The first step in toning your curls is to determine which toner will give you the results you're looking for. Unfortunately, choosing the right one can be nearly impossible with all of the toner shades out there.
Many have trouble choosing between mega-popular Wella Color Charm toners, Wella T14 and T18. They wonder what makes them different and which one they should choose.
If you have these questions, you're in the right place. This article will tell you everything you need to know about both Wella toners and their differences, so you can easily choose between the two and achieve flawless color results!
What's Wella T14?
Wella T14 (Pale Ash Blonde) is a permanent liquid toner that counteracts orange/gold tones and leaves you with a silvery ashy blonde color.
The toner's base is a mix of violet and blue, which gives it the ability to cancel out the brassiness of bleached hair.
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It should be mixed with a 10 or 20-volume developer for it to work. According to the packaging instructions, you can leave the toner on your hair for up to 30 minutes. It's a great choice for anyone who wants a beautiful cool-toned blonde.
What's Wella T18?
Wella T18 (Lightest Ash Blonde) is similar to T14 because it's a permanent liquid toner in the ash blonde family. The toner's base is violet, enabling it to cancel out or reduce yellow tones that are common after bleaching the hair.
People worldwide use it to turn their yellow, brassy hair into a perfect ash blonde hair color. Just like with Wella T14, T18 should be mixed with a 10 or 20-volume developer and rinsed out after a max of 30 minutes.
Wella Color Charm toners
Which Wella toner for the level you reached
Your hair has to be light enough before any of these toners can give you the result shown on the box. The rows move from less pre-lightening to more, so find the level your hair has already reached and choose a toner from that row. Don’t move to a higher row unless you lighten your hair again. Each shade code opens the before-and-after guide for that toner.
| Toner | What it leaves | Lighten to | Reach for it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| T27 | Medium beige blonde | Level 8 | Your hair is level 8 and you want a soft, medium beige blonde instead of a pale or ashy result. T27 itself sits at about level 7. |
| T15 | Pale beige blonde | Level 8 | Your hair is pale yellow at level 8 and you want a cool, pale beige blonde. T15 isn’t strong enough to cancel noticeable orange tones. |
| T28 | Natural, neutral blonde | Level 8 | Your hair has yellow and light orange tones, and you want a natural-looking blonde instead of an ashy one. |
| T35 | Beige blonde | Level 8 | You want a natural beige blonde with a little warmth instead of a cool ash blonde. Your exact result will depend on how light your hair is before you tone it. |
| 7A | Medium cool blonde | No fixed pre-lightening level | You want to tone, gloss, refresh, or blend gray with a demi-permanent cream color. For the closest match to medium cool blonde, start around level 8. Unlike the other shades in this chart, 7A isn’t a T-series liquid toner. |
| T11 | Lightest beige blonde | Level 9 | Your hair is level 9 and you want violet pigment to soften yellow and brassy tones. T11 itself sits at about level 8. |
| T14This page | Pale ash blonde | Level 9 or 10 | Your hair is yellow with a little orange left in it. T14’s violet-blue base gives you a cooler result, but it won’t completely neutralize hair that is still strongly orange. |
| T50 | Pink blossom, a pinkish blonde | Level 9 or 10 | You want a visible pastel-pink tone instead of a neutral blonde. This toner creates a new color rather than simply correcting brassiness. |
| T10 | Pale blonde, sold as Ivory Lady | Level 10 | Your hair is light yellow with a hint of gold, and you want the palest blonde result. It can work on darker blonde hair, but the result will be darker and cooler than the shade shown on the box. |
| T18This page | Lightest ash blonde | Level 10 | Your hair is a pale or bright yellow with little to no orange left. If your hair is below level 10, T18 won’t give you the lightest ash-blonde result shown on the box. |
The level is the part most people skip. Toner can change the warmth or coolness of your color, but it can’t take level 8 hair to level 10. Check a strand in daylight before you buy. The full Wella toner chart sets all of these shades side by side. If your curls feel gummy, brittle, or begin snapping after bleaching, stop there and give them time to recover instead of lightening again just to use a paler toner.
