Overtone Hair Color Review

About Overtone 

Overtone is a speedy, at-home alternative to hair dyeing. They are essentially gentle color depositing conditioners. The brand has been featured in Cosmetics Design, BuzzFeed, Allure Magazine, Pop Sugar and more. 

This Overtone hair color review will look closely at the brand and its product line, as well as customer reviews, shipping policies, discounts, and more—all to help you decide if it’s worth trying out.

Overview of Overtone 

Friends Maegan Scarlett and Liora Dudar launched Overtone in 2014, after years of dealing with damage imparted by vibrant dyes. They developed a healthy alternative to the standard drugstore products; something semi-permanent that could still give you loud, beautiful locks. 

As it happened, they launched Overtone at the perfect time. Just when the demand for cruelty-free dyes formulated from minimal chemicals was skyrocketing, the company became an industry disrupter. 

This Overtone hair color review will now look at the brands’ pros and cons:

Pros

• Overtone offers semi-permanent dyes in a spectrum of shades 
• Suitable for all hair types and natural colors
• Sample sizes available
• 100% vegan and cruelty-free
• Hydrating and aromatic 
• First Time Try Guarantee ensures customer satisfaction  
• Loyalty program and many promotions offered 

Cons

• Relatively expensive 
• Does not ship outside of US and Canada

The brand sells a range of products to color, maintain, and take care of your hair. This Overtone hair color review will feature bestsellers, starting with The Fader Shampoo. 

Overtone The Fader Shampoo Review 

The Fader Shampoo is designed to wash out your previous tints. You can return your strands to their natural color, or prep for a new shade. The solution is 100% vegan, cruelty-free, and suitable for all types of hair—even curls.

Overtone recommends using this product only when trying to fade your color. Apply and work it into hair, from root to tip, and leave it in f or a couple of minutes. Then, pair it with the Remedy Conditioner for hydration. 

An 8oz full-size bottle of The Fader Shampoo sells for $22. If you want to try it first, buy the 3oz sample bottle for $13.

Overtone Conditioner Review

This Overtone series highlights a two-step coloring process: Coloring Conditioner introduces the initial dye, and Daily Conditioner maintains its vibrancy. 

You can find the brand’s Coloring Conditioner in a wide variety of expressive shades. This includes Overtone magenta, orange, yellow, green, as well as natural tones like espresso brown, and more.

Overtone Pastel Purple Coloring Conditioner Review 

The Pastel Purple Coloring Conditioner brings you closer to that coveted Overtone pastel silver shade. This one is most compatible with strands that are bleached or platinum blonde to start with. 

To use, section your strands and apply the product evenly. Let it sit for 10–15 minutes if you want results that are extra hydrating. After the initial application, repeat the process whenever your locks are feeling dry or need a color boost.

This Overtone hair color review scoped out a pro-tip: applying the Pastel Purple Coloring Conditioner to hair that has minimal moisture can in fact yield brighter results. 

The Pastel Purple Coloring Conditioner mixes well with Overtone Silver and Overtone Teal. If you’re going for more of a darker, more mysterious vibe (or you have dark brown hair), look into the brand’s Vibrant or Extreme options within the same product line. 

This Overtone hair dye conditioner was awarded Allure’s Best of Beauty in 2019, and also took home Glamour’s 2020 Beauty Award. It sells in an 8oz bottle for $32. Currently, no sample sizes are available. 

Overtone Pastel Purple Daily Conditioner Review 

Overtone’s Pastel Purple Daily Conditioner follows the previous formula. Daily use of this product helps maintain lighter, more subtle shades. 

The brand recommends starting with an already faded pastel hair color, and using this conditioner to keep things looking fresh. If you want to apply it to your natural strands, simply double the use. 

To apply the Pastel Purple Daily Conditioner, work it into hair after you’ve already used shampoo, belt out your go-to shower song, and then rinse off. An 8oz version of this Overtone color depositing conditioner comes to $18, while a sample size is available for $8.

Overtone Pastel Pink Coloring Conditioner Review

The Pastel Pink Coloring Conditioner is a semi-permanent hair dye that produces brilliant shades of pink, which of course, vary according to your base color. 

