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Achieving the perfect hair color is an art. It is not so simple or one-stepped process. It rather involves you going through several steps, such as coloring, bleaching, toning, etc. Hair coloring changes the present color of your hair into the color you desire. Bleaching can change hair color by lightening the color by several shades to create stunning, vibrant results. Although coloring and bleaching both bring variation to hair color, toning makes sure that your hair color remains neutralized and balanced by enhancing or eliminating unwanted overtones.
Maintenance of bleached hair is a part of the hair care routine. Although not immediately, bleached hair needs to be washed out since bleaching is a volatile process. Using hair care products that would not cause any harm will help. You might want to use shampoo after bleaching.
Then one question often arises: do you shampoo after bleach before toner? The simple answer is yes but it’s a bit more complicated than that. So in this article will help you to explore the step-by-step procedure of each step and provide logic on if shampooing after bleach and before toner can be beneficial for your hair.
How Bleaching and Toning Works?
Hair bleaching is a chemical dye formula that removes color from the hair. It starts to work with an alkaline agent which helps the hair cuticle to open up. It is followed up by an oxidative agent by which the natural melanin of hair dissolves. If you leave the oxidative agent in the hair for a longer time, it results in lighter hair. But bleaching can make your hair extremely dry, and cause breakage. While if done with proper steps, the damage will be less.
Hair toning is a process that changes the undertone of your hair. After bleaching, your hair may still have unwanted brassy undertones for which the need for a toner comes. So, as a result of toning your hair, the warm or brassy undertones can be balanced with a healthier and natural appearing shade. Hair toners for having low ammonia, it doesn’t enter the strands, while it just wraps your hair. Although it doesn’t change the hair color fully, it will surely balance your shade.
Do You Shampoo After Bleach Before Toner?
The answer is yes. You should use shampoo after bleaching before toner.
You should not shampoo before bleaching because doing so will wash away necessary natural oils which protect the scalp during bleaching. But, it’s a must to shampoo after bleaching before toning so that the chemical reaction as a result of bleaching does not continue. Since bleach dries out your hair and causes it to damage. So, you have to get rid of the bleaching residue on your hair. Use shampoo two times to ensure that no trace of bleaching is left on the hair. Regular sulfate-free, pH-balanced, acidic, or alkaline shampoos can be used to wash hair after completing bleaching and before toning it. For best results, you have to wait for a day after bleaching to shampoo your hair. You should do it carefully otherwise it would extremely fade out your hair.
No traces of the mixture of bleach should stay on your hair before you start toning on your hair. Toning your hair depends on the color you got after you bleach. If your hair color turns out to be very blatant, you can tone your hair instantly. While it will better to wait for at least 1-2 days to tone your hair. While if your hair looks so blemished, wait for 3 days for toning your hair. In the meantime, your hair will be balanced. For balance, you may hydrate your hair with coconut oil.
Again, do not wash your hair with water only instead of using shampoo. While do not use any conditioner, oil, or serum along with the shampoo. You have to wait for a minimum of 72 hours before washing your hair again so that the color is well set on your hair.
Step-By-Step Procedure to Bleach, Shampoo, and Tone Your Hair
You need to complete all the bleaching, shampooing, and toning by following all the steps.
Bleaching Hair: 7 Steps
Complete bleaching your hair in the 7 following steps.
- Step 1: Prepare Your Hair: Refrain from heat styling, and soak your hair in coconut oil on the night before you would bleach your hair.
- Step 2: Wear Old Clothes and Gloves: Wear old clothes which can take the bleach spots. Also, wear gloves before you start bleaching.
- Step 3: Part Your Hair: You need to part your hair into four sections. For thicker hair, you can have more sections.
- Step 4: Combine the Bleaching Powder and the Developer: Combine the bleaching powder and the developer by following the instructions on the label. Use two parts of the developer with one part of bleaching powder. Make sure that the mixture is balanced.
- Step 5: Apply The Mixture to Your Hair: Apply the mixture to your hair. Start with the lower portion and gradually move to the upper portion. You need not apply it to the roots of your hair initially. Apply it to the remaining parts of your hair, and lastly apply it to your hair roots.
- Step 6: Cover Hair with Shower Cap and Check Repeatedly: After you have completed applying bleach, cover your hair with a shower cap. You must not leave the bleach mixture for more than 35-40 minutes. Check repeatedly for 5 minutes to see if your hair color has lifted to your desired shade.
- Step 7: Wash Off Your Hair: Finally, you have to wash off your hair with water as you have got your desired color.
Shampooing Hair: 3 Steps
Complete shampooing your hair in the 3 following steps.
- Step 1: Choose a Mild Shampoo: You have to choose a mild shampoo that is sulfate free since it could be harmful to your hair.
