Wella T18 vs T14: What is the Difference Between Them?

This post was most recently updated on March 7th, 2023

Thanks to the HBO show, House of the Dragon, the pale shades of blonde hair skyrocketed to popularity as many fans wanted to be like their Targaryen favorites. However, not all hair is of a similar structure meaning you need to use the right toner to achieve that fearless dragon-rider look. Read all you need to know about the Wella T18 vs T14 toners here to decide which one is perfect for the ash blonde look you are thinking of going for.

Both T14 vs T18 toners are part of Wella’s Color Charm shade range. Each bottle contains 42 ml liquid toner that must be mixed with the developer to work. But many people have trouble choosing between Wella T18 and T14. If you are one of them, then you’re in the right place.

Keep reading to learn more so you can easily pick the right toner.

The Short Story

Wella Toner T18	Wella Toner T14
Price	Price
$16.42/ package – Wella Toner T18 + 20 Vol. Developer (on Amazon)	$16.42/ package – Wella Toner T48 + 20 Vol. Developer (on Amazon)
Availability	Availability
Wella T18 does not sell directly from their website, you can buy it from eBay or Amazon.	Wella T14 does not sell directly from their website. You can buy it from eBay or Amazon.
How to Use	How to Use
Wella T18 needs to be mixed with a developer, either 10 Vol. developer or 20 Vol. developer. Mix 1 measuring cup of T18 with 2 cups of developer. Please note that you should only leave T18 on for 15 minutes maximum.	Mix Wella T14 either with 10 Vol. developer or 20 Vol. developer. Mix 1 measuring cup of T14 with 2 cups of developer. Please note that you should only leave T14 on for 20 minutes maximum.
Side Effect	Side Effect
If your hair is extremely bleached and colored, the hair cuticle may crack which may lead to hair fiber damage.	Extremely bleached and colored hair can make the hair cuticle crack which may lead to hair fiber damage.
Result	Result
Pinterest (Deanne Barrier)	Pinterest (Ashley Aldridge)
Who is it for?	Who is it for?
If you have yellow tones in your hair and are looking to get a bright gray color.	If your hair has orange tones and you’re looking to get a gray or ash tone.
Additional Information	Additional Information
T18 is the lightest ash blonde with a violet base.	T14 is a pale blonde tone with a violet-blue base.

The Long Story

Wella Toners are known for their amazing toning results on blonde hair. Wella Color Charm provides 5 different toning shades, in three different toner families (Ash, Beige, and Silver). These can be used to make beautiful soft blondes with just the right tonal character to suit you.

But, you may have heard a lot about the T14 vs T18 toner debate out there, considering both of them are in the ash-blonde family. You may want to get ash color in your hair, but you’re not sure which one you should pick.

Then, lucky you’re here because we will help you to pick which toner may fit your needs according to the look you want.

What is Wella T18?

Wella T18 is the most in-demand toner in the range. Wella T18 is the Lightest Ash Blonde toner in the range. This is best used over very pale yellow tones to get a white-blonde or silver result.

Moreover, T18 is a permanent toner in the ash family with a violet base cancelling out yellow. It is infused with Liquidfuse Technology that ensures hair is especially fade resistant and is ideal to process double processed blonde hair by neutralizing unwanted warmth in hair to achieve the ash blonde color you require.

What is Wella T14?

Wella T14 is the Pale Ash Blonde within the range, a beautifully soft pure blonde toner. T14 is ideal for toning out orange tones as it isn’t as light as the T18. It works on stronger yellow tones or orange tones to get a more natural blonde shade.

Like T18, this is also infused with Liquidfuse Technology and is easy to use with bottle application. 

Wella T18 vs T14: What Should You Pick?

After you learn about both T18 and T14 toners, now it’s time to pick what toner you should pick. The root of choosing the right toner is the color wheel.

In this wheel, each color has a relationship with another color. It means the colors that are exactly opposite to each other will cancel each other out. Look at the picture below!

Purple cancels out yellow, blue-violet cancels out yellow-orange, and green cancels out red. It is the key to determining which Wella toner you should use.

• If your hair is yellow, you should pick T18. It is because T18 has a violet pigmentation that cancels out the yellow tone in your hair.
• If your hair has an orange tone, you should use T14 because its base is blue. Blue is the opposite of orange on the wheel.

