14 Best Toners to Get Rid of Brassy Tones in Blonde Hair
Say hello to icy, glossy strands.
Tested by Danusia WnekSenior Chemist
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Anyone who dyes their hair blonde knows how hard it can be to maintain. We've got an easy solution to keep your hair color vibrant and prevent brassiness: toner, a tinted product that boosts blonde shades and cancels out unwanted yellow or orange hues.
"Using a toner will enhance or neutralize your color," explains Aura Friedman, Senior Colorist and Creative Director at Suite Caroline Salon in New York City. Hair can get brassy when your color starts to fade, which happens for many different reasons, including sun exposure, minerals in water, shampoos that strip color and the stress of heat styling. "By neutralizing hair color, the brassiness will be removed — and if you love your current shade, toner can work with your hair to keep the colors you like most and make them even more vibrant," she says.
When it comes to using a toner, you can either visit a professional colorist in the salon or try an effective at-home product to save time and money. Keep scrolling for our picks for the best toners for blonde hair — including masks, sprays, drops, treatments, shampoos and conditioners — that help tame brassy blonde shades at affordable prices, according to hair color experts and enthusiastic online reviews.
Plus, learn more about how we chose these products — and everything you need to know to shop for and use them — at the end of this guide. Looking for even more ways to keep blonde hair fresh? Check out our guides to the best purple shampoos and the best shampoos for color-treated hair.
Matrix Brass Off All-In-One Toning Leave-In Spray
Pros
- Results after one use
- Easy, mess-free application
- Lightweight
Cons
- Can stain clothes if not careful
A smoothing leave-in conditioner with benefits, this GH Beauty Award-winning Matrix spray also helps instantly cancel out brassy tones in lightened or gray hair. The formula visibly eliminated brassy undertones and brightened color after one use in Beauty Lab assessment. “Added brightness to my hair in such an easy, no-mess way that I was sold after the first application,” GH Beauty, Health & Sustainability Lab Director Sabina Wizemann raved. “Plus, it doesn’t weigh hair down.” One tip before you apply: It can stain clothing so be careful when spraying.
RELATED: How to Prevent & Fix Brassy Hair
Garnier Nutrisse Ultra Color Blonde Anti-Brass Toner
Pros
- Nourishing formula
- Good value
Cons
- Doesn't work as well on dyed hair
Don't let the pricetag fool you — this budget-friendly double-duty Garnier toning treatment packs a big punch thanks to bonus conditioning benefits and smells amazing. "I like that this gives hair cool toning and a deep treatment at the same time with nourishing botanical oils like black currant, olive and avocado," says GH Beauty Director April Franzino. While this treatment can be used on both color-treated and natural blondes, a few reviewers noted that it doesn't work as well on dyed hair.
Color WOW Color Security Shampoo
Pros
- Works quickly
- Removes brassiness
- Good for all hair types and colors
Cons
- Some reviewers found it drying
While not a traditional toner, Franzino loves that this shampoo helps tone her highlights when they become discolored. "My blonde highlights can sometimes turn brassy over time, and one wash with COLOR WOW's shampoo clarifies my color, returning its cooler tone like magic," she says. "It’s like having a hair color refresh in the shower." While many reviewers found it to be hydrating, some noted that it left their hair and scalp feeling dry.
Joico Color Balance Blue Conditioner
Pros
- Softens strands and reduces frizz
- Protects against discoloration
Cons
- Doesn't hydrate and condition hair enough
Say goodbye to unwanted orange streaks. This Joico conditioner's tone-correcting blue pigments attach to hair fibers to neutralize brassy tones. Plus, a powerful peptide complex repairs damage, fights frizz and adds shine. "It leaves hair conditioned and no color residue left behind," shares one Walmart user. Other users felt it was a great toner but didn't smooth or nourish hair as well as other conditioners.
RELATED: Best Blue Shampoos
Moroccanoil Color Depositing Mask in Platinum and Champagne
Pros
- Works fast
- Leaves hair super soft
- Can also try in single use packets
Cons
- Formula doesn't last long
Refresh your blonde shade as you deep condition strands with Moroccanoil’s innovative semi-permanent color-depositing mask in platinum and champagne shades, a GH Beauty Award winner. The formula left strands evenly colored seven minutes after application and feeling soft and silky, GH Beauty Lab testing on hair samples found. Note: It’s also available in a single-use packet that’s more affordably-priced. However, if you are looking for a long-lasting treatment, this one may not be for you. A few reviewers commented that the effect of the mask wore off after just a few washes.
