What toner is my hairdresser using?

Why not just ask the stylist what products she uses on your hair?

Why not just ask the stylist what products she uses on your hair?

I doubt that she'll get into specifics...she might give me a general brand that the salon uses, but I highly doubt she'll specify precisely what  formulation she's using.  I think she'd know why I'm asking, too, as she knows i do try to color my own hair (with rather poor results).  When she mixes it, she goes into the back area which is usual for hairdressers when they prepare the color.  In a way, I can understand why hairdressers don't divulge specifics, because they know a percentage of their clients would definitely use that information to skip appointments in between colorings, thus losing them money.  I would feel kind of shy about asking for that reason, she is a great colorist and I hate to make her feel that I'm ripping her off in some way. 

If she is putting it on your hair, you have a right to know what it is.
If you are uncomfortable being upfront, just ask in a general way. If you are showing interest in the procedure, stylists are usually happy to explain what they are doing.

There was one time when I did ask in the general way, sort of trying to find out some specifics.  She did tell me the brand but she didn't  volunteer anything else and I felt weird about asking more.  At some point she said something like, "you wouldn't be able to find these products at a beauty supply store, it's for stylists only", so I felt she was being polite and trying to let me know that even if I did know exactly what she was using, and in what exact proportions, I wouldn't be able to get it myself anyway. I don't know if that's totally true though, because I've found a lot of things at beauty supply stores over the years. Anyway, from my description of the purple that was in her bleach bowl to do the highlighting on my hair, is there any way to generally know what she is using?  As I said, I've put various toners in my bleach and it turned it sort of a muddy color, not the pure, bright purple she was using. 

She's probably using a purple bleach powder or a purple additive. I don't think they're called toners (or not from what I've seen). I seem to remember one additive being called Ardells Unred, which as the name suggests helps remover red tones.

There's one thing I know though, those wella toners are not meant to be added to bleach, so that's why that's not working. They're meant to be used after (and they're harsh).

Also, purple doesn't tome red. Blue does. Purple tones yellows. So it's likely she's using a blue that happens to look purple when it's mixed. Or she's using purple because it's actually too much yellow that you have. That or there's some magic going on 🙂

She's probably using a purple bleach powder or a purple additive. I don't think they're called toners (or not from what I've seen). I seem to remember one additive being called Ardells Unred, which as the name suggests helps remover red tones.

There's one thing I know though, those wella toners are not meant to be added to bleach, so that's why that's not working. They're meant to be used after (and they're harsh).

Also, purple doesn't tome red. Blue does. Purple tones yellows. So it's likely she's using a blue that happens to look purple when it's mixed. Or she's using purple because it's actually too much yellow that you have. That or there's some magic going on 🙂

thanks for this info!  It gives me something to pursue.  As you say, it could be a purple bleach powder of some sort, or a blue that looks purple to cancel yellows.  You're right, it's not really a "toner" that i'm seeing, it's some type of additive to the bleach.  I get so confused over toners vs. colors.  I used a wella 12n color the other day thinking it would "tone" but it was a color.  And you are correct, the Wella toners should not be mixed with bleach, but with an activator. I have heard of Ardel Red and have used a similar product, Brass Banisher, which did not work, the brass in my hair stayed just the same.  Whatever my hairdresser uses in her purple (or blue!) bowl, works perfectly every time.  She does the blond highlights using that mixture, does the foil application, leaves it on until it lifts to the desired color, rinses it off and as far as I know, she doesn't put any other toner over it during the rinse off.  I'm always amazed (and frustrated!) that she gets this perfect toned blond color so effortlessly, and yet I have yet to achieve this after numerous tries, fails, repeats, wasted money...so I know the "secret" is in her little bowl!  I'll definitely check out the purple or blue powders.  If I can duplicate that, I'll be on the right track.  Either that, or it IS magic lol...

