How To Color Correct Your Hair Safely At Home

Source: Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images

With our regular hair appointments on hold, our color is in need of some major TLC – we may dare a DIY trim but we’re not ready to risk our color. Our only lockdown solution – or should we say, savior – is toner.

As hair color oxidizes over time, brassiness or fading is unavoidable. By toning your hair, you neutralize unwanted brassy or orange tones, giving your color a new lease of life. Toners can range from semi-permanent formulas that lift the color half a shade to wash-in treatments. Then, of course, there’s the most popular toning solution, purple shampoos.

If you’re wondering, “how does that work?” Toners essentially balance color by using a color on the other end of the color wheel to neutralize. Although be aware, toning is not a permanent solution, it’ll simply prolong your current dye job.

Our fav new toning formula is from haircare brand Color Wow, a favorite among celeb hairstylists, including Chris Appleton, who works with J.Lo and hair chameleon, Kim K. The revolutionary Color Wow Color Control Toning + Styling Foam ticks every box – it’s easy to use, less messy than other formulas, and most importantly, less harsh on your hair, which is super important RN. Here’s everything you need to know:

Color Wow Color Control Toning + Styling Foam, $24

Source: Color Wow

If you’re starting to venture out and need a quick fix for brassy tones, then this one-minute fix is here to save your hair! Color Wow’s Color Control Toning + Styling Foam isn’t like any other color correcting purple shampoo, it’s a leave-in styling product that corrects color immediately without harsh chemicals. Unlike other toners, because this is a leave-in product, the foam color is more diluted, and it also means it’s safer, mess-free, and easier to work with.

This soft, bouncy foam uses smart rosins (a natural substance derived from trees) instead of typical resins, (stiff, acrylic polymers) to create a soft, flexible texture that’s easy to work with and protects against hair breakage – there’s nothing worse than when a foam leaves your hair feeling crunchy and tacky.

The formula comes in purple and blue so you can find one that suits your hair best. The lavender foam lifts brassy tones from blonde, grey or bleached hair while the blue foam neutralizes orange-y tones for brunettes and darker hair colors, which often occurs when returning to your natural color from blonde highlights.

How To Use The Color Wow Color Control Toning + Styling Foam

Begin by shampooing and conditioning your hair. Then, leave your hair to air dry: the brassier the color, the drier your hair should be. Shake the can well then dispense the foam into the palm of your hand, and apply directly to the brassy areas. Do not apply the foam to your scalp to minimize damage. Leave the product in, then style as usual.

Do you do regular toning treatments? Let us know in the comments below.