Cool Toned vs Extra Blonde
When it comes to choosing what lightener to use, the first thing we must do is lower our expectations. Yes, I said it. The reality is…
All lighteners lift. However, the questions should be, how much lift do I need and what is the condition of the hair after the lightening process? What good is a lightener that lifts fast, but leaves damaged hair afterwards? On the contrary, what's the benefit of a gentle lightener if it doesn’t get us to our desired results? So how do I know what to choose?
Here is a little breakdown of when you might choose Cool Toned versus Extra Blonde. Before we get into the facts, there are a few factors that may sway your decision regardless of the nuances, such as preferences in viscosity. You might prefer the consistency of one over the other or maybe you just prefer a “white” lightener over a pigmented lightener. If neither of those things matter to you, then here are a few things to consider.
Extra Blonde lifts up to 9 levels on natural hair and Cool Toned lifts up to 8 levels on natural hair while also toning in one step. Therefore, if a client lifts beautifully and needs minimal toning, Cool Toned might be the perfect solution. For a client who has darker hair naturally or previous colour, you may want to use Extra Blonde for its added strength and speed. Both can be used on or off scalp with up to 20 volume. If being used off scalp, Extra Blonde may be used with up to 30 volume while Cool Toned may be used with up to 40 volume. Heat is never recommended with any Blacklight lighteners.
One of the major benefits to Extra Blonde is the ionic bonding technology. The more damaged the hair becomes, the more negatively charged it becomes. Extra Blonde’s positively charged compound forms an ionic bond during the lightening process that helps to protect and smooth the hair cuticle. Think about your blow dryers and flat irons. Several of them produce positive ions that allow the hair to appear smooth or shiny after use.
If you’re still confused about what to use or what to choose, no worries as all Blacklight lighteners are intermixable with each other. Along with Extra blonde and Cool Toned Lighteners, Oligo also offers a Clay Lightener for free hand techniques, as well as a Cream Lightener for sensitive scalps or fragile hair. For example, if you love using Clay Lightener for balayage, but want a little extra lift, you can add Cool Toned or Extra Blonde.
One last thing to consider is speed. Extra blonde lifts at a higher speed than Cool Toned. If your application is going to take you a long time or you’re concerned, you may want to choose Cool Toned as it will lift slower, allowing you more time to work with your product.