Alright, I don’t want to sound dramatic or anything, but trust me when I say anyone who dyes or highlights their hair absolutely needs to be using a toner. It’s the secret to getting shiny, vibrant-as-hell color at home—and thanks to the fact that toner comes in many forms (think: everything from hydrating masks to pigmented shampoos), it’s beyond easy to apply. Whether you’re trying to minimize yellow tones in blonde hair, cancel out warmth and brass in brown hair, or just disguise the fact that you haven’t seen your colorist in a minute, you gotta add one of these formulas to your routine. Down to learn more? Keep scrolling for everything you need to know about hair toners, plus the best ones to shop right now.
“Hair toner is any semi- or demi-permanent hair color that helps enhance the tone of your hair,” says Meri Kate O’Connor, colorist at Loft 647 in West Hollywood, California. And if that sounds a little general, welp, that’s because it is—hair toner is basically an umbrella term for any pigment-spiked product that cools, tones, and enhances shine (like purple shampoo or a tinted gloss). They aren’t just for blondes, either—any hair color can benefit from a toner. “I’m a dark brunette and my hair goes red in the sun, so I tend to tone my hair a cooler shade to help counteract those warm tones,” says O’Connor.
The only thing hair toner can’t do is lighten your hair. Toner doesn’t have any bleach—a nonnegotiable for lightening your hair—so it’s best for bringing your color down (like, say, going from warm and brassy to cool and ashy).
Remember when I said hair toner was an umbrella term for brass neutralizers? Yeah, that means you have a lot of options re: finding the right formula. Purple and blue shampoos are arguably the most popular hair toners, since they’re (A) easy to apply and (B) pretty foolproof (no mixing or measuring required—just a quick lather and rinse), but you also have options like glosses (temporary dyes that amp up your color’s vibrancy and shine), deep conditioners spiked with pigments, and hair masks that help deepen your color.
DW, though, I’m not going to leave you to figure it out on your own. Nope, I handpicked the 13 best hair toners on the market right now (including a couple of O’Connor’s favorites) and am telling you exactly how to use them. Prepare to trick your friends into thinking you went to the salon.
The coolest thing about these toning drops from Bouclème is that you can easily mix them into your favorite co-wash or cleanser—no need to add any harsh or drying products into your existing curl routine. They’re super versatile too: The deep indigo hues swimming around in the formula gently cancel out brass in brunette, blonde, or balayage hair colors.
If you’re trying to tone and hydrate your hair simultaneously, you’re in luck. This multitasking treatment from Verb helps cancel out brassy and yellow tones in blonde hair while also addressing dryness and damage with a handful of moisturizing ingredients (like acai extract and vitamin B5). After shampooing, comb the mask through your damp hair and let it sit for 20 minutes max before rinsing it all the way out.
There’s a reason you keep seeing Overtone’s conditioners all over your IG feed: They’re super effective for toning your hair at home. This purple formula is a godsend for cancelling out yellow tones in platinum blonde to light-brown hair, but it also comes in green (for red tones), blue (for orange tones), and pink (for green tones). The best part? All you do is leave it on your hair for two minutes post-shampooing, rinse, and style as usual.
One of O’Connor’s go-to picks for toning at home? This deep conditioner that leaves your hair soft, shiny, and vibrant for 10-ish shampoos. It comes in 10 hues (everything from light blonde to jet black) and also has a clear, pigment-free option for straight shine. Just comb it through damp hair after cleansing and conditioning, let it sit for 30 minutes, and rinse it out.
Don’t be fooled by the professional-looking bottle—this temporary hair-dye gel is actually v easy to apply. Just shampoo your hair (no conditioner), rough-dry with a towel, and then saturate with this gel. Pro tip: You can also use the included brush to color targeted areas, like grays or roots. When you rinse it out after 40 minutes, your color will look as rich and smooth as when you first got it done—and it’ll stay that way for five to seven shampoos, after which, you can apply it again. (FYI, O’Connor loves this one too.)
If combing a gel through your hair feels a bit extra, you’ll love the ease of these toning drops from IGK. They come in two shades (purple pigments for blondes; blue for brunettes) and can be mixed into your favorite styling product (like a few drops in your leave-in conditioner or gel) for quick and easy toning. And, thanks to the formula’s prickly pear cactus extract, it also leaves your hair softer and shinier with each use.
Unlike toners that are limited to weekly or bi-weekly use, this in-shower gloss can be used up to four times a week. It comes in five shades and works to cancel out harsh, brassy tones in between salon appointments. Lather a pump through your hair after shampooing, leave it on for three to five minutes, rinse, and follow with conditioner.
Speaking of in-shower toners, blondes can’t go wrong with a good ol’ purple shampoo. This one from Redken not only cleanses and hydrates your hair, but also blasts it with neutralizing violet pigments. The result? Smoother, cooler-toned blonde hair with zero brass. Just don’t overuse it, k? Think of it as a spot treatment for when your hair is looking dull or brassy.
Brunettes should look for toning shampoos with blue pigments, like this pick from DpHue. The formula helps gently cleanse, neutralize warmth, and enhance shine (hiiii, silk proteins). Just know that this guy comes out of the bottle suuuuper pigmented, so keep it away from your shower curtain (speaking from experience here, folks).
Yup, this toning conditioner is made especially for redheads with warm undertones. Smooth a dollop through damp, freshly washed hair and the formula works to smooth and soften your hair while also adding shine and dimension throughout your color. Oh, and it smells straight-up heavenly (and who doesn’t want that?).
An affordable (but equally effective!) option from Kristin Ess, this drugstore toner is alllll about shine. It does require a little prep work—you’ll need to mix the developer and gloss, and throw on a pair of gloves—but the end result is totally worth it. Think: shiny, defined, and richly pigmented hair.
I get it: Color-treated and highlighted hair is super prone to damage (my brittle-AF ends are proof), which is why it’s so important to use a strengthening conditioner. This one from SheaMoisture combines antioxidant-rich rice water with orchid and violet extracts to hydrate, detangle, and neutralize brass. That’s what I call a win-win.
The best thing about this toning hair mask is that it comes in a whopping 14 shades (they’ve got everything from a rich copper to a creamy blonde). Color aside, it’s also deeply hydrating and strengthening (courtesy of the formula’s keratin derivatives and pro-vitamin B5), so prepare for your hair to feel soft and healthy with this one.