- Step 2: Rinse the Bleach: Then you should rinse the bleach as much as possible.
- Step 3: Use the Shampoo: Use the shampoo to get rid of the last traces of bleach from your hair. Rather than rubbing it, a gentle massage will help you with healthy hair and scalp.
Toning Hair: 5 Steps
Complete toning your hair in the 5 following steps.
- Step 1: Combine The Toner with A Developer in the Right Ratio: You have to combine your toner with a developer in a ratio of 1:2. An inadequate amount of developers in the toner will make problems in combining the toner and result in the uneven color of hair. Commonly, a 20-volume developer is used most of the time.
- Step 2: Make Your Hair Wet: Make your hair wet before you start to tone your hair with the mixture. You can avoid this step if you have just washed your hair and pat dry it with a towel.
- Step 3: Apply The Mixture to Your Hair: You will need an applicator brush for applying the mixture to your hair. Start to apply the mixture where there are comparatively more unwanted warm tones than in other parts of the hair. Then go through the whole hair for application of the mixture.
- Step 4: Leave the Toner: Then leave the toner for about 45 minutes or as long as it is instructed on the label of the toner.
- Step 5: Wash Off the Toner: Finally, you can wash off the toner with cold water.
What Can Happen If You Don’t Shampoo After Bleach Before Toner?
After bleach, you have to wash your hair with shampoo. It is because your hairstylist needs to see your natural hair color before toning your hair. This is particularly important if you want a specific tone or shade of hair color. But if you don’t follow it, a lot of things can happen.
- Hair toner is one kind of permanent hair color. While the mixture of bleach has a delaying effect on hair color. For this reason, if you skip using shampoo on your hair, the toner won’t work effectively.
- Half of your hair may turn into one color while the other half may turn into another color which wouldn’t look very good.
- The texture of your hair may become porous which is also a sign that traces of bleach are left.
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Some Tips for Using Shampoo After Bleach Before Toner
You can follow these tips for using shampoo after bleaching before toner to get better results.
- Use good quality products from reputed brands.
- Always check the label of products for directions of use.
- Do not shampoo your hair instantly after bleaching.
- Apply toner on your hair once it has been washed with cold water.
- Purple or blue shampoos can be used as toners.
- Take extra care of your hair following a good hair care routine.
- You can blow dry your hair too.
FAQs
1. Do I shampoo after toner?
After you have completed toning, let it stay on your hair for 45 minutes. Then wash it with a hydrating shampoo and a deep conditioner.
2. How many times can you tone your hair after bleaching?
Although every hair color fades at some point, tone your hair one time every 6 to 8 weeks to avoid unwanted warm tones. As a result, you can maintain your hair to be natural and healthy.
3. How long after toner can I wash my hair?
Usually, you need to wait for 48 hours to wash your hair.
4. Can I use regular conditioner after dying my hair?
Yes. Dyed hair often becomes extremely dry. So, you can use conditioners that are specially formulated for color-treated hair after dying your hair. As a result, a protective layer is formed on your hair.
5. Which toner is best for orange hair?
A blue toner is best for orange hair. You can use a blue shampoo to neutralize the warm undertone and thus remove the orange hair.
Final Thoughts
You might have experimented with various techniques and steps to transform your hair color. The functions of bleaching, shampooing, and toning-all are different. Shampooing after bleaching will ensure that no trace of bleaching is left on the hair and under such conditions, you can start toning on your hair. For best results, you have to wait for a day after bleaching to shampoo your hair.
So, you should use shampoo after bleaching before toner. It is because your hairstylist needs to see your natural hair color before toning your hair. Again, toning your hair depends on the color you got after you bleach. And, if you skip using shampoo on your hair after bleaching, the toner won’t work effectively.
However, follow all the steps of bleaching, shampooing, and toning hair as it is essential to follow a proper haircare routine to maintain beautiful hair throughout the coloring process.
Key Points
- Hair bleaching is a chemical dye formula that removes color from the hair, while hair toning is a process that changes the undertone of your hair.
- Since bleach dries out your hair and causes it to damage. So, you have to get rid of the bleaching residue on your hair.
- It’s a must to shampoo after bleaching before toner so that the chemical reaction as a result of bleaching does not continue.
- If your hair color turns out to be very blatant, tone your hair instantly. Otherwise, wait for at least 1-2 days. But, for a blemished hair look, wait for 3 days for toning your hair.
- You need to go through all the steps of bleaching, shampooing, and toning hair.
- Hair toner is one kind of permanent hair color. While the mixture of bleach has a delaying effect on hair color. So, if you skip using shampoo on your hair, the toner won’t work effectively.
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