Articles > BTC Hair Trend Report > How To Formulate Toners For Honey Blonde
Last updated: February 21, 2023

How To Formulate Toners For Honey Blonde

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  • Formula A (toner):

    Wella Professionals Color Touch 10/34

Photo Credit: Instagram via @romeufelipe

Before Your Client Requests A Warm Honey Blonde, Read This!

Clients FINALLY want to see warmth: that’s right! You’ll need to balance golden tones (without brass!) fill those high-lift clients and take the eight formulas below to the color bar.

 

Every shade of honey blonde and teddy bear blonde have been the top requests of 2023, so we tapped our industry besties for their must-have tips for creating this trendy look. Keep scrolling!

 

The Ideal Client: 

According to celebrity stylist and Olaplex ambassador Bianca Hillier (@biancacolour), this color is great for, “Any client that wants to see blonde, feel natural and isn’t afraid to show that they’re paying for it.” She adds that, “This technique is perfect for any blonde who wants to go slightly darker and switch up the tone while still keeping moments of light.”

 

Lastly, she recommends this look for a natural Level 5 or 6 base (or lighter.) Here’s why: “Once you get into the dark-brown-base territory it will require much higher maintenance, as well as look much more ‘done’ and less natural,” Bianca explains.

 

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Photo Credit: Instagram via @mylizzle by @biancacolour 

 

For clients that want a brighter, more blonde-looking color, Miami salon owner and celebrity stylist Derek Cash (@derekcashstyles) prefers to lift to a Level 8 and then apply toner. That’s exactly what his client and rapper Tay Money requested:

 

Pro Tip: For any client above a Level 8, Derek recommends filling the hair first before adding any honey tones.

 

warm honey blonde teddy bear bronde trend trending hair color tutorial how to steps
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Photo Credit: Instagram via @derekcashstyles 

 

Avoid This Mistake: “Since we want to keep the warmth in the hair, I never lift past a Level 9 (yellow). The hair will fade better and stay healthy,” advises BTC Team Member and Denver-based salon owner Mick Lewis (@hairbymickk).

 

warm honey blonde teddy bear bronde trend trending hair color tutorial how to steps hairbymickk the craft collective
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Photo Credit: Instagram via @hairbymickk

 

Formulation: Let’s Talk Toning!

What makes up a warm blonde, honey blonde or teddy bear blonde? Check out what each of our experts had to say: 

 

When working with a client with naturally warm hair, Mick swears by this rule: “I like to make sure that the toner we use is equally as warm as the base.” For the perfect honey blonde, Mick formulates the following gloss:

 

PS: Tap the beaker for every formula to achieve the look!

 

  • Formula A (shadow root): Redken Shades EQ equal parts 6GB + 6N + Shades EQ Processing Solution
  • Formula B (all-over toner): Shades EQ 40g 9AA + 15g 8C + Shades EQ Processing Solution

warm honey blonde teddy bear bronde trend trending hair color tutorial how to steps quin gable hairbymickk mick lewis the craft collective
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  • Formula A (lightener):

    TRUSS Professional Air Libre Bleaching Powder + 10-volume developer 

  • Formula B (shadow root):

    Redken Shades EQ equal parts 6GB + 6N + Shades EQ Processing Solution

  • Formula C (all-over toner):

    Shades EQ 40g 9AA + 15g 8C + Shades EQ Processing Solution

Photo Credit: Instagram via @hairbymickk on @quingable

Photo Credit: Instagram via @hairbymickk on @quingable

 

To formulate a warm teddy bear blonde (which is a slightly darker tone than honey) Bianca notes that she’s not trying to cancel out any warmth, but wants a balanced tone. That’s why she uses a combination of formulas to keep a dimensional tone without overpowering warmth. 

 

  • Formula A (roots): Shades EQ 3/4 7N + 1/4 9NW + Shades EQ Processing Solution
  • Formula B (mids): Shades EQ equal parts 7NW + 9G + Shades EQ Processing Solution
  • Formula C (ends): Shades EQ equal parts 9G + 9NW + Shades EQ Processing Solution

 

teddy-bear-blonde-hair-formula
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  • Formula A (lightener)

    Redken Flashlift Power 9 Bonder Insider Lightening Powder + 25-volume developer + 1/16 oz OLAPLEX No.1 Bond Multiplier

  • Formula B (root toner)

    Redken Shades EQ 3/4 7n + 1/4 9nw + Redken Shades EQ Processing Solution

  • Formula C (midlengths toner)

    Equal parts Shades EQ 7nw + 9g + Shades EQ Processing Solution

  • Formula D (ends toner)

    Equal parts Shades EQ 9g + 9nw + Shades EQ Processing Solution

Photo Credit: Instagram via @biancacolour

 

To watch how Bianca strategically paints lightener on curls, press play! 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Bianca Hillier (@biancacolour)

 

Get Larisa Love’s color! Watch her full transformation below:

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ Larisa Love™ (@larisadoll)

 

  • Formula A (zone 1 toner): Joico Liquid Lumishine 10NG
  • Formula B (zone 2 + 3 toner): Liquid Lumishine 6NW + 5NA

 

BONUS: Save These 8 Formulas For Later! 

Tap the beaker for every formula to achieve the look!

