You've done the hard work — you've bleached your hair to a beautiful, near-white blonde.
But if you've noticed a slight yellow or brassy tint lingering, or you simply want to push your colour into cooler, icier territory, toning is the final step that makes the difference between a yellow-blonde and a truly platinum result.
This guide walks you through everything you need to know about toning level 10 hair.
What Is Level 10 Hair?
Hair colour is measured on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is the darkest black and 10 is the lightest blonde — often called platinum or extra light blonde.
Level 10 is the lightest natural hair colour level achievable, and it's also the level that most high-lift bleaching services aim to reach.
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At level 10, hair has been lifted so thoroughly that almost all natural pigment has been removed.
The small amount of underlying warmth that remains is a pale, creamy yellow — which is why even beautifully bleached level 10 hair often needs a toner to look truly cool and polished.
Level 10 hair is also at its most fragile.
The bleaching process that gets hair here has opened the cuticle significantly, which means the hair is more porous, more prone to breakage, and more susceptible to damage from heat and environmental exposure.
This makes both the right toner choice and a strong aftercare routine critically important.
Why Purple-Based Toners Work Best on Level 10 Hair
To understand why purple toners are so effective on level 10 hair, you need to understand colour theory — specifically, the concept of complementary colours.
On the colour wheel, purple sits directly opposite yellow. This means that purple pigment and yellow pigment cancel each other out when applied together.
Level 10 hair has residual yellow pigment even after thorough bleaching.
A purple-based toner deposits violet pigment onto the hair shaft, neutralising the yellow and leaving behind a cool, bright, platinum or ash blonde result.
Purple toners are particularly suited to level 10 because the hair is light enough for the violet pigment to work efficiently — without having to fight against deeper gold or orange warmth, which would require an entirely different toner family.
Which is why both the toners we have selected today are purple based.
Here are our recommended toners for level 10 hair.
Both these toners have been formulated specifically for pre-lightened hair — with professional-grade pigment loads, conditioning agents, and reliable, predictable results.
Blondify Natural Violet Blonde 010V
How to Mix and Apply this Toner
Blondify toners are liquid toners, and are hence really easy to mix and apply.
Mix with 20 Vol developer in a 1:1 ratio. You can use either a plastic applicator bottle, shake together and squeeze out on the hair.
Or you can mixx it in a plastic mixing bowl if you prefer.
Either way, we would recommend that you use 20 vol Premium Developer for extra hair strengthening and conditioning during the processing.
Once all the hair has been saturated with your toner-developer mix, rub in a little to allow the color to really saturate the hair.
Leave 10-15 minutes and then rinse.
Extra Light Platinum Cool Blonde 10.2
Our second toner is Extra Light Platinum Cool Blonde.
This is a regular blonding color with ammonia as opposed to a level-on-level toner.
This means that it's stronger. It will lift about a level as well as color and toner.
You can expect a very rich, 3-dimensional color result with this toner.
We would recommend this color if you are looking to take the hair even lighter after your bleaching result.
Extra Light Platinum Cool Blonde 10.2
In other words, really eliminate the last yellow and push the hair towards the ultimate platinum blonde result.
The ".2" in the shade number denotes violet — the primary toning pigment — which neutralises residual yellow and delivers a luminous, cool platinum blonde result.
This is a permanent toner, meaning it penetrates the cortex of the hair shaft for longer-lasting colour with genuine staying power.
Below is the result obtained by one of a hairdresser using 10.2.
Hair by @cecilia_kashat
How to Apply this Toner
This is a cream based toner, So you need to mix with your developer in a plastic mixing bowl.
Once again, 20 Vol developer should be your chosen developer strength, and ideally Premium Developer.
Once again, the mix ratio is 1 to 1 with the developer.
Once mixed thoroughly into a smooth cream, apply using a coloring brush onto the hair. Make sure you use a lot of product and saturate the hair well.
Do a second application and rub in with your fingers this time (using gloves of course).
This will help you get extra rich and extra vibrant results.