Wella T14 vs T18: Key Differences
Now that you've got a bit of background on both Wella T14 and T18, let's dig a little deeper. This section will illuminate the differences between both toners in detail:
- The color results - While T14 Wella toner gives you a pale ash blonde result, T18 Wella toner gives you a light ash blonde result.
- This means:
- If you choose T14, the color result will be considerably lighter than if you went for T18.
- T14 has silvery tones that you won't get with T18.
- Since T18 has a violet base, it'll leave a violet undertone to your strands.
- T14, which has a blue base, will be much more of gray or ash tone than violet.
- This means:
- When they should be used - T14 should be used when you have unwanted orange/gold, brassy tones in your hair and want an ashy blonde result. T18, on the other hand, is best for when your hair has unwanted yellow tones, and you want a super light ash blonde or a platinum blonde.
Check out this comparison chart to see the differences between Wella T14 vs. T18 at a glance:
| T14 | T18 |
| Pale ash blonde/platinum blonde | Light ash-blonde |
| Blue base | Violet base |
| Silvery grey tones | No silver or grey tones |
| No violet undertones | Easily visible violet undertones |
Can You Use Both T14 and T18?
Since Wella T14 is best for neutralizing orange or gold tones and T18 is best for neutralizing yellow tones, many wonder whether they can use both if they have unwanted yellow and orange tones following a bleaching session.
Technically, you can mix both toners to get rid of yellow and orange tones in your hair, though professionals do not recommend doing so at home.
But if you insist on doing it, be careful to adjust the amount of developer you use to ensure that the developer-to-toner ratios are correct. Also, it's important to consider how much of your hair is yellow versus orange/gold.
If most of your hair is orange, you should use more T14 than T18 and vice versa. If your hair is mostly yellow, you should use more T18 than T14. If your hair is equally yellow and orange, use half T14 and half T18.
You can apply the mixed toners all over your hair or apply each toner individually on specific areas - T14 on the orange bits and T18 on the yellow parts.
Just know that while you won't have any yellow or orange tones left in your hair, you will end up with different shades of ash blonde throughout your hair.
Mixing two toners can come with uncertain results, especially if your hair has not been lightened to the appropriate level before applying it. For this reason, we recommend that you consult a professional to prevent a hair disaster.
Otherwise, the possibility of unintentionally ending up with purple hair or orange hair is very real. If you do a quick YouTube search, I'm sure you'll find several videos describing hair coloring disasters where the hair turned an undesirable color.
How to Get the Best Possible Toning Results
You should follow the hair toner instructions and then tweak the process according to your hair for the best toning results. You'll need to mix the toner according to the instructions on the packaging - this part should never be tweaked.
Apply the toner first to the yellowest or orangest parts of your hair, and then apply it to the rest of your hair. Allow the toner to process for about 10 minutes, and then check a section of hair to see if it is the color you want.
If not, reapply the toner to that section and allow it to process further, checking now and again to see the results. Don't allow the toner to process for longer than 30 minutes, as over-toned hair is an absolute nightmare.
Here are some expert tips to help you get your desired result:
- Make sure that your hair is light enough for the toner. For both T14 and T18, your hair should be lightened to a level 9 or lighter. If it is too dark, you won't notice a difference after processing.
- Use a 20-volume developer for long-lasting results. If you use 10 volume developer, you'll only get a semi-permanent result, and your toner will fade quickly with every wash.
- Pay careful attention to your natural hair when choosing a toner shade. This will help you avoid ineffective toning sessions or disastrous results. Look at a color wheel, note the color you'd like to neutralize (orange, yellow, etc.), and then note the color directly across from it on the color wheel - that should be the color of your toner's base. Hint: blue cancels out orange, violet cancels out yellow, and green cancels out red.
