Pink Hair Don't Care

When I was in high school, the emo scene was in full swing and colorful hair made its first appearance on my radar. I wanted so badly to dye the tips of my hair hot pink, but because my hair was so dark I knew it wouldn't take without bleaching first, and I didn't want to mess with that. So I never got to partake in the trend.

Admit it: you, too, wanted to look like Avril Lavigne.

For awhile, it seemed colorful hair went out of style. But in recent years, we've seen it again. Once more I wished I could dye my hair pink or purple, but again, there was the whole bleaching issue and now also the professional-work-lady issue. (My school has a no-unnatural-hair-color policy.)

When I started seeing ads for Overtone I was intrigued but skeptical. Say it with me: I have dark hair. But when they came out with rose gold for brown hair, I couldn't resist. Temporary, non-damaging color that supposedly works without bleaching? What did I have to lose?

Here's my "before".

I did some research and checked hashtags for befores/afters, then placed my order. On Wednesday night, I took the plunge.

I didn't realize gloves would come with it, which was a nice surprise.

I feel like this is a company I can get behind because (spoiler) their product works and they're trying to be environmentally conscious. The included pamphlet is printed on recycle paper and reminds you that their jars and bottles are recyclable. The products are also vegan and cruelty free.

The conditioner is like a thick mousse and smells very minty.

The conditioner says to leave it in for 10-15 minutes, but all the reviews I read suggested 30-45 for dark hair. I set my timer for 45, but actually kept the conditioner in for about an hour. Application was messy. I used petroleum jelly on my neck, ears, and face to avoid stains, but the gloves they provide are flimsy and over-large. I may has well have been wearing produce bags on my hands. I'll definitely invest in a smaller pair from the pharmacy next time I color.

There's no need to be precise, which I appreciated.  The color found my natural highlights and blended itself pretty well without giving me that flat, all-over same-color look.

My hair took on a kind of stiff, gluey texture.

Rinsing was an experience. The color just kept running off with no apparent end in sight; because it's a temporary formula, I wondered if waiting for the water to run clear would mean I'd over-rinsed somehow. The instructions aren't very clear.

Still, I rinsed intensively for like 10 minutes in the shower. My hair towel still picked up some pink when I was done, but right out of the shower my hair had obviously picked up color so I managed not to wash it all out in one go.

Then I blew it dry.

I'd say the color is more reddish/purplish than pink right now, maybe because of how long I let it sit. I know that after a couple washes the color will begin to fade, and I'll definitely post updates on that if the color change is significant. Also, my hair did feel very soft after, as advertised!

Indoor lighting 

Direct sunlight

My final verdict is that this was a fun and good experience that finally fulfilled my dreams of coloring my hair! I didn't have to bleach, there was actual color payoff, and it'll wash out before I go back to work in August (probably)! Even if it doesn't, I don't think the color is so jarring that I couldn't get away with it during the school year.

I may order a sample size of one of their brown shades once this fades, because I like the idea of using this to enhance my natural color year-round.

ABK