Articles > Blonde > Blondes Turning Brown? Here Are 3 Reasons Why
Last updated: May 31, 2022

Blondes Turning Brown? Here Are 3 Reasons Why

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Instagram via @colorbymarina

Use These 3 Tips To Avoid Muddy Blondes

If your blonde clients want to be ~cool for the summer~ but your tones are giving more brown than WOW—we’re here to help. We tapped BTC Team Members to share three reasons why blonde can shades become dull or muddy and we’re sharing them below! 

 

Keep scrolling for tips on the perfect raw lift for cool blondes, formulation tricks and a color melting tip for lived-in blondes! 

 

Hair Pros! Get Exclusive Content, Products & Perks: Click Here

 

Reason #1: Not lifting to a clean canvas

“Depositing onto a clean canvas allows the toner to process true-to-tone. The ideal canvas for a cool blonde is a TRUE Level 9/10 or pale yellow.” explains BTC Team Member Eric Michael Coyle (@ericmichealhair)

 

Pro Tip: How can you tell the hair is lifted to the perfect Level 9/10? Think of the inside of a banana peel. The pale yellow shade is free from underlying warmth but not over processed. 

 

Hit play to watch Eric’s signature balayage technique + get his toner formula below! 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Eric Michael Coyle (@ericmichaelhair)

 

Toner Formulas:

Color Melt: Equal parts Paul Mitchell The Demi 7NB + 7N + Paul Mitchell Processing Liquid for 15 minutes

All-Over Toner: Equal parts The Demi 10P + 9NB + Processing Liquid for 12 minutes

 

Reason #2: Apply toners that have underlying pigment 

Applying toners that contain background or underlying pigments can alter the final tone. That’s why BTC Team Member Ashley Smith (@paintedbyashleymarie) tones her cool blondes with The Demi Pearl Collection from Paul Mitchell

 

“Toning with shades that have no background color creates a crystal clear, cool result,” she explains. “Not only does it achieve a beautiful finish in the salon, but the color fades naturally and the tones don’t shift because of underlying pigment.” 

 

Tight on time? In the video, Ashley shares how she uses The Demi Pearl shades for a flash toning service! 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by AshleyMarie | Livedin Hair | New York (@paintedbyashleymarie)

 

Toner Formula: 

Global Gloss: The Demi 10P + Processing Liquid 

 

Reason #3: Not adding warmth when melting

Color melting a cool blonde? Adding some warmth to your base formula to keep tones from turning muddy—no, seriously. “Knowing the color wheel is essential when melting. That’s why I love adding a splash of gold to my formulas to prevent the tones from becoming drab or muddy,” explains BTC Team Member Marina Sellecchia (@colorbymarina)

 

Ashley agrees: “Adding gold to the base formula also cancels any exposed warmth in the transition area giving me a seamless blend,” she adds. 

 

Watch the video below for Marina’s full cool blonding service & get her formulas below!

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by MARINA • PA BALAYAGE (@colorbymarina)

 

Marina’s full formulas:

Lightener: Paul Mitchell Syncrolift Lightener + 20-volume developer

Root smudge: The Demi 5N + 5NB + Processing Liquid 

Overall Toner: The Demi 9V + 10P + Processing Liquid 

 

 

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