Hair toners can be a new concept to first-time DIYers, but they are as old as tales with those familiar with hair lightening and dyeing. The product corrects unwanted undertones and enhances the tonality of color-treated hair.
If you fall into the first league, you might be left with many questions unanswered. One of the most common concerns is can shampoo and conditioner be used to remove toner from hair.

Do you shampoo after toner?
Certain strong ingredient shampoos and conditioners such as anti-dandruff, detox or clarifying shampoo and conditioner, etc. will work to remove any remaining toner from the hair.
Regular or mild formula shampoos and conditioners can only remove the remaining toner residue on the hair, but cannot completely remove them.
How Do You Wash Out Toner?
Unfortunately, using toners won’t always give you the results you expect but can cause disasters to the hue of your hair. If you have a bad toning job, you can fade away toner in hair by using either of the below methods:
Clarifying Shampoo
Clarifying shampoo contains surfactants, which can do a good job of removing dirt, grime, product buildup, and artificial color.

Clarifying shampoo.
Clarifying shampoo can eliminate unwanted toner in your hair. It might require only a single wash or several washes to remove the toner from your hair completely.
Therefore, if the toner still lingers in your first attempt, use it a few more times before all the remnants are gone. Due to its drying effects on hair, it is necessary to provide moisture and nutrients for your hair with hair masks or deep conditioning treatments.
Dandruff Shampoo
Dandruff shampoo works just in the same way to clarify shampoo to wash out toner. The high content of corrosive sulfates in the formula strips away all impurities from hair and color. Therefore, dandruff shampoo can be used to remove hair toner.

Dandruff shampoo.
It might take around 5 to 6 washes, depending on various factors such as the base color and toner color. Dandruff shampoos present the same issue as clarifying shampoo; they can dry out hair. That’s why you should never skip conditioning your hair right after or use a moisturizing mask at least once a week to give your hair a moisture boost.
Baking Soda + Shampoo
Baking soda can be added to clarifying shampoo to enhance its toner-cleansing effects or your everyday shampoo to remove hair toner.
How to do:
Mix ½ -1 tbsp of baking soda + a dollop of shampoo thoroughly before lathering and shampooing as you normally would. Rinse your hair well to remove all the residues, and then condition. A deep conditioning treatment should be followed afterward to restore your hair.
Lemon Juice + Conditioner
This combination can be an effective way to wash out unwanted hair toner. Due to its acidity, lemon juice can be quite drying for your hair strands. But that’s where the conditioner comes in. It can somewhat compensate for the drying effects.

The acidity in lemon juice can remove hair toner.
Here’s how to use lemon juice and conditioner to fade hair toner:
- Mix lemon juice with your regular hair conditioner in a 3-1 ratio.
- Work the mixture into your hair from root to tip. You need to saturate your hair fully.
- Pop on a shower cap or plastic bag to seal in the heat, which helps speed up the fading process.
- Let it sit for your hair for at least 3 hours. It’s best to apply the mixture before bedtime and allow it to process overnight without interruption.
- If possible, apply heat to help the mixture work more efficiently. This can be done by sitting in the sun or using a hairdryer.
- Next, shampoo your hair thoroughly.
- Deep condition to revive your hair.
FAQs
Do You Shampoo Before Toner?
There’s no need to wash your hair with shampoo before toning. Toners are best applied on one-day hair since there are not enough natural oils required to soak the product. In addition, the lack of natural oil on freshly-washed hair also won’t protect your scalp from the damage caused by hydrogen peroxide.
You should not condition your hair right before the application. One of the key functions of a hair conditioner is to close down the cuticles and seal in the moisture and essential nutrients. This means that the toner should have a harder time penetrating the hair shafts to do its magic.
When To Use A Toner, And When To Use Purple Shampoo?
If you’re naturally blonde, purple shampoo is a wonderful option when you’re changing your hair shade.
Hair that has just gone through the bleaching process might develop unwanted brassiness. In such a case, the purple shampoo works great to remove the undesirable brassy tones but is gentle enough not to damage the dried hair further.
Yet, they cannot deliver a dramatic color change if that’s what you’re looking for! And that’s where a stronger ammonia-based hair toner comes in!
What Type Of Toner Should You Use?
Ammonia-based toners are stronger and give more lift to your hair color. That’s why it’s important to choose the right one based on your hair condition and how you want to change your hair color.
Violet toners are best used to eliminate the yellowish, brassy undertones for a more platinum look. Meanwhile, blue toners are ideal for ditching orange undertones to leave your hair with more ashy blondes or browns.
Can I Wash Out Toner With Purple Shampoo?
It is not recommended to use purple right after toner, as it will wash out the toner pigments before they can settle into your hair. As a result, there is nothing to correct the brassiness and yellowish tinge on your hair.
If you want to use purple shampoo, wait for at least 3-5 days. This allows time for the toner to work at its best and for you to check the toning results first before committing further. After this, the purple shampoo will make a wonderful addition to your regimen, as it can help extend the toning effects of the toner.
The Bottom Line
Some professional toners require the use of shampoo and conditioner to remove any residue left on the hair. At-home toners, on the other hand, do not need to be washed out with shampoo and conditioner.
As we have shared, you have a lot of options to remove toner from your hair, however, be patient with each method so that they have enough time to work. Enjoy your time!
Leave a Reply