If you’re starting with a platinum or light blonde shade, you can wake up with a head of pastel pink hair. After that, medium-dark tones produce fuschia, and darker tones appear purple or red. 

Overtone recommends applying this conditioner to damp or wet hair for a more subtle effect. Leave it on for 10–15 minutes, and rinse thoroughly with warm or hot water. 

The Pastel Pink Coloring Conditioner has also won awards from Allure and Glamour. Unfortunately, this product has sold out in both 8oz and sample sizes, but you can join the waitlist to be notified when it’s restocked.

Overtone Pastel Pink Daily Conditioner Review 

Overtone’s Pastel Pink Daily Conditioner accompanies the coloring conditioner of the same name. We’re sure you’ve caught on by now—the idea is to start with a faded pastel pink color base, and use the daily conditioner to revive the color. 

The 8oz full size bottle of Pastel Pink Daily Conditioner costs $18. You can also buy a 2oz sample bottle for $8.

Overtone Purple for Brown Hair Daily Conditioner Review 

Feeling left out as a natural brunette? The brand also makes daily conditioners that are formulated with darker tones in mind. 

Purple for Brown Hair is best applied to an existing (but faded) purple base. This one mixes well with Overtone blue, in case you were going for that mermaid look. 

Same as the other ones, this Overtone for Brown Hair conditioner comes in an 8 oz bottle for $18 and a sample size (2 oz) for $8.

Overtone Rose Gold for Brown Hair Daily Conditioner Review 

Rose Gold for Brown Hair Daily Conditioner is another color maintenance conditioner to use after applying a base dye. It’s a great way to liven up those Overtone Ginger hair tones. Go ahead, flaunt that gorgeous mane. 

Apply this Rose Gold Overtone to faded red hair (after shampoo) for a few minutes. With regular use, the formula will help keep your auburn locks healthy. 

There are three Overtone red variants for lighter hair tones: Pastel (copper-esque), Vibrant (peachy red), and Extreme (true red). Rose Gold for Brown Hair Daily Conditioner rings in at $18 for 8oz and $8 for 2oz. 

Overtone Rose Gold for Brown Hair Coloring Conditioner Review

The full-size 8oz bottle of Rose Gold for Brown Hair Coloring Conditioner sells for $32, while a 2oz sample costs $13.

Overtone Reviews: What Do Customers Think?

Curious to see what buyers think about the brand? This Overtone hair color review investigated a few different sources to get the scoop. First, we’ll take a look at the feedback on their official website. 

Remember the first product we looked at, The Fader Shampoo? It’s rated 3.9/ 5 stars from 120 Overtone hair color reviews. It’s rated an average of 5/5 stars for ease of use, 4/5 stars for durability and 3/5 stars for conditioning. 

One customer shared, “It took a couple of washes to get most of the color out but it was well worth it.” She mentioned that because The Fader can be a little drying, it’s most effective when paired with Overtone’s Remedy. Another reviewer who was prepping her hair for a new color wrote that her hair was ready after two washes.

The Pastel Purple Coloring Conditioner is another coveted product in this Overtone hair color review. 654 people gave it 4.1/5 stars on the website. One buyer wrote that 2020 was a year of experimentation for her—after trying out several different options, she found that Overtone was “by far the best.”

The comment continued, “My hair is always so soft after and I love the smell,” and the buyer even pointed out that the product is comparatively “more expensive, but you get what you pay for.” 

A writer for Allure tried Overtone’s Purple for Brown Hair treatment and concluded that the color depositing conditioner “worked like magic.” This product is rated 4.4/ 5 stars from 1175 reviews on Overtone.co. 

On Influenster, a similar product, the Extreme Purple Deep Treatment, is rated 4.6/ 5 stars from 422 reviews. There, you’ll see a barrage of comments along the lines of “soft hair” and “smells good”. 

One reviewer shared pictures of her Overtone before and after, to reveal the color and how it fades over time. She wrote, “It lasted about a month (which was exactly what I wanted) and the colors it faded into looked sooo good. It started with the vibrant purple then went to a lighter, almost pastel purple then all over lavender.”

Is Overtone Haircare Worth It?

Taking direct customer feedback into consideration, this Overtone hair color review determines that the brand is definitely worth checking out. Offering a wide range of coloring products, they deliver on their promise of semi-permanent hair dye that gives you salon-level brilliance.

