Maria Nila Sheer Silver

Blonde does not go brassy overnight. It warms up a shade at a time — a bit of yellow at week three, a bit more at week five — until the colour you left the salon with is not the colour in the mirror.

Sheer Silver is Maria Nila's toning range for blonde, lightened and grey hair. The shampoo, conditioner and masque carry violet pigment, which cancels yellow. The booster masque is the odd one out: it uses blue and red pigment, which cancels orange, so it is the one to reach for if your brass reads coppery rather than yellow.

Toning is maintenance, not correction. These will hold a tone between appointments; they will not lift, fix banding or even out patchy lift — that is a salon toner. Porous or freshly lightened hair grabs pigment fast, so start with a short contact time and work up. Want shine rather than tone? Mirror Gloss.