Pre-lightening the hair is usually done before what process?

Pre-lightening the hair is a process typically done to lift the natural pigment from the hair before a toning treatment. Toning is often used to adjust the tone of pre-lightened hair, neutralizing unwanted brassiness or yellow undertones and achieving a desired shade. By lightening the hair first, the stylist creates a blank canvas that allows for more accurate coloring with toner.

While coloring can sometimes occur after pre-lightening, it generally refers to adding a new color to the hair rather than adjusting the tone after lifting. Shampooing and conditioning do not involve changing the color or tone of the hair, so they are not processes that follow pre-lightening in terms of hair color treatments.