Aftercare: Keeping Your Platinum Looking Its Best
Toning level 10 hair is only half the story. Once you've achieved that cool, luminous result, the real challenge is maintaining it.
Platinum blonde is notoriously prone to yellowing over time — accelerated by sun exposure, hard water, heat styling, and oxidation.
A dedicated at-home aftercare routine makes the difference between a colour that lasts weeks and one that lasts months.
For maintenance toning at home — Purple Shampoo & Masque
Between professional toning services, a purple shampoo and mask used together form the cornerstone of cool blonde maintenance.
Think of them as a mini toning treatment you can do at home whenever your colour starts to warm up.
Purple Maintenance - Brilliant Blonde Purple Shampoo
Our purple shampoo deposits violet pigment with every wash, gently counteracting the yellow and brassy tones that accumulate between toning services.
Particularly important for hair that spends time in sunlight — UV exposure is one of the fastest ways to warm up a cool blonde.
- Violet pigment neutralises yellow and brassiness with every wash
- Use 2–3 times per week, or more frequently when hair starts to warm
- Leave on for 2–5 minutes before rinsing for stronger toning effect
- Safe for regular use on bleached and toned hair
Purple Maintenance - Brilliant Blonde Purple Masque
Our purple masque takes the toning power of the shampoo further — with a richer pigment load and deep conditioning agents, it works as a treatment mask that simultaneously tones and nourishes. Use it once or twice a week, especially if your hair is exposed to sun, salt water, or chlorine. It's the fastest way to pull a warm blonde back to cool platinum without a full toning service.
- Higher violet pigment concentration than shampoo for targeted correction
- Deep conditioners restore softness and manageability to bleached hair
- Apply to clean, damp hair — leave 5–15 minutes depending on how warm the hair has become
- The longer it's left, the more toning it provides — adjust timing to your desired result
For strength and protection — Brilliant Blondexx Shampoo & Mask
No matter how good your toner, bleached hair at level 10 is structurally compromised.
The bleaching process breaks disulphide bonds within the hair cortex — the bonds that give hair its strength, elasticity, and resilience.
Without targeted bond repair, toned hair can feel dry, snap easily, and lose its shine rapidly.
The Brilliant Blondexx Shampoo & Mask are specifically formulated for bleached, toned, and fragile hair.
They contain bond-building technology that works inside the hair structure — not just coating the surface — to reconnect weakened bonds and restore genuine strength.
The result is hair that not only looks healthier but actually is healthier: more elastic, more resistant to breakage, and dramatically softer to the touch.
- Bond-building technology repairs disulphide bonds broken during bleaching
- Works inside the hair cortex, not just on the surface
- Restores elasticity, reduces breakage, and improves overall hair health
- Use weekly on freshly toned hair, or more frequently on very porous or damaged hair
- Can be used alongside purple masque — apply Blondexx for bond repair, purple masque for tone maintenance, alternating each wash
Can you use both haircare products?
Our recommendation is that you do exactly that.
The products have been designed so that you can alternate the 2 ranges from week to week.
You will find the Purple Range to be fairly light. It does also condition, but itsprimiary purpose is purple toning: to drive away the yellow.
The Brilliant Blondexx Range, on the other hand, is very rich It contains bond strengthening and also very deep enrichening ingredients which penetrate deep into the hair.
One week focus on bond repair and strength; the next, prioritise toning.
Your hair gets both structural care and colour maintenance — and the two products work synergistically, not against each other.
The Full Level 10 Routine, Simplified
Achieving and maintaining platinum blonde at level 10 comes down to three things: the right toner, consistent purple maintenance to fight yellowing, and regular bond repair to keep the hair strong enough to carry the colour.
Do all three, and your cool blonde will stay cool, luminous, and healthy for far longer between appointments.
At Ugly Duckling, every product in this guide is formulated for pre-lightened hair by professional colourists.
If you have questions about which shade or formula is right for your specific hair, reach out to our team via the contact us button. We're here to help you get the result you're after.
