How to Use Blonde Toners for Grey Hair: The Ultimate Guide

If you're a stylist or colorist and you're searching for the best blonde toner for grey hair, you're in the right place.

Achieving that perfect, natural-looking blonde on greys is both an art and a science, and requires using the right products in the right way.

Here’s why Ugly Duckling Color Gels are your best ally—and how you can combine them for flawless results.

Why Grey Hair Needs Special Attention

Grey hair coverage for blondes requires specific products.

Women are typically looking for products which will cover the grey hair flawlessly.

At the same time they want products that will blend it into blonde in such a way that it looks natural, and not fake.

Key complaints which many hairdressers and indeed clients raise are:

• Incomplete coverage of the grey hair
• Uneven results. Some grey hairs get covered, whereas others stick out and maybe even turn brassy or orange.
• Fading too fast. This is another common complaint.
• Fake and unnatural color. 

Why Ugly Duckling Color Gels Are the Perfect Solution

Ugly Duckling Color Gels can cover grey hair flawlessly and take it blonde

Color Gels have been formulated specifically to cover grey hair in blonde women.

They contain blonde pigments as well as yellow neutralising pigments.

So they produce a true natural blonde without brassiness.

They are liquid colors. So they mix and can be applied very quickly and easily.

The blonde pigments are formulated to blend grey and take hair blonde.

At the same time, they are enriched with Bond Protect and Argan oil.

So they are rich in conditioning and they leave the hair thicker, stronger and healthier.

They are also ammonia-free, so very gentle on the hair and the scalp.

Plus, they smell very good.

They come in a range from level 10 lightest blonde down to dark blonde level 6.

How to Use Color Gels for Blonde Toning on Grey Hair

If you have hair which is not 100% white, the best thing is to use bleach to lift everything up.

That way, you get your hair to as close to level 10 as you can.

And that means that the base is one consistent color.

We suggest you use Brilliant Blondexx Bleach and our new Premium Developers for that.

After doing that, rinse and towel-dry the hair.

Now choose your Color Gel color. Choose a shade closest to the blonde reflect you want.

So 10N is Lightest Blonde,  9N is Very Light Blonde, 8N is Light Blonde, 7N is Deep Blonde, and 6N is Dark Blonde.

Be aware that the colors are very highly pigmented.

So it would be a good idea to choose a shade at least 1 level lighter than you would normally use.

Mix your chosen shade with 20 Vol Developer.

Then leave between 10 and 20 minutes according to how much grey hair you have and the type of coverage you are looking for.

Before and After Ugly Duckling Color Gel

Even a woman with more than 50% grey hair and a medium dark blonde base can get this result

Used Color Gel 109 and 9N mixed together

Mixing Color Gel with Other Blonde Toners

A big advantage of using Color Gels is that they are easy to combine with other Gel based toners.

In particular, stylists often mix their chosen Color Gel shade with Blondify Natural Ash Blonde 010A and Natural Violet Blonde 010B.

This combination gives added neutralization of warm undertones and helps produce either a very natural ash blonde or cool violet (purple) based blonde.

You can also mix with Purple Blonde colors like Color Gel Purple Grey, as shown in the image above,

Color Gel 10N mixed with Blondify Natural Ash Blonde 010A

Color Gel 10N mixed with Purple Grey

Color Gel 9N mixed with Blondify 010V

Some Practical Pro Tips When Using Color Gels or Blondify

Do a strand test first: Always run a strand test to assess how your grey hair will respond, and to fine tune the exact shade that you want to get.

Respect your mix Ratios: We recommend that you mix Color Gels and Blondify shades in a 1:1 ratio with developer. 

Use bleach to pre-lighten: If your client's hair is currently colored, use bleach and 20 Vol to lift that color out and get to a uniform level 10 everywhere on her head. You will get better blonde toning if you do that.

Application: Color Gel is a liquid color, so mixing with 20 Vol developer is very easy. Mix in either a plastic applicator or a mixing bowl. Then either pour the color on the hair and rub or use a tint brush.

Aftercare: Always use a sulfate-free shampoos and masks. All Ugly Duckling hair care is sulfate-free.

We recommend that you use Brilliant Blondexx hair care for blondes.

The range contains a lot of Bond Protect, and has been made to make blonde hair stronger, thicker and healthier.