RELATED: Best Hair Masks
IGK Mixed Feelings Leave-In Blonde Drops
Pros
- Time-saving
- Works on many shades
Cons
- Can be hard to get product out of the bottle
The ultimate time-saver, IGK's toning leave-in toning drops take away the need for an extra step in your haircare routine. "Just add three to eight drops of the versatile purple formula into any of your haircare products and mix together before applying," advises Friedman. The best part: It works on a variety of blonde shades, from bleached to dark or even silver hair, to brighten and banish brassiness. "One product to add to my regular hair products instead of cluttering my bathroom and suitcase with three (toning shampoo, conditioner and mask) — love it," says one Sephora reviewer. Application can be tricky though; a few reviewers noted that it was hard to get product out of the bottle.
COLOR WOW Dream Filter Pre Shampoo Mineral Remover
Pros
- Easy to use
- Instantly brightens hair
Cons
- Bottle doesn't last long
This spray is called Dream Filter for a reason: it gets rid of metals and minerals that can distort hair color and brightens hair in minutes. "I sometimes have issues with buildup that can dull my blonde highlights, and this spray instantly helps remove it so they look fresher and not darkened like they can get over time," says Franzino. "I love that it’s easy to use — you just spritz it all over hair before shampooing." While reviewers love how effective it is, a few noted that you really have to saturate strands and use a lot of product at once so the bottle doesn't last that many uses.
Pros
- Evens out tone
- Softens strands
- Detangles
Cons
- Pricey
Silver and gray hair deserves some brightening love, too. This rich (yet pricey) Davines conditioner helps enhance and even out platinum, silver and cool blonde shades. "It’s safe to use and will transform your color to your desired tone," Friedman notes.
RELATED: Best Shampoos for Gray Hair
Pros
- Contains UV filters to protect color
- Strengthens hair
Cons
- May stain floor, walls or clothing
Strengthen, moisturize and brighten your locks with this B Uniq best seller from Amazon. The ultra-pigmented purple mask enhances blonde, platinum and bleached hair. A mix of jojoba, marula and coconut oils deeply nourish hair, while soy proteins and vitamin B5 help fortify and soften strands. "This stuff has honestly been my holy grail for bleached blonde hair; it works like magic for yellow and brassy tones," says one Amazon reviewer. While it is really effective on hair, it also can stain clothing and bathroom surfaces, so cover anything that you wouldn't want discolored.
Wella Hair Color Permanent Liquid Hair Toner in Light Ash Blonde
Pros
- Leaves hair shiny
- Prevents color fading
Cons
- Can leave a purple tint on certain hair colors
A top-selling toner at Walmart, this permanent icy blonde hair formula from Wella will instantly revive cool shades, neutralize brassy tones and prevent future fading. "I love that it leaves my hair super shiny," a reviewer said. Just be sure you are the right hair color candidate (ash blonde) before using; one reviewer noted that it left her hair with a purple tint. And as per the directions, it requires using a separate developer.
Pros
- Adds shine
- Works quickly
Cons
- Strong scent
An in-shower glaze inspired by salon treatments, this is lightly tinted to boost color between dye sessions and comes in cool and golden blonde shades. "It made my grown-out color and highlights look shinier and brighter," says Franzino. Plus, it works its magic in just two minutes. FYI: It does have a strong chemical-y fragrance that some reviewers didn't love.
RELATED: Best Hair Glosses
John Frieda Violet Crush Purple Conditioner
Pros
- Brightens ombré hair color
- Softening effects
- Good value
Cons
- Has strong pigments that can stain
Deeply nourishing, this John Frieda conditioner refreshes your ombré color with violet pigments, known to brighten hair, reduce brassiness and absorb UV damage, preventing further discoloration. When you tone ombré hair, "only use the product on the ends where hair is blonde — don’t touch your roots, or it will change your overall hair color," Friedman advises.
GH Beauty Lab Senior Chemist Danusia Wnek loves this conditioner and its complementary shampoo because it keeps the cool tones in her hair instead of turning orange. "I use it when I start seeing my hair look more brassy and it immediately makes it look better," she says. Just beware of the conditioner's staining capabilities; a few reviewers pointed that out.
Davines Alchemic Conditioner Golden
Pros
- Nourishing formula
- Intensifies shine
Cons
- Doesn't smooth or detangle hair
This toning deep conditioner from Davines is perfect for those with golden and honey blonde hair colors. "It helps bring back richness to hair color and makes it sparkle in the sunlight," Friedman says. While the conditioner helps with brightening hair color, a few reviewers noted that it doesn't have good conditioning and detangling benefits.
