How are hair toners or overlays used when highlighting hair?

I'm going to highlight my moms hair tomorrow with this at-home highlighting kit I bought from Walgreens. I usually use the foil technique when I highlight her hair. It turned out really good in the past, but I'm looking for something different! She has dark brown hair and the highlights are usually a dark copper color. First, I dye her hair medium brown because she has a lot of gray. Then, I highlight sections of her hair. I've read that those bleached sections are just raw hair without pigment. How can I use a toner or overlay to add a different color to the bleached sections of the hair? Are the toners applied all over or just in those sections? Help!How are hair toners or overlays used when highlighting hair?
when hair is lightend with bleach, you're removing pigment. the hair goes through different stages of lightening (starting from red through orange and finally yellow, if it gets there). when your moms highlights turn a dark copper color, its because it doesn't lift passed the orange stage of the lightening process. if you want blonder highlights, you have to either leave the bleach on longer, or use a higher volume of developer (which is more damaging). either way, a toner will help make the highlights a prettier color.





a toner is just a color with a small amount of pigment. it's not meant to really change the color, just neutralize or intesify the pigment thats left in the highlights. if your left with orange highlights, and you want to make them less orange, you need to use an ash-based toner. an easier way to think about it is a basic color wheel from art class in highschool. orange and blue are across from each other on the color wheel, so the blue in the ash color will neutralize the orange. if you kind of like the orange, and dont want to completely cover it, but just tone it down a little bit, go for a neutral toner.





there is a reason why you need a license to do hair. color theory is difficult to understand if you've never been taught, and i would recommend either going to a salon, or asking someone at your local beauty school or supply house for their opinion.





when applying the toner, you can apply it over the whole head. it wont affect the colored hair, it would only tone the bleached sections. because toner has so little pigment compared to regular color, there isn't enough pigment to change the color of darker hair. its basically going to ';stain'; the bleached hair because its lighter, and the cuticle has been blasted open from the lightener.





i hope i helped a little. i know this sounds confusing, but its hard to explain to someone who knows nothing about color.How are hair toners or overlays used when highlighting hair?
A toner is applied only to the bleached sections. If some gets onto the med. brown color don't worry because you will most likely be using a lighter color, so it won't lighten the brown. Use a brush to apply, or smear it on the highlights and rub it through with fingers while wearing gloves. By the way, permanent color is not usually used to tone, we use semi or demi permanents because they're gentler on bleached hair. If you're wanting to tone down the coppery color, use a cool color with an ash or a violet base. Toners are only left in a few minutes, just until you notice the color is changing; if you leave it too long, sometimes the color darkens too much and won't be a highlight anymore! Good luck!
Toners are just hair color, so it depends on what level you bring her highlighted color to, but if it's a light shade of blonde, you can use whatever color you would like. The highlighted sections will tone to that shade. When you apply it, it's usually a lighter shade for toning. It


is safe to just apply it all over. The hair you have colored darker will not be affected. Just remember the Golden Rule about hair color, COLOR WILL NOT LIFT COLOR, so if you choose a toner or glaze too dark, you will have to start all over.