- Reach out for help when needed - Toning will not always be as straightforward as you may think. If you run into issues, don't hesitate to reach out to a professional colorist for advice. It may just help you avoid a costly trip to the salon for a color correction service.
- Keep a timer - You may be surprised at how quickly time flies as your toner is processing - you really don't want to leave it on for too long.
- Saturate your strands - To prevent a patchy result, take the time to fully saturate your hair with the toner. If your result is patchy, you may have a hard time fixing it.
- Consider a porosity equalizer - Harsh bleaching sessions could leave your hair more porous in some areas than in others. This can lead to a super patchy toning result. A porosity equalizer can even out your hair's porosity before applying the toner, enabling you to get an even toning result.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Mix Wella T14 and T18 Together?
Mixing Wella T14 and T18 can create a unique ash-blonde tone. When you blend the two, the T14's violet-blue tones and the T18's brightness will result in a lighter and cooler-toned mixture of the two. While mixing different toners, remember to consider which shades you're trying to neutralize and always perform a strand test before full application.
Which Wella Toner Is Best for Orange Hair?
Wella T14 (Pale Ash Blonde) toner is highly recommended for neutralizing unwanted orange tones in the hair. Blue cancels out orange, so this toner leaves the hair with a cool ash-blonde hue due to its violet-blue base. For orange hair, T14 is favored over other toners whose base includes violet only.
Will Wella T14 Work on Yellow Hair?
If you're trying to remove warmth to get a cool ash blonde, Wella T14 is an excellent choice for yellow hair. The violet-blue base will neutralize gold and yellow tones. For an even brighter icy blonde, consider using Wella T18. Its violet-purple base is even more powerful in combating yellow and will result in a lighter shade.
Does T14 Toner Work on Orange Hair?
Neutralizing orange hair requires a toner with blue pigments, so Wella T14 is a great choice if you're dealing with pesky orange or gold tones. Its violet-blue base will counteract the unwanted orange and result in a cool ash-blonde shade. It is recommended to use it with a 20-volume developer for best results.
What Color Hair Does T14 Work On?
Wella T14 works best on lightened hair with unwanted orange or gold tones. This toner has a blue-violet base that helps neutralize the brassiness. It transforms your hair into a cool, pale ash or silvery blonde shade. Lighten your hair to a level 9 or lighter before applying to get the best results.
Should I Use Wella T14 or T18?
Whether to use Wella T14 or T18 depends on the current undertones in your bleached hair. Use Wella T14 if your hair has orange or gold tones, as it has a blue-violet base that neutralizes the brassiness. T14 results in a cool, ashy blonde shade. Use Wella T18 if you're looking to cancel out yellow tones. T18 has a violet base that transforms yellow and brassy hair into light ash or platinum blonde.
What Is Wella T18 Used For?
Wella T18 is a toner used to neutralize yellow undertones in hair, creating a very bright and cool ash-blonde color. Apply this product after lightening the hair for best results, and it will combat unwanted brassiness while adding brightness. T18 is meant to be effective on level 10 hair or higher.
What Does Wella T18 Do to Orange Hair?
Wella T18 is not designed explicitly for orange hair; it is most effective on yellow tones. It has a violet base that helps neutralize yellow undertones. It'll give your hair a light ash or platinum blonde shade. If your hair has more orange or gold tones, Wella T14 might be more suitable. T18 has a blue-violet base that is effective in counteracting orange brassy tones.
Related Articles
- What Does Hair Developer Do?
- How Long Should I Leave Wella T18 Toner in My Hair?
- How to Remove Purple Toner From Your Hair at Home
- Wella T14 Before and After Results
- How to Neutralize Red Tones in Your Hair
Now that you know the differences between Wella T14 and T18, we hope that you'll find it easier to choose the right toner for you. By using the correct toner, you can transform your hair from brassy to stunning ash-blonde in a flash!
