Glossing: 5 Tips for Melted, Lived-In Brunettes

5 Toning Tips & Formulas For Lived-In Brunettes

Here’s the thing, toning is not a SIMPLE service. It’s the one step that brings the entire look together. So if your toning results are giving splotches, too-dark color melts or dull hues—we snagged five tips to start using ASAP!

Keep scrolling for everything lived-in brunette and snag some takeaway toner formulas for your inspo folder.

1. Struggling with saturation? THIS is your most important tool….

“Keep your station clean” might seem obvious, but the most important tools you have when glossing are your hands! So Cailtin Dugan (@coloredbycaitlin) suggests keeping a towel handy and wiping off your hands as much as possible. “Blending the product with your hands ensures the hair is fully saturated,” she explains.

2. Avoid splotchy results with this trick! 

Picture this: You just spent quality time melting a root shadow into fresh, brightened ends. You rinse, style and then you see it: SPLOTCHES. Dry hair can soak up toners FAST, which can result in uneven saturation and processing.

So Caitlin suggests keeping the hair damp for the glossing application. “If you’re working to speed up your toning application, but not there yet, keep a spray bottle nearby! Don’t be afraid to keep the hair nice and damp,” she adds. 

Scroll Stopper: Bronze Brunette from @colorbymarina (hit the beaker for her toner formula!) 

• Formula A (root shadow)

  Joico LumiShine Demi-Permanent Liquid Color 3N + 4NWB + LumiShine Crème developer

• Formula B (mids-ends toner)

  LumiShine Demi-Permanent Liquid Color 7N + 8NG + LumiShine Crème developer

   

  Pro Tip: Melt the root shadow into the mids and ends toner for a seamless blend.

Photo Credit: Instagram via @colorbymarina

3. Formulate for your client’s hair type 

If your curly clients are looking drab after a fresh color service, it could be your formulas! Curls and texture tend to be more porous (especially after a lightening service!) meaning they can soak up toner faster than straight haired clients—leaving fresh color results looking dry. 

That’s why Kelley Brandon (@kelleyscanvas) grabs the LumiShine Demi-Permanent Liquid Color from Joico. “The shine I get from the LumiShine line is UNMATCHED! Curly hair tends to look dry, but moisturizing properties in the LumiShine formula are ESSENTIAL to shiny results,” she explains. 

Pro Tip: Curls also need extra love when lightening! So Kelley applies Joico Blonde Life Crème Lightener. Why? “Creme lighteners tend to be more gentle, perfect for on scalp applications and the Blonde Life Crème Lightener is formulated with coconut oil, which is perfect for fighting frizzy results,” she explains. 

Try Blonde Life Lighteners from Joico for FREE: Click Here!

Swipe for Kelley’s Wheat Bronde Before & After

Takeaway Toner Formula: LumiShine Demi-Permanent Liquid Color 9NV + 10N + Clear + LumiShine Crème developer 

4. Don’t be afraid to blend with a brush

Before letting the toner process, make sure blends are even and tangles are gone with a wet brush. “This is especially important when blending Zone 1 into Zone 2 and 3,” explains Caitlin. That small extra step is important to guarantee the desired result, not to mention keeping the client comfortable after a head of teasylights! 

5. Remember: Rinse when ready

The goal of a lived-in melt is a rich, darker base blended into dimensional, bright ends—and Zones 2 and 3 are where the dreamy blends happen. So when it comes to watching a toner process, we’re here to tell you: It’s OK to hover. 

“WATCH your Zones 2 and 3 carefully and don’t be afraid to rinse when the toner looks ready,” explains Caitlin. Even if the base has to sit a little longer, keep ends bright by strategically rinsing sooner rather than later.

TAP the beaker for a full formula breakdown and CLICK HERE to start shopping these shades from Joico!

• Formula A (lightener)

  Joico Blonde Life Lightening Powder + 30-volume LumiShine Crème developer 

• Formula B (root melt)

  LumiShine Demi-Permanent Liquid Color 3N + 5NA + 5-volume LumiShine Crème developer

• Formula C (glaze)

  LumiShine Demi-Permanent Liquid Color 9NWB + 9V + 5-volume LumiShine Crème developer 

Photo Credit: Instagram via @hairbynathi

*This content is sponsored