Overheard a stylist at Ulta in Portland say something that made me rethink my toner routine

I was standing at the register last week and this stylist behind me told her client that toners with blue or purple pigments actually build up over time, not just fade. She said to picture a glass of water with one drop of blue dye - it looks clear, but after 20 drops it's totally blue. That clicked for me because I've been piling on purple shampoo for months and wondering why my blonde went muddy. Has anyone else noticed their toner products leaving a weird cast after consistent use?

3 comments

3 Comments

grant4786d ago

That blue dye in a glass analogy makes so much sense I'm actually mad about it. I spent like three months straight using a purple conditioner every single wash because I was convinced my hair needed it, and then one day I walked into work and my coworker asked if I'd tried to dye my hair by dunking it in a bottle of Pepto Bismol. So yeah, muddy purple blonde is definitely a thing and it's definitely humbling. Now I just hit my ends with a drop of purple stuff once a week and call it good.

price.ray5d ago

Funny you mention this, @grant478, because I swear it's the same thing with houseplants. People buy one, think "this guy needs a little water," then before you know it they're drowning the thing every three days and wondering why the leaves are yellow. Or take seasoning a steak - one pinch of salt is good, so naturally the whole shaker goes on. The real trick is just doing less and paying attention to what's actually needed.

kaigibson6d ago

Yeah, that's honestly a perfect example of the "more is better" trap everyone seems to fall into these days. It's like people think if a little bit of something is good then a ton of it must be amazing, whether it's toner, seasoning on food, or even just adding a million steps to their skincare routine. We've all been brainwashed by marketing to believe we need to use stuff constantly, when really the best results come from just using the right amount at the right time. It's refreshing when someone actually spells it out with a simple visual like that.