If you’re hoping to try a bold color out for a short period of time, then Overtone is the way forward. While some customers reported that their hair became dry after prolonged use (as is the case with most dyes), many had the opposite experience: soft, undamaged locks that smelled good and faded naturally over time. 

Overtone is a bit more expensive than other coloring products on the market, but it delivers in quality. Still, there’s very little risk in trying it out, since they have special offers for first-time buyers and lots of ongoing sales. 

Overtone Promotions & Discounts 

Overtone offers customers a few ways to save money on their products. When you’re browsing the website, these discounts will pop up:

• 20% off when you complete a colour quiz
• 25% off orders of $60+ with code: SUMMER25 
• Sign up with your email and save 10%

This Overtone hair color review also uncovered a loyalty program. You can register for an account online to start redeeming points. Here’s the breakdown: 

• 2 points per $1 spent on the brand’s products 
• 200 points for creating an account
• 1,000 points for referring a friend  

Where to Buy Overtone Haircare

You can order Overtone haircare products on overtone.co, as well as through select retail partners:

• Sally Beauty
• Walmart
• Sephora
• Urban Outfitters
• Amazon

FAQ

What does Overtone smell like?  

Overtone products smell like the essential oils they’re infused with: rosemary and spearmint. 

Does Overtone wash out completely? 

Since Overtone has created a semi-permanent formula, the answer depends on factors such as the base color you start with, amount applied, and your hair’s porosity (affecting its ability to absorb product). 

According to their staff, results can range anywhere from your color washing out completely in a week, to not fading without bleach. Some users achieved the temporary look that they wanted (a month for example) while others had to enlist the help of The Fader Shampoo. 

Can Overtone cover grey hair? 

Coverage for grey hairs is possible but not guaranteed, because Overtone’s color formulas are deposit-only. Naturally grey or white strands often have a naturally thick cuticle layer, so pigment may have a harder time staying put. 

Does Overtone stain skin? 

Overtone’s conditioners start depositing color as soon as they touch the surface they’re applied to. The company provides a pair of gloves in every package, which should prevent your hands from getting stained. If you have an accident anyway (it happens), here’s a few recommendations: 

For skin: 

• Use makeup remover 
• Wash with baking soda
• For stains on face or neck, cleanse with witch hazel

For surfaces:

• Scrub with rubbing alcohol 
• Use a cleaner with bleach (let it sit)
• Try a melamine foam scrubber 

Can I leave Overtone on overnight? 

Overtone recommends leaving their coloring products on for 15–20 minutes at most (some only need to be left on for 3–5 minutes). As the brand uses a color depositing formula, it won’t make much of a difference if you leave their conditioners on overnight. Luckily, the risk for damage is minimal, too.    

How long does Overtone hair color last?

Some customers experienced temporary results that lasted around a month. Others dealt with lasting pigmentation that required further attention to remove (they had to make use of The Fader Shampoo, or in extreme cases, bleach products). 

Overtone explains that the color duration relies on a number of external factors. The best way to find out is by testing a small amount of product on your hair before full application. If you’re trying to decide between multiple intensities, consider testing two strands. 

How long does it take to ship Overtone?

This Overtone hair color review found out that most orders are processed within 3–5 business days. While lockdown restrictions last, their customer service team anticipates waits of up to 15 days before packages are sent out.

The brand does not ship outside of the US and Canada. Standard shipping has a delivery window of between 3–15 business days. 

How do I track my Overtone order? 

Can’t wait to try out that Overtone Espresso Brown? After your order is processed and shipped, keep an eye on your inbox for more information. The package will come with free Route visual tracking, so you can follow its journey via email or the Route App.

Can you return Overtone?

Overtone accepts returns and refunds within 7 days of arrival. Requests submitted up to 30 days after delivery are eligible for store credit only. To start the process, contact customer service with your order number and a picture of the product, especially if it’s damaged. 

The brand also offers a First Time Try Guarantee. In case you’re unsatisfied with the result, they will provide you with a replacement shade or refund on your original method of payment. 

How to Contact Overtone

Still have questions beyond this Overtone hair color review? Get in touch with the brand at help.overtone.co by submitting a ticket.

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