Ash blonde is one of the most requested shades in the salon chair — and one of the most technically demanding to execute consistently. If you're working with Prorituals colour, here's exactly how to nail it every time.
Know Your Starting Point
Before you touch a bowl, assess the hair properly. Ash tones only work on a clean, pale base — you need to be at a level 9 (pale yellow) minimum before toning. If there's any orange or gold left in the hair, your ash shade will go muddy or greenish. No shortcuts here.
Check for:
- Natural depth and underlying pigment
- Previous colour history (box dye, highlights, keratin treatments)
- Hair condition and porosity — this affects how the tone grabs and fades
Lift First, Tone Second
Use Prorituals Lightening Powder with 20–30 Vol developer to lift to at least a level 9. For darker bases (level 4 and below), plan for multiple sessions — trying to rush the lift risks damage and an uneven base that won't tone evenly.
Once lifted, rinse thoroughly and assess the base before mixing your tone. Don't guess — look at it in natural light.
Choosing the Right Prorituals Ash Shade
Prorituals ash shades use a .1 (ash) or .11 (intense ash) secondary tone. Here's how to choose:
- 9.1 — Very light ash blonde. Great for a soft, wearable ash on a clean level 9–10 base.
- 9.11 — Intense ash. Use this when the base is still slightly warm or the client has resistant hair that doesn't grab tone easily.
- 10.1 — Lightest ash blonde. For platinum-adjacent results on a near-white base.
Want a beige or sand blonde rather than a pure cool ash? Mix your .1 shade with a small amount of .3 (gold) or .0 (natural) to soften the result without losing the cool base.
Mixing and Processing
Mix 1:1 with 20 Vol developer. Apply evenly from roots to ends — don't rush the application or you'll get uneven tone uptake. Process for 30–35 minutes at room temperature. If the hair is very porous, check at 20 minutes — over-processed porous hair can grab too much pigment and go darker than intended.
Use gentle heat only if needed to speed processing on resistant hair.
Porosity Matters
This is where a lot of ash blonde results go wrong. Highly porous hair (from bleach, heat damage, or chemical services) absorbs colour unevenly and fades fast. Before toning:
- Consider a porosity equaliser or bond treatment to even out the cuticle
- Drop to 10 Vol developer on very porous hair to avoid over-deposit
- Apply tone to the mid-lengths and ends last, as they process faster
Client Maintenance Advice
Set your clients up for success between appointments:
- Purple or blue toning shampoo 1–2x per week to maintain cool tone
- Cool water rinses to keep the cuticle closed and colour locked in
- Toning refresh every 4–6 weeks — ash fades faster than warm shades because cool pigment molecules are smaller
Stock Up at Bold Beauty
Get Prorituals ash shades, lightening powders, and developers delivered to your salon. Browse the full range at Bold Beauty.
