to 5 minutes.
- Saturation tips. Work in small sections. Think pasta sauce level saturation, glossy but not dripping. One gentle comb through, then hands off.
Find your timing window
| Condition | Demi or Gloss time | Check at | Stop early if |
|---|---|---|---|
| Healthy | 15 to 20 minutes | 10 minutes | brass is gone and hair looks one step cooler while wet |
| Sensitized | 8 to 12 minutes | 6 minutes | tone lands early or ends darken fast |
| Compromised | 3 to 8 minutes, or gloss only | 3 to 4 minutes | any grab, muddying, or rough feel |
Pro tip. When brass is neutral and the hair looks slightly cooler than your goal, rinse. Wet hair reads cooler and darker than the dry finish.
Brand coverage and access, Wella, L’Oréal, Redken, Matrix, retail
- Wella Professionals, Illumina, Koleston Perfect, Color Touch. Salon only, mid to premium.
- L’Oréal Professionnel, Majirel, Dia Light. Salon only, mid to premium.
- Redken, Shades EQ Gloss. Salon focused, uses the brand processing solution.
- Matrix, SoColor Sync and Tonal Control. Pro stores, mid price.
- Retail options, Wella Color Charm liquid toners and permanent shades, budget friendly. L’Oréal Feria cool shades for quick refreshes.
Maintenance plan, brass neutralizer and gloss refresh
- Gloss refresh cadence. Every 4 to 8 weeks, alternate clear and tinted if you tend to over deposit.
- Purple or blue shampoo.
- Levels 8 to 10, use purple once a week.
- Levels 6 to 7 with orange brass, use blue once a week.
- Heat and UV care. Lower hot tools, add heat protectant, hat in high sun. Want help with sunscreen math, try our SPF Calculator so your color stays bright longer.
- When to re tone. Re tone when brass peeks through or shine drops, not every wash.
When to see a pro
- Banding from past highlights or box dye.
- Box dye build up or unknown pigments.
- Corrective color or big level jumps.
- Metallic dye history or hard water metals, chelate first or see a pro.
- Extreme porosity or breakage.
- Scalp sensitivity or active irritation.
First hand example, level 7 brass to neutral cool
I ran the Picker for a level 7 brassy blonde who wanted neutral cool. The tool tagged orange brass and suggested blue leaning formulas with gentle developers.
- Wella Professionals, Koleston Perfect 7/1 or Illumina 7/81 with 10 vol for deposit only, 10 to 15 minutes, lengths first, roots last 5.
- L’Oréal Professionnel, Majirel 7.1 with 10 vol, 10 to 15 minutes, same order.
- Matrix SoColor Sync, 7A with Sync developer, 8 to 12 minutes on sensitized ends.
- Redken Shades EQ Gloss, neutral base 07N plus a blue corrective per the brand chart, 1 to 1 with processing solution, 8 to 12 minutes on towel dried hair.
- Retail path, Wella Color Charm 7A with 10 vol for deposit, about 10 minutes on mids to ends, then a short root blend at the end.
Mini timing plan. Start where brass is strongest, set a timer, watch in good light, pull through to roots at the end for an even read. Rinse when orange is neutral. Shampoo gently, condition, cool rinse, and style.
FAQs
Can toner lighten hair?
Only a little. Most toners and glosses deposit tone. Use lift with care, or see a pro.
How long does toner last?
Two to six weeks. Wash habits, heat, sun, and porosity all play a part.
Why did my hair turn muddy?
Too ashy on a lower level, over processing, or overlap on porous ends.
Can I tone over box dye?
You can nudge tone, but box dye can grab or look flat. Always strand test, or book a consult.
What developer should I use?
Use the brand’s recommended solution. For demi and gloss, stick to processing solution or 7 to 10 vol. Save 20 vol for slight lift or gray blending, not routine toning.
Do I need a strand test?
Yes. It shows timing and if your hair grabs, before you commit.
Can I tone on wet or dry hair?
Most glosses and demi toners work best on towel dried hair unless the brand says otherwise. Follow the line’s directions.
How often can I tone?
Tone when brass shows or shine drops, usually every 4 to 8 weeks. If you over deposit, do a clear gloss next time.
Glossary, quick definitions
- Toner, a demi or permanent color used to neutralize unwanted tones or fine tune shade.
- Gloss, an acidic or deposit only color that boosts shine and refines tone, no lift.
- Developer volume, peroxide strength that controls deposit and lift, most at home toning uses processing solution or 7 to 10 vol.
- Hair level chart, a scale from 1 black to 10 very light blonde that helps you match level before choosing a toner.
More tools to bookmark
- Color fades faster in summer, calculate your sunscreen use with the SPF Calculator.
- Shopping across brands online, use our International Size Converter to get sizing right for capes, gloves, and salon wear.
- Explore all our time savers on the Blufashion Tools Hub.
Try the Toner and Gloss Picker, hit Find my toner, print your plan, and share your before and after photos. Tag us if you want a cheer squad in the comments, we love a shiny finish.
Disclaimer
This guide is informational only. It is not medical or professional advice. If you have allergies, scalp irritation, or a complex color history, consult a licensed colorist.
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
I’m Iskra Banović, editor of Blufashion and the voice behind its fashion, beauty, and lifestyle stories. Fashion, beauty, and lifestyle are my playground, but I’m just as likely to share the messy side of it all, like the time I tested a “must-have” skincare gadget and ended up with glitter stuck in my hair. I love turning trends and everyday finds into something useful (and fun) for real people.