It's highly possible you've made the bleach not work properly by adding the toners. It's also possible you're not using a good enough bleach so it's not lifting as quickly. There's a huge amount of reasons she's getting the results you aren't and most of them aren't adding stuff to bleach.

(Edited to correct the error that made bleach say blah! lol)

It's highly possible you've made the blah not work properly by adding the toners. It's also possible you're not using a good enough bleach so it's not lifting as quickly. There's a huge amount of reasons she's getting the results you aren't and most of them aren't adding stuff to bleach.

very true, there are various unknowns in all this ....I usually use a good powdered lightener  that I mix with 40 vol. peroxide  which seems to lift pretty fast.  I just feel that whatever she's using (the purple or blue element of all this) is the secret ingredient, because she doesn't use anything else that I can see that creates the perfect blond highlight.  She then does lowlights which I myself wouldn't try to duplicate because doing that type of weave with foil on my own hair is pretty difficult if not impossible. I'd just like to get the perfect color of blond highlights that she achieves, minus the usual brass tones that always happen, no matter what I do.  I feel it can't be too difficult to do, IF I were to have the same things she uses.

I've had bleaches before that have been bright purple or blue just on their own with nothing added, it could just be her preferred brand of bleach powder! There are additives she could be using though - if you found out the brand they use at that salon (salons are often tied to a particular brand for their colour products and it's usually pretty easy to see which one as they will often have posters, colour charts or signage which will mention the brand they use) then it's easy to go on the professional website for the brand and look at the trade catalogues or instruction booklet downloads and work it out from there!

I've had bleaches before that have been bright purple or blue just on their own with nothing added, it could just be her preferred brand of bleach powder! There are additives she could be using though - if you found out the brand they use at that salon (salons are often tied to a particular brand for their colour products and it's usually pretty easy to see which one as they will often have posters, colour charts or signage which will mention the brand they use) then it's easy to go on the professional website for the brand and look at the trade catalogues or instruction booklet downloads and work it out from there!

thanks very much for this info!  yeah, she could be using a powder that itself is purple or blue, so that's something I hadn't thought of.  I will pursue that and also the brands they use in the salon.  I will also pursue the trade catalogues.  That should be interesting!  In the meantime, I may get some L'Oreal Quick Blue bleach powder and add some Ardel red/gold corrector to it.  Someone on an amazon review said that when they add the Ardel to the quick blue powder, it turns the entire powder purple, so that's at least on the right track, but to be exact, I'll need precisely what she's using.  I will let everyone know how it goes!

but to be exact, I'll need precisely what she's using.

Well, not really. It is also her skill and knowledge. I don't think you're going to be able to replicate what she's doing yourself, so you have to resign yourself to something sort of close or just different. Or continue spending the money, just go less often.

but to be exact, I'll need precisely what she's using.

Well, not really. It is also her skill and knowledge. I don't think you're going to be able to replicate what she's doing yourself, so you have to resign yourself to something sort of close or just different. Or continue spending the money, just go less often.

lol, I was afraid you were going to say that haha....I do have to be realistic and recognize that I don't have her skills, and really very few people, even hairdressers themselves, can work on their own hair as well as someone else doing it, especially with foil applications.  I would be super happy to get in the general area of the color that she gets, instead of the brassy tones I always get, no matter what i've used - I've used all sorts of toners, "ash" tones (that turned out brown or weird), and on and on.  So, for now, I'm just looking for an improvement in my usual disasters lol...

What is the bleach you're using. If you're getting brassy (really orange, right) tones using 40 vol, then I have real doubts on the quality. You should never use 40 vol.

L'Oreal Quick Blue is not a great bleach. This could be your issue.
TBH it would be easiest if you could post a pic of your current colour so we can advise on how to achieve it rather than trying to guess what product your stylist uses.
I still think you should just be honest with your stylist though. Explain you can't afford the upkeep and she should do what she can to keep you happy. What she doesn't want is to have to correct the mistakes you make at home, so honesty and communication are what you need here.