Just found out why my toner wasn't sticking properly

I was at a workshop last Tuesday down at the Bellmore training center and the instructor dropped a fact that stopped me cold. She said most toners fail because the hair isn't at the right pH before application. I always thought I was doing a good job shampooing first but she had us grab those little pH test strips and my water was like a 7.5 while my processed hair was sitting at a 9. She said the cuticle needs to be slightly acidic around 4.5 to 5.5 for the toner to lock in. So I went back to the salon and tried it on a client with brassy highlights. Mixed a little vinegar rinse to balance her hair before applying the toner and the color came out completely even and lasted way longer than normal. Has anyone else tested their water pH and found it messing with your color results?

2 comments

2 Comments

river_rivera4524d ago

I mean, I've never tested my water pH and my toners turn out fine most of the time. Feels like one of those things that could be overthinking it a bit.

ben40224d ago

Oh boy, I have to push back a little here. Water pH can actually make a big difference in how toner reacts with skin, especially if you're using something like a vitamin C or glycolic acid toner. I've seen people have trouble with irritation or the product not working right just because their tap water was too alkaline or hard. Might be worth a quick test strip, it's a cheap way to rule out a variable that could mess with results.