Then, you should know what color blonde you’re looking for eventually. If you want bright white or silver hair, then you should use T18. If you’re looking for pale ash or gray color, kindly use T14 toner for your hair. Which toner to use is determined by the specific needs of your hair, its current shade, and the final shade you want it to look like this season to feel your best self!

How to Use Wella T14 Toner vs T18 Toner?

Before using Wella T14 or T18, pre-lightening is required to achieve the best results with it. The lighter your hair is bleached, the better the results will be. However be mindful of how damaged or brittle your hair is before going for an extreme makeover.

Once the desired level of lift is achieved, remove the lightener by shampooing thoroughly.

• Mix 1 part Wella T18 or T14 toner with 2 parts of 20 volume developer. For example, mix 50 mL of toner with 100 mL developer.
• Apply to towel-dried hair and develop. T14 should stay in the hair for a maximum of 20 minutes while T18 should only stay in the hair for a maximum of 15 minutes.
• Check a strand every 5 minutes to see if the desired color has been reached.
• Rinse the toner and use your shampoo and conditioner.

As a permanent liquid toner, Wella T18 and T14 use ammonia to increase the pH to overcome the cuticle and reach the cortex. This substance removes the natural cuticle lipid, the 18-methyl eicosanoic acid, which confers hydrophobicity to the fiber. The use of permanent dyes may cause cuticle damage by removing the 18-MEA and making the hair hydrophilic. Thus, treat your hair wisely to prevent damage and dullness. Maintain it regularly to avoid damage.

How to Take Care of Your Hair After Using T14 or T18 Toner

Please remember that Wella T18 or T14 toner will fade with each wash. Mostly, it will last for around 3-4 weeks depending on how often you shampoo and your hair care routine.

You can have it for a longer time if know how to take better care of your colored hair. Here we give you tips on how to treat your hair after using Wella toner.

• Washing too frequently can affect color treated hair and cause it to fade faster. Extend the time in-between washes to allow your hair to retain more of its natural oils. 
• If you used Wella T18, you can use a purple shampoo. But, if you use T14, please use a sulfate-free blue shampoo (commonly use by those with darker shades of hair.)
• Use conditioner to seal the cuticle to protect color and add shine for deeper color dimensions. It’s the fastest way to make your color look high-shine and fresh.
• If you often use tools like hair straightener, we recommend using heat protectant every time you use heat to avoid over-drying and damaging hair. This is essential for all hair types, especially color-treated hair. For more information click here to learn about the best Kipozi flat irons and straighteners. 
• Hydration is key, so lock in moisture with a hair serum or oil, especially at your ends, the most fragile and weakest hair. You can also use hydrating hair mask every 15 days. Check out our review of Monat’s advanced hydrating system.

With a right treatment, you can sport trendy hair colours and keep your hair healthy too. If you are worried about hair growth along with color retention, consider using a hair stimulating shampoo or a hair thickening shampoo.

Final Words: Wella T18 vs T14

When it comes to choosing Wella T18 vs T14, it is important to pay attention to which tone you have and what your desired color is. Check the comparison chart below.

Wella T18	Wella T14
Lightest Ash Blonde	Pale Ash Blonde
Violet base	Violet-blue base
For yellow tone in your hair	For your orange hair

After you bleach your hair, you’re probably looking to get a blonde color. But, bleaching your hair is just the first step. The color you have in your hair isn’t the exact blonde you expected because of the hair pigmentation structure unique to you. To fix this you’ll need to use toner, in this case, Wella T18 or T14. The best Wella toner for your hair depends on the level of your hair and the undertones.

• If after bleaching, you have yellow hair and want bright white or silver hair, then use T18. T18 is only effective if your hair is level 10 or higher (purely yellow).
  
• If your hair is orange and you want to get pale ash or gray color in your hair, then Wella T14 is your best pick. When you choose T14, your hair look will lighter than if you went for T18.
• Since T18 has a violet base, it will leave a purple undertone to your hair. T14, which has a violet-blue base, is much more gray or silver than purple.

Although the color might look different, both Wella T18 and T14 are ash toners. Ash toners are great if you want to have platinum blonde hair or pastel colors after pre-lightening. We hope this comparison will help you make your decision on the Wella T18 vs T14 debate to select the toner that is most suitable for your hair.

If you are considering semi-permanent dyes, you can check our reviews on Arctic Fox Vs Manic Panic as well as Keracolor Vs oVertone. Now you tell us, which toner is best for your hair if you had used it before: Wella T18 or T14?