A Toning Mask Showdown: 5 Shades of Estel Ya Ton

I've been dealing with a pesky problem since I went blonde - covering up the yellow tones that pop up between colorings. And since I'm a regular at the salon, it's not exactly the most cost-effective solution. That's where toning masks and balms come in, saving me about 1.5% of the hassle.

10.61Surprisingly, toning products for hair aren't as pricey as I thought, and Estel has a whole range of them. What's even better is that you don't need to be a blonde to use them - they come in 6 and 8 different tones!

In this review, I'll be sharing my experience with the most budget-friendly option - Estel Ya Ton.

❓❓What is it?

These types of masks are generally safe to use, but there's one catch - it's best to avoid using them before a new coloring session, at least for 10 days.

❗️I'll be sharing and showcasing five different shades in this review: 10.61, 10.65, 10.16, 10.71, and 11.06. These are all relatively light shades with distinct undertones.

When it comes to pricing, I mentioned that these masks are budget-friendly because they cost around 120-160 rubles, which is comparable to some balms I've used from Elsiev for over 600 rubles. However, it's worth noting that the Elsiev balms come in 200ml volumes, while these Estel masks are only 60ml.

You can buy these anywhere, and I've seen them sold at my friend's store and Rainbow Smiley's. Apparently, some people also sell them at Fix Price, but I haven't come across that.

I'm not going to quote the product description, but if you need to see it, I've shown you the box from all sides - it's pretty self-explanatory.

About the sensory experience.

The packaging is identical for all the tubes, so I won't bother showing it 10 times. On my tubes, it was the same.

10.61But the colors are completely different.

Let's start with 10.61.This is the most universal mask for blondes because it gives the best results. You can see it on your hair (I'll show you all of them on my hair later).

10.6110.61It has a blue-violet tint. All the masks smell roughly the same, so I won't comment on the difference in scents. This mask, if left on for too long, gives ugly purple spots. But that's to be expected from any toning mask. Overall, it's probably the most user-friendly and satisfying one I've bought.

10.65.I was pretty excited about this one at first, but the color immediately made me question its effectiveness. The tone is pretty weak, and it needs a super-white base to really work (let's be real, who's going to ruin a white base with pink?)

10.65On the plus side, it doesn't have any yellow or orange pigment that's hard to get rid of in your hair. It's way thicker than the 10.61, and I noticed it's more prone to running out – I got about 1.5 uses out of it, which is decent for my hair length.

10.71

This one's got a really interesting color – it's somewhere between pink and gray conditioner.

10.71It's got a really natural, berry-inspired color – and the way it's swirled in there is pretty cool. It's like it's got little brain waves coming out of it.10.16 This one's got a pretty unflattering color – it's more blue, less purple, and just generally not my cup of tea.

10.16The amount of product you get is pretty generous – a single tube lasted me a full head of hair. The scent is the same as the others, though – after using a bunch of these, I can definitely pick up on the underlying notes of cosmetics and candle wax. It's got a bit of a spicy kick to it.

Classic anti-yellow hair mask color. The amount used is roughly equivalent to two applications per tube. The scent is the same as other hair masks.

In terms of color and saturation, it's very similar to 10.61. You can compare them yourself, the photo is above. 🧖🏻‍♀️🧖🏻‍♀️Applying 10.61.

I'll show you how to use all the shades on 10.61 as an example, I won't repeat myself, unless I show you how each shade is washed out at different speeds.

10.61Take your hair after washing.

10.61Then, take the mask. For my hair length and thickness, it takes about 1/3 of the packaging for one application.

10.61The mask applies easily to your hair, and after about seven minutes, you can see where it's applied more intensely and where it's weaker. There's no point in adding more, the effect will show you the weakest parts of your hair after 10 minutes (they'll be more intensely colored as they're more porous).

10.61After the mask residue is gone, it's easier to see where the stains are. I find that holding a hair dryer for about 5 minutes helps to tone down a bit, like it's eating away at the excess.

10.61The wet ends might feel cold, but after blow-drying, it's like they just disappear.

10.61However, 10 minutes is a long time for my hair, so I decided to give the mask another shot, but this time I cut the time in half. Here's the result after 10 minutes.

10.6110.61You can probably guess why my hair looks straight in the photo - it's because when it's not straight, I look like a fluffy little Pomeranian.

10.61I was thrilled to see the blue spot fade away after just one wash, and my hair turned out a lovely shade of white with reddish roots and yellowish ends. It's a great start, but I'm hoping for even better results.

When it comes to this shade, I found that five minutes is all you need to achieve the perfect cool blonde look. Platinum, not brassy - just what I'm going for.

10.61With five minutes, I got a beautiful white blonde color, not a dull grey one. The lighting in my room might be playing tricks on me, but it looks like the color is spot on. However, I did notice that the product dries my hair out, leaving me with a bunch of tangles to deal with.

2 мытья после 10.61. До 10.65After two washes, my hair looked like this. The color had completely faded out, so I didn't have to worry about any unwanted results. I used this base to try out the next color.

My Experience with 10.65

I was a bit nervous about using this rose-colored mask, wondering if it would turn me into an orange instead. Yeah, I know, it sounds crazy, but you never know what's going to happen when you're experimenting with hair color.

