My unbiased review of OVERTONE (original post from Oct. 2019)
As a former licensed hairstylist that was trained in color, former cosmetology teacher and someone who has been coloring her hair for 30 years, here is my review (and tips)on OVERTONE.
I generally get highlights and toner once a year at a salon then experiment with semi-permanent color throughout the year when the toner washes out. My highlights were last done in April and I would occasionally use Viral shampoo in red to refresh them.
This Halloween I need a very red color for my Jessica Rabbit costume so I decided to try Overtone in Extreme Red.
A few days prior I did a strand test on dry hair and LOVED the results on my previously highlighted strands.
I washed and dried my hair (three shampoos and the strand test was still visible) then applied vasoline around my hairline and on my ears.
I applied the whole jar to my entire dry head as if it were hair dye and let it sit for about an hour.
I decided to wash it out in my stainless steel kitchen sit for easier clean up. (It stained my bathroom sink until I sprayed Clorox Cleanup.) I didnt know how much was enough to rinse since reds always bleed. Plus I didn’t want to over rinse the conditioner too much. I definitely* didn’t rinse it enough.
Finally I was ready to blow dry. I LOVE the color and fresh scent.
Tips:
Buy better gloves to apply and another pair to wash (than the pair they give you). Apply to dry hair. Water will probably dilute the color. Dry will absorb better. Plus it will run everywhere if wet.
Leave on longer than the suggested 15 minutes.
Use OLD towels and pillow cases. The color gets and rubs everywhere* I also had to wear black until I washed my hair a week later.
If you’re doing primarily highlights avoid the scalp. It’s stains and is hard to get off once your hair is dry.
When I finally washed my hair, I gave my scalp two good shampoos and conditioner. I’m happy to report the color and even scent didn’t budge. And the color no longer rubs all over my pillow case and clothes.
*Update: I’m pretty sure the color rubbed off on my clothes and linens because I didn’t rinse it all out. I used a whole jar and rinsed it in my kitchen sink. Next time I’ll use less, avoid the scalp and rinse in the shower.
It’s that time of the year again. What kind of highlights and color shall I do next?
Anissa Simone 