RELATED: Best Deep Conditioners
Pros
- Minimizes brassiness
- Easy to use
Cons
- Some feel the results don't last
"The brightest, least brassy platinum blonde hair I've ever gotten has been by mixing the Lavender and Shark Blue shades of Ion hair dye in equal parts," says Nik Greenwald, Data Engineer at the Good Housekeeping Institute. "I've tried plenty of other box dyes and toners to get a really cool blonde look but I found they washed out quickly and didn't deposit enough color; this was the game changer in eliminating brassiness." Greenwald warns not to let the color sit too long "or you'll end up with blue-purple hair." But overall, he raved about the results of this formula and combination of colors. Reviewers were mixed about the longevity of the formula; some felt it faded super quickly.
How we choose the best toners for blonde hair
The Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab scientists test hundreds of hair products every year, from shampoos and conditioners to hair masks, leave-in conditioners and every hair styling product on the market, including hair serums, mousses, dry shampoos and more. While the GH Beauty Lab hasn't yet formally tested toners for blonde hair in our Labs, these products on this list are a mix of Beauty Lab expert, editors and professional colorist-recommended formulas, along with top-rated picks from throughly vetted online reviews.
What to look for when shopping for the best toner for blonde hair
"Toner is a science," Friedman explains. "If you apply too much, hair becomes dull and dark, but if you don’t use it at all, hair can become brassy." Follow her guidelines to choose the right one for you:
✔️ Consider the formula. At-home toner options include rinses, drops, sprays, glosses and purple shampoos, but Friedman prefers toning conditioners, treatments and masks for their added moisturizing benefits.
✔️ Check the tint. You may notice that there are both purple and blue tinted formulas that can help tone hair. Purple formulas help cancel unwanted yellow or brassy tones, as purple and yellow are opposite on the color wheel and neutralize each other. Blue formulas are best for orange undertones and brassiness, and perform that same function. So choosing the right one for you depends on whether you have unwanted yellow or orange brassy tones in your hair color.
✔️ Take your hair type into account. If your hair is dry or damaged, a toning product that is more nourishing (like conditioners or masks) will be the most beneficial. Shampoos, drops, glosses, rinses and sprays are great for hair types that don't have as much damage and need more of a color and shine boost.
How do you use a toner for blonde hair?
Here are Friedman's pro tips for the best results when applying a toner for blonde hair:
✔️ Wait two weeks post-bleach before toning hair at home, she advises. If your hair is bleached in the salon, though, your colorist should use a toner immediately after for the best results.
✔️ Use the product once per week for maximum vibrancy and to extend the life of your hair color.
✔️ Pinpoint the brassiest areas of hair and apply toner only on those spots, she advises. Unless all of your hair is discolored, if you apply toner all over your head, the color of the brassy sections won't match with the rest of your hair.
How does hair toner work?
"When hair is dyed at the salon, it is typically done in a two-step process: the first is lightening and coloring and the second is toning," explains Wnek. "While the first step works within the strand to color hair and is often permanent, toning works on the surface of the bleached strand, depositing color to tint hair to the desired tone." Meaning toner is less permanent and will eventually wash out.
When you get a toner applied at the salon, it is designed to aide in the customization of the final shade and tone for the client. "At-home toners are used to neutralized unwanted undertones that can develop overtime after coloring your hair," says Wnek. "These toners are often used for maintenance to extend color between visits."
Wnek explains that at-home toners work using color theory and the color wheel. "Blonde hair, especially platinum blonde can develop a yellowish undertone," she says. "The opposite color of yellow on the color wheel is purple, so purple shampoo, a type of toner, is often used to neutralize the unwanted yellow hue of blonde hair." Brunettes typically develop an orange brassiness over time. "The opposite color of orange on the color wheel is blue so brunettes should ideally utilize blue shampoos to neutralize unwanted brassy undertones."
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Dori Price originally wrote and updated this article with new data and picks. A contributing beauty editor for Good Housekeeping, she has over 15 years of experience researching and writing haircare and hairstyling stories and is an expert in all hair product categories, from shampoos, conditioners, treatments, styling products and tools to hair color, professional services and more.
GH Beauty Lab Senior Chemist Danusia Wnek added her expertise to this article, explaining what toners are and how they work. She has spent over 10 years researching and developing testing protocols for haircare products for the Good Housekeeping Institute including for cleansing conditioners, moisturizing and volumizing shampoo and conditioners, volumizing sprays, flat irons, hairdryer brushes and dry shampoos.
Danusia (she/her) is a senior chemist in the Beauty, Health and Sustainability Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute where she evaluates haircare, skincare, cosmetics and beauty tools. She holds a B.S. in chemistry from St. John’s University and a M.S. in pharmaceutical sciences with concentration in cosmetic science from the University of Cincinnati. Danusia has over 10 years of experience in the personal care industry including formulation, product development, claim evaluation and efficacy testing.
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