10.65

10.65I was a bit hesitant at first, but it's time to put the mask to the test.

10.65But when I applied it to my hair, I realized I wouldn't really notice any difference except on those super porous areas.

10.65 The ends looked a bit pink, but I'm not going to risk it, since I know they might turn yellow again after drying. Yeah, that's a no-go for me.

10.65The drying process is pretty cool. Here's the result without any straightening. The color is spot on, within a inch. I guess a white base is a must, or maybe the pigmentation just isn't that great.

10.65After applying it, it looks okay, but it's not what I was hoping for. I always use a heat protectant and a bunch of other products that can't be washed out, so you won't see my 'natural' hair after using this mask – I just don't wash my hair that often. The roots aren't a concern, but the color's gone from yellow to more of a reddish tone, which is probably due to the fact that it's been a month since I got my hair dyed and the color's neutralizer has long since washed out, given the porosity of my hair.

My experience with 10.16

I was most worried about this shade because it's quite brassy. On the packaging, there's a nice graphite-looking design, so I decided to limit my application time to under 5 minutes initially.

10.16

My hair was either completely virgin or had been lightened in a salon (roots) and toned with Estel 10.1 at 3% before I applied this product.

10.16 10.16The roots are dirty, so they appear yellower than they actually are. That's just the nature of being a blonde – when your hair's dirty, it tends to look more yellow.

10.16 I was pretty surprised by how quickly I went through the balm, even with my relatively short hair. I used half the tube in no time, and I'm a heavy applicator to avoid any pesky stains.

10.16 The balm definitely gave my hair a darker, more ashy tone, which isn't ideal for me since my hair is already pretty dark. Plus, the bathroom lighting doesn't help - it's got a pretty strong yellow tint.

10.16 10.16 I left the mask on for about 5-6 minutes, and my hair looked super ashy afterwards. But after the first wash, the ashy tone disappeared, and my hair looked like its normal self.

10.16 My hairline and length both look a lot healthier now.

10.16

10.16 дневной свет When I look at my hair in the daylight, it's pretty clear that this product doesn't deposit color evenly. Some strands are way lighter than others.

(two washes later - see the next point for 11.06)

Objectively, I'd give this mask a 5 out of 10. But I'm still leaning towards 10.61 as my top choice... for now. I've got 11.06 coming up, so I might change my mind again!

Applying 11.06.

I wasn't nervous about this shade. It's the lightest one, and I thought for sure it'd be my new favorite. Either it's 10.61 with a 5-minute development time, or this one... we'll see!

My hair after using 10.16, two washes later. It's not dirty, per se... but it definitely needs a wash because it's so dry!

The color's not bad, but I wish it was a bit cooler because the yellow tone is starting to show. I'm hesitant to apply 10 coats because I'm worried I'll turn gray instead.

But when I applied it, I thought - oh no! It turned into Malvina's color right away. I was terrified I'd turn purple, but I managed to hold out for 10 minutes. Here's the same mask after I washed it off:

My skin was a deep purple in the bathroom. I thought I'd turned into a Smurf!

After drying, I was waiting for stains to appear, and sure enough, they did. Here's the result:

I have to say, aside from the purple spots, there's not a huge difference.

I wouldn't buy this again, but 10.61 is still my go-to!

🧖🏻‍♀️🧖🏻‍♀️Applying 10.71.

Since I cut my hair by 10 centimeters, my usage has decreased. I applied it to the full length as before.

I was worried that this shade would have a reddish tone.

10.71 But what really surprised me was that the mask itself is a sort of purple-pink color.

10.71 My hair looked like a mess - 10.61 and blue shampoo on top. Those awful blue stains on my head were super stubborn and refused to wash out.

10.71 It was way more noticeable on damp hair. I looked like a dirty blonde, not exactly the best look.

10.71 I left it on for 5-10 minutes, but nothing changed when I rinsed it out. However, when it dried, the color looked pretty good in natural light - a nice, clean white.

10.71 This is under natural light.

10.71 Of course, the color isn't exactly what it looks like on the box, but the shade in these photos is actually the one I was going for! 10.71I've also got this mask in my faves, but it's got one major downside - it leaves my hair feeling a bit dry (check out the pic after - it's got oil and a non-washout spray!).

👍🏼👎🏼My verdict.

I was supposed to rate each product separately, but I'm gonna give you the lowdown on each one and explain my overall score at the end.

10.61 on 4 if you leave it on for 5 minutes - 10 is a lot, but it's a minus star because it dries out your hair. I'd definitely buy it again, though.

10.65 on 2 because it dries out your hair just as much, and the results are pretty terrible.

10.16 - it just didn't impress me, gave me a dull tone, but it dries out your hair something awful. Maybe you can find the right timing, but honestly, I don't want to mess around with it, and 10.71 gives a much smoother tone.

11.06 - it's just weak, barely any difference from the original. So, I don't see the point in buying it.

10.71 - hands down, five stars. It gave me the perfect warm, natural-looking blonde tone without any brassy or orange tones. It's a bit drying, but not too bad.

Overall, I'm taking off a star because they all dry out my hair. I'm also deducting a star because 70% of them had terrible results. And another star for the lack of consistency in the amount you get depending on the tone - it's pretty objective. I'd only recommend the ones I've rated above 4 stars.