1. Honey Blonde Curls

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  • Formula A (lightener)

    Wella Professionals Blondor Multi-Blonde Powder + 20-volume

     

  • Formula B (pre-tone)

    Redken Professional Shades EQ 6GG + Processing Solution

     

  • Formula C (root color)

    L'Oreal Professionel DIA Richesse Demi-Permanent 6.01 + 7N + 6-volume developer 

     

  • Formula D (gloss)

    L'Oreal Professionel DIA Richesse Demi-Permanent 7.01 + 8.31 + 6-volume developer 

     

Instagram via @kats.curls

 

2. Warm, Honey Bronde

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  • Formula A (highlights):

    Redken Flash Lift Lightener + 6-volume developer + Olaplex No.1

  • Formula B (shadow root):

    Wella Professionals Color Touch equal parts 7/0 + 8/3 + 10-volume developer

  • Formula C (shadow root):

    Color Touch /00 + 6-volume developer

Photo Credit: Instagram via @megumicolor

 

3. Madelyn Cline’s Golden Blonde + Lowlights

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  • Formula A (Hairline highlights)

    Redken Flash Lift Bonder Inside + 10-volume developer (process until the hair lifts to a Level 8)

  • Formula B (All-over highlights)

    Redken Chromatics Clear + 10-volume developer

  • Formula C (Lowlight Zone 1)

    Redken Shades EQ Creme Cover Plus 6N + Shades EQ Processing Solution 

  • Formula D (Lowlights Zone 2)

    Equal parts Shades EQ 08gg + 07gb + Shades EQ Processing Solution 

  • Formula E (All-over gloss)

    Equal parts Shades EQ 010WG + 09GRo + Shades EQ Processing Solution (let process for 10 minutes)

Photo credit: Instagram via @colorbymattrez

 

4. Golden Honey Bronde Teasylight Transformation

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  • Formula A

    30g Moroccanoil® Blonde Voyage Powder Lightener + 30g 20-Volume Moroccanoil® Oxidative Cream Developer + 15g 30-Volume Moroccanoil® Oxidative Cream Developer

  • Formula B (root shadow)

    1 part Color Calypso Demi-Permanent Gloss 4G/4.3 + 1 part Color Calypso Demi-Permanent Gloss 3N/3.0 + 2 parts Color Calypso Demi-Permanent Gloss Activator

  • Formula C (glaze)

    2 parts Color Calypso 9VB/9.21 + 1 part Color Calypso 8G/8.3 + 1 part Color Calypso Clear + 4 parts Color Calypso Demi-Permanent Gloss Activator

Photo Credit: Instagram via @jessicascotthair

 

5. Alix Earle’s Warm, Golden Bronde

alix earle tiktok star hair blonde bronde brunette 2023 transformation how to get the hair color look
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  • Formula A (lowlights)

    Redken Shades EQ 1 oz 7N + ½ oz 7NB + 3 caps of 9AA + equal parts Redken Shades EQ Processing Solution

  • Formula B (root shadow)

    Shades EQ ½ oz 5N + ½ oz 6N + ½ oz 7NB + equal parts Processing Solution

  • Formula C (all-over gloss)

    Redken Shades EQ ½ oz 9NB + ½ oz 9G + ½ oz 8WG + 1 cap of 8C + ½ oz clear + equal parts Processing Solution

Photo Credit: Instagram via @julianneparis

 

6. Warm, Dimensional Blonde

formula-warm-blonde-kelleyscanvas-after
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  • Formula A (lightener back sections)

    Redken Flash Lift Lightening Powder + 20-volume Redken Pro-Oxide developer 

  • Formula B (lightener front sections)

    Flash Lift Lightening Powder + 10-volume Pro-Oxide developer

  • Formula C (shadow root)

    Redken Shades EQ 5NA + Redken Shades EQ Processing Solution

  • Formula D (lowlights)

    Shades EQ 5NA + 5NW + Shades EQ Processing Solution

  • Formula E (ends toner)

    Shades EQ 8GI + 7NW + Shades EQ Processing Solution 

Photo Credit: Instagram via @kelleyscanvas

 

7. Golden Teddy Graham Blonde

teddy-bear-blonde-hair-formula
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  • Formula A (lightener)

    Redken Flashlift Power 9 Bonder Insider Lightening Powder + 25-volume developer + 1/16 oz OLAPLEX No.1 Bond Multiplier

  • Formula B (root toner)

    Redken Shades EQ 3/4 7n + 1/4 9nw + Redken Shades EQ Processing Solution

  • Formula C (midlengths toner)

    Equal parts Shades EQ 7nw + 9g + Shades EQ Processing Solution

  • Formula D (ends toner)

    Equal parts Shades EQ 9g + 9nw + Shades EQ Processing Solution

Photo Credit: Instagram via @biancacolour

 

8. Teddy Bear Blonde

teddy-bear-blonde
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  • Formula A (lightener)

    Redken Flash Lift Lightening Powder + 9-volume developer

  • Formula B (root toner)

    Redken Shades EQ 8N + 9NB + 9WG + Shades EQ Processing Solution

  • Formula C (ends toner)

    Redken Shades EQ 9NB + 9WG + Shades EQ Processing Solution

Photo Credit: Instagram via @jesstheebesttcolor

 

Need more honey hair color inspo? Click here to check out our curated trend gallery of honey blondes and brondes!

 

UP NEXT: BTC’s 2023 Hair Color Trend Forecast

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