How to Get a Cool-Toned Blonde Hair Without Losing Brightness

Cool-toned blonde hair includes shades such as ash blonde, silver blonde, and icy platinum. These cooler tones offer a chic, trendy look that is highly sought after by clients. However, as a hair professional, you’re likely aware of the challenge in achieving the perfect lift while keeping the hair bright. This process involves more than just choosing the right initial color; it requires advanced technical skills to avoid over-toning. Additionally, you must recommend a routine that balances neutralizing with maintaining the hair’s overall health to get the ultimate glow. Ready to learn how? Read on!

 

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Assessing the Client’s Hair

Before beginning any cool-toned blonde transformation, a thorough analysis of the client’s hair is essential. Alongside the standard and necessary tests, consider the following factors during your consultation:

1. Natural hair level and underlying pigment: Understanding the client’s natural base level and underlying pigment is crucial. Lifting darker bases to a level 8-10 (necessary for cool blondes) may expose strong yellow or even orange undertones, which need to be effectively neutralized.
2. Hair history: Evaluate previous color treatments, especially if darker dyes or permanent colors were used. These can complicate the lifting process, potentially resulting in uneven tones. Also, take into account any chemical treatments like perms or relaxers, as these can affect the hair’s ability to lift evenly.
3. Hair integrity: Assess the hair’s overall health. Damaged or compromised hair may require a more cautious approach to lifting and toning. Incorporating bond-protecting products from the Magnet™ range pre and post technical service to help maintain hair structure during the process.

 

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Selecting the Right Products

The products you choose are key when it comes to achieving and maintaining the desired cool blonde while keeping hair healthy looking and vibrant.

• Lifting: Use a high-performance lightener for precise, controlled lifting. Magnet™ Blondes Ultimate Powder offers a reliable lift with up to 9 levels while maintaining hair integrity. This product features BondIN System™ technology, which protects the hair bonds during the lightening process, making it an ideal first step for achieving the perfect base.
• Toning: Toning is essential for neutralizing residual warmth and achieving the desired cool tones. Color Excel is a new generation of professional, ultra-performing and caring tone-on-tone color. Discover two innovative technologies in alkaline and acidic coloration that offer a range of tones, perfect for cool blondes. Just be sure to avoid over-toning, which can lead to a dull, grayish hue. Monitor the toning process closely and rinse as soon as the desired tone is achieved. 

Preserving Brightness

Instead of opting for a straight ash tone (.1), which neutralizes any signs of orange or warmth but can dull the hair (remember your color theory!), consider a softer approach if the hair has been successfully lifted to a level 9. At this level, the undertone is yellow, so there will be limited or no orange to neutralize. We recommend using a toner with .02 Anti-Yellow. Adding a touch of gold to the toner can help prevent the hair from looking too flat or gray—a common issue with very cool tones. This technique ensures the hair remains reflective and full of life.

This tone can also be used to counteract brassiness without dulling the hair’s brightness. Shades like 9.85 Nude Blush, 10.21 Prismatic Pearl, and 10.23 Champagne by Color Excel Gloss are ideal for achieving a softer blonde tone that still retains that cool edge.

Techniques for Achieving Cool Tones

Precision Lightening

For a bright blonde that stays resilient (and band free) precise application is crucial. Also, avoid over-processing for an even color result. Work in small sections to ensure even coverage and consistent lift. Foils are particularly useful in controlling the lift and helping to avoid overlapping.

Multi-Tonal Blonde

For a natural, cool blonde, get creative and use a range of techniques such as- the Scandinavian hairline, which involve strategically placed color around the hairline and hand painted Balayage for sections of color that create a subtle, natural-looking cool blonde that blends beautifully with the base color. This method is perfect for level 9 blondes that want a bolder look with dimension.

Double Process Blonde

For clients seeking a high-impact cool blonde, a double process might be necessary. This involves lightening the hair to the required level in stages, followed by the application of a cool-toned toner. This technique is particularly effective for clients with darker natural hair who want to achieve a striking, cool-toned blonde​.

 

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Managing Color Corrections

Controlling warmth is a key challenge in achieving cool-toned blonde hair. Even after lifting, underlying pigments can cause unwanted warmth to resurface. To manage this, remember these tips:

1. Tone with Precision: Use toners designed to neutralize specific warm undertones. Keep in mind that yellow undertones require violet toners, while orange tones need blue-based toners. Take a look at how to properly use hair toner for all the pro tips you need to make the right choice!
2. Cool Base Color: For darker roots or bases, using a cool base color or a root smudge can help minimize warmth as the hair grows out. Consider applying a cool-toned base color such as Color Excel Gloss – 7.11 Smokey Ice, which will blend well with lighter, cooler highlights.
3. Double Toning: In some cases, a single toner application may not suffice. Layering toners or using them in different sections, such as brighter ones around the face, will help it pop. While a slightly more ash tone near the back and naturally darker sections can help achieve the desired cool tone while keeping dimension. For the ultimate personalization, you can also start with a neutralizing toner and follow with a cooler shade to refine the tone if required.
4. Color Balancing: If the blonde appears too ashy or dull, reintroducing some warmth using a product like 9.31 light beige to help balance the color. A beige or neutral blonde toner can bring back some vibrancy while maintaining a cool undertone.
5. Customize with neutralizing products such as RE/START™ Color Anti-Brassiness Purple Drops.

 

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Aftercare Recommendations

Aftercare is a must for maintaining the integrity and vibrancy of cool-toned blonde hair: 

• Encourage clients to use high-quality, color-safe care and styling products such as the  RE/START™ Strengthening Purple Cleanser which is specifically designed to maintain cool blonde tones and neutralize brassiness between salon visits. 
• Using a semi-permanent color refreshing mask such as Nutri Color™ Filters can be used between color services or immediately after pre-lightening the hair. These color masks are perfect for both at-home use and in-salon treatments. They will help your clients refresh their blonde and keep their color bright and luminous.
• Cool-toned blondes can lose their vibrancy over time, so regular salon visits for toning and gloss treatments are essential. Recommend touch-ups every 4-6 weeks to keep the color fresh.
• Care and styling is key for bright blonde hair. We love the RE/START Balayage Hair Care Cream and also our brand new Magnet Blondes Blonde Hair Oil Repair & Neutralization. This innovative oil is ideal for professionals who want to finalize their blonde and bleached hair service with a cool result while enhancing shine and controlling frizz. 

• Even a quick dry can cause a once bright blonde to fade and unwanted warmth to return. Always remind your clients to protect their hair. Revlon Professional Equave™ Anti-Brassiness Instant Detangling Conditioner is a powerful leave-in detangler and conditioner for blonde, gray, and bleached hair. It effectively neutralizes any undesired yellow tones, making it easier to achieve natural shades while leaving the hair bright and shiny. It also shields hair from hot tools up to 220°.
• Follow with the lightweight Style Masters™ Glamourama to lock in the look with a natural-hold that gives styles a touch of glamorous shine while helping preserve color.

By following these steps, you can help your clients achieve a bright and cool-toned blonde color. For more exclusive content and pro tips, join our hairdressing community on #AlwaysOn (for clients only, so click the link to become one). Plus, check out our Revlon Pro Color World Mobile App for professional color tools. Need to stock up on supplies? Visit Revlon ProShop.