Neutralization wheel for color professionals

Hair color neutralization is one of the fundamental skills of every color professional. When bleaching, when applying color over a base with history, when sun or water change the client's reflects, unwanted tones appear.

The solution lies in the Oswald Star: a color theory model that organizes primary and secondary tones into opposite pairs. Each pair cancels the other out. If you have an unwanted orange, you apply its opposite (blue). If you have a yellow that won't go away, you neutralize it with violet.

Neutralization table

When you need to neutralize

The most common situations where neutralization is key:

• After bleaching: The underlying pigment always leaves warm tones (orange, yellow). A good ash or iridescent corrector eliminates them.
• Resistant grays: Gray hair can reveal unwanted reflects, especially in light formulas.
• Over previously colored hair: Color history can produce unexpected reflects when applying a new shade.
• Sun and water damage: Sun exposure oxidizes pigments and creates coppery or orange tones.

If you want to dive deeper into color theory applied to hair, check out our colorimetry basics guide. And for specific neutralization techniques, read our article on how to neutralize unwanted tones.

For complex cases like color correction after a disaster, see our professional color correction guide.

If you're looking for a specific toner to neutralize orange or yellow in blondes, try our toner selector: it recommends the exact family based on level and unwanted tone. You can also check the underlying pigment for each level in our hair color level chart.