Bouclème Brassy to Beautiful Powerhouses: How to Tone Blonde Curls Without Drying Them Out
If you’ve ever lightened your curls, added highlights, or embraced your natural silver, you’ll know the feeling:
your colour starts off bright, fresh, and beautiful… then slowly, brassy tones creep in 😩
Yellowing. Warm orange hues. Dullness.
And suddenly your curls don’t feel quite as you anymore.
At Curly Life, we see this all the time — and we hear the same concern over and over again:
“Purple shampoo fixes the colour, but it ruins my curls.”
And honestly? You’re not wrong.
Let’s talk about how toning actually works, why traditional purple shampoos can be harsh on curls, and how you can tone blonde, highlighted, or silver curls at home, without sacrificing moisture, using one of our favourite curl-friendly solutions from Bouclème.
Why Does Blonde Hair Go Brassy?
Over time, blonde, highlighted, and silver hair is exposed to:
- Sunlight
- Heat styling
- Hard water
- Pollution
- Product build-up
All of this causes warm yellow or orange tones to show through — especially on lightened or porous hair.
For curly hair, this effect can be even more noticeable because curls tend to be naturally drier and more fragile.
How Hair Toners Actually Work (The Simple Version)
Toners work using colour theory, yes, that colour wheel you learned about at school 🎨
Purple neutralises yellow
Blue neutralises orange
By depositing small amounts of pigment onto the hair, toners cancel out unwanted warm tones and bring your colour back to life.
The problem?
Many traditional toning products (like purple shampoos) open the hair cuticle to deposit pigment — and when used too often, they can strip moisture, leaving curls dry, brittle, and dull.
Not exactly curl-friendly.
Why Purple Shampoo Isn’t Always Curl-Friendly
Purple shampoo isn’t bad, but it’s often misused.
We see people:
- Using it as an everyday cleanser
- Leaving it on too long
- Applying it to already dry curls
This can lead to:
- Over-toning (grey, flat colour)
- Loss of natural oils
- Dry, lifeless curls
- Breakage and frizz
And if there’s one thing curls need, it’s hydration first.
A Curl-Friendly Way to Tone at Home: Bouclème Colour Refresh Duo
If you want to tone brassiness and keep your curls soft, bouncy, and healthy, the Bouclème Colour Refresh Duo is one of our go-to recommendations at Curly Life.
This duo combines:
- Bouclème Colour Toning Drops
- Bouclème Intensive Moisture Treatment
Instead of stripping your hair, this system allows you to customise your toning while prioritising moisture — which is exactly what curls need.
Toner + Conditioner = Curl Magic ✨
The Intensive Moisture Treatment is packed with nourishing ingredients like:
- Mafura butter
- Marula oil
It deeply hydrates curls, improves elasticity, and leaves hair soft and manageable, making it the perfect base for toning.
The Colour Toning Drops are 98% naturally powered and infused with blue spirulina, allowing you to gently neutralise brassiness without harsh chemicals.
The best part?
You control how much, how often, and where you tone.
Blue Spirulina: Nature’s Secret Weapon for Curls
Blue spirulina is a nutrient-rich algae known for its natural blue pigment — perfect for neutralising warm tones in blonde and silver hair.
But it does more than tone.
Benefits for curls include:
- Antioxidant protection
- Scalp soothing and hydration
- Strengthening and improved shine
- Support for healthy hair growth
- It’s colour care that actually cares for your hair.
- How to Use the Bouclème Colour Refresh Duo (Curly Life Approved)
One of the reasons we love this duo is how versatile it is. Here are our favourite curl-friendly ways to use it:
1. Quick Moisture + Tone Boost
Mix 3–4 drops of Colour Toning Drops into the Intensive Moisture Treatment.
Leave on for 5 minutes, then rinse.
2. Deep Conditioning Treatment
Apply the mixture to soaking wet hair after cleansing.
Leave on for 20–30 minutes for deeper hydration and tone correction.
3. Extra-Dry Curl Rescue
Use the mixture as a leave-in conditioner on very dry curls, then style as usual.
4. Weekly Blonde Maintenance
Add a few drops to your conditioner once a week to keep brassiness away without over-toning.
5. Silver & Grey Hair Revival
Mix drops with the Intensive Moisture Treatment and leave on for 5 minutes every other week to banish yellow tones.
6. Highlight Refresh
Add 1–2 drops to your leave-in or curl cream to refresh highlights between salon visits.
The Confidence Boost Your Curls Deserve
Healthy curls and beautiful colour go hand in hand and you should never have to choose between the two.
With these Bouclème products, you can:
- Maintain blonde, silver, or highlighted curls
- Avoid harsh purple shampoos
- Keep your hair hydrated, defined, and full of life
Because when your curls feel good, confidence follows 🤍
And at Curly Life, confidence is always the goal
