How To Tone Cool Blondes Without Losing Brightness

Why “Controlled Warmth” Is The Key To Cool, Bright Blondes

You spend hours foiling, only to be left with a blonde that lacks any brightness—where did you go wrong? With the right formulation tools and roadmap to build dimension to pack a punch of blonde pieces, you can achieve a cool blonde that’s also reflective and enhances your client’s natural tones. The secret is simple—but not always easy: Controlled warmth. That’s why we tapped color specialist Lisa Tucker (@rootedwithlisa) for creative strategies to mix warm and cool tones, use coolness to further blend grays, roadmaps for dimension and beyond. 

Follow “The Rule of Two” For Cool, Bright Blondes 

‘The Rule of Two’—coined by Lisa—keeps the foiling approach simple and organized. She utilizes a combination of babylights, teasylights and teased slices (two at a time) to create an organic look. Then, she root taps and tones with Schwarzkopf Professional® IGORA® Cools to neutralize extra warmth while maintaining brightness. 

• Root Tap: IGORA VIBRANCE® 9-12 + splash of 6-23 + developer 
• Lift: Schwarzkopf Professional® BLONDME® Premium Lightener 9+ + 20-volume developer 
• Gloss: IGORA VIBRANCE® 9-12 + 9-0 + developer 

Photo Credit: Instagram via @rootedwithlisa

From subtle hues of jade to ashy cendré—try IGORA® Cools! 

Pro Tip: Cool tones aren’t just made to neutralize a color, reminds Lisa. They can also be used to control the amount of warmth that you want to see. Watch this how-to tutorial from Lisa to fix warm bands, brassy ends and achieve a cooler tone that still maintains richness. 

Tap to watch the full tutorial!

Sometimes, You Need To Bend The Rules… 

“Lightening over a warm base and toning with a cool gloss will create the most harmonious color,” Lisa says. “Warm tones reflect light, which is a perfect backdrop for a cool-toned blonde. Cool tones absorb light which will avoid a ‘too warm/brassy’ tone.” Here’s a breakdown of how Lisa approaches her natural redhead client who craves a cooler tone, but doesn’t want to completely eliminate her natural color. 

• Goal: Balance between warm and cool tones 
• Gloss: IGORA VIBRANCE® 1 oz 9-12 + 1/4 oz 9-0 (Process for 15 minutes)

Rooted Roadmap That Uses Cool Tones To Blend Grays 

You don’t have to do a full coverage service to hide your guests white hair. “When a guest has less than 50 percent gray, I typically grab for a demi-permanent color like IGORA® Cools,” says Lisa. Here’s why: A softer grow-out, packs a tone of shine and fades gradually. This will give the blonde a cooler result to further blend the gray. 

Use this roadmap to blend gray while keeping a low-maintenance schedule for your client: 

• Paint: BLONDME® Premium Lightener 9+ + developer 
• Between Foils (process with lightener): IGORA VIBRANCE® 15g 9-12 + 5g 8-0 + 3g 6-23 + developer 
• Gloss: IGORA VIBRANCE® 1 oz 9-12 + 1/4 oz 9-0 + developer 

Photo Credit: Instagram via @rootedwithlisa

Formulate cool blondes in 1 step—click here to see every shade! 

When To Mix Warm & Cool Tones

Remember: Warm tones reflect light; Cool tones absorb it. “When I have a client with naturally warm tones, I like to lift to a Level 9/10 and tone with 9-12 to create contrast,” says Lisa. “When you have opposing tones, it creates interest in your client’s color and keeps them from looking too ‘one note.’” Lisa reaches for IGORA® Cools because not only will these formulas neutralize warmth, but they will control it, lasting up to 25 shampoos in between major blonding services. 

• Paint: BLONDME® Premium Lightener 9+ + developer 
• Melt: IGORA VIBRANCE® 10g 9-12 + 8g 8-0 + 6-volume developer
• Gloss: IGORA VIBRANCE® 1 oz 9-12 + 1/4 oz 9-0 + developer