All of the gorgeous hair color you crave with none of the upkeep.
This post is sponsored by oVertone. All reviews and opinions are my own. I only share products I use and love.
If you read my post on how to keep pastel pink hair from fading for good, then you already know how much I love oVertone. If you haven’t been over there yet, you need to check it out! I go over the pros, cons, and my overall opinion of the oVertone product line. But back to the oVertone Pastel Silver.
What to Know Before You Begin
This is the color hair I started with. It is on the verge of being paper white, which is the perfect base for pastel colors.
Make sure your hair is pre-lightened before going through this tutorial. If your hair is darker than mine, please understand that your results may not be the same. Color will still deposit on darker strands, but it will be more toned down and less vibrant.
All silver hair dyes have either blue or purple undertones. The oVertone Pastel Silver collection has blue undertones, so don’t be surprised if your hair has a blue tinge. If that happens, simply use a drop or two of oVertone Pastel Orange Daily Conditioner and mix it in with your oVertone Pastel Silver Daily Conditioner. Because blue and orange are opposite one another on the color wheel, the orange will cancel out the blue, leaving you with that perfect grey-toned silver color.
What You Need
• Pastel Silver Deep Treatment from oVertone: This is what I use to “dye” my hair initially. I say “dye” because unlike traditional dyes, the oVertone deep treatments are actually healthy, hydrating, and nourishing for your hair.
• Pastel Silver Daily Conditioner from oVertone: Use this conditioner after your usual shampoo every time you shower. It deposits little amounts of silver during each wash to keep your color looking fresh. You’ll never have to worry about losing your precious color to the shower ever again. And the best part? You can use it with warm water. No more cold showers to preserve color!
• Gloves (optional): I feel like I have more control over how much product I’m applying when I use my bare hands, so my personal preference is to forgo the gloves. Pastel colors aren’t typically pigmented enough to stain your hands anyway. But some people just prefer to use gloves for any color application, and that’s okay too!
Deep Treatment Instructions
1. Wet your hair. Sometimes I’ll apply the oVertone Pastel Silver Deep Treatment after I’ve showered and towel dried my hair. But let’s be honest. Sometimes I just don’t feel like getting in the shower. If you’re lazy like me, I find it is easiest to just comb through your hair with a wet brush. No matter how you reach it, you’re good to go once you have evenly damp hair.
*Since I love pastels, I’m not usually too concerned about getting a super saturated color. So in my experience, wetting my hair just helps to distribute the color more easily. It also saves product! I usually end up with a very saturated result anyway, since my hair is so light. But if you have darker hair or your goal is for the color to be as saturated as possible, then apply the deep treatment to dry hair. You might use a little more of your 8oz tub, but it’s worth it!*
2. Apply the oVertone Pastel Silver Deep Treatment. I usually apply to my roots first and then work the product down to my tips. Make sure you check a mirror to see if you’ve covered all your hair. You don’t want any missed patches!
3. Let the color sit for 10 minutes. Don’t worry, it’s not going to hurt if you leave it on longer. But it’s also not going to do much to help either. Your hair will be fully saturated after 10 minutes, so there is no need to leave the product on longer. (I’ve tried, and it makes no difference! So don’t waste your time.) Once the time is up, hop in the shower and rinse your hair until the water runs clear. And remember–no more cold showers! So enjoy that piping hot water.
4. Repeat about once a week. The directions say to reapply the deep treatment once a week, but I think you can stretch that a little longer. If the oVertone Pastel Silver Complete System is anything like the oVertone Pastel Pink Complete System, it will last at least 2 weeks, if not more! That means you’re less hassled by upkeep and have longer lasting product! Win-win.
Deep Treatment Results
If you’re looking for the perfect shade of pastel silver, this is it. It’s stunning! I haven’t found another brand that can give me such beautiful results, especially in so little time. I’m sold.
Daily Conditioner Instructions
1. Shampoo as usual. You don’t have to use any special shampoo for the oVertone system to work. Just shampoo with any old shampoo–even if it’s a super cheap brand you’d be embarrassed to admit you use.
2. Condition using the oVertone Pastel Silver Daily Conditioner. There isn’t a “right” amount to use. Just squeeze out enough to condition your whole head. If you have short hair you’ll need less than someone with longer hair.
3. Let the oVertone conditioner sit for 3-5 minutes. You have to give the product a chance to soak in.
4. Rinse. Just wash the conditioner out as you would ordinarily.
5. Repeat every time you shower. You’d condition your hair anyway, so you’re keeping your color fresh without having to spend any extra time doing so.
Daily Conditioner Results
This is my hair after 2 weeks of using the oVertone Pastel Silver Daily Conditioner. The color has not budged at all, and I’m so happy!
First Impressions
oVertone Pastel Silver Deep Treatment
I used 1/4 of the 8oz tub when I colored my hair pastel pink. But for some reason I used 1/2 of the tub with the pastel silver. I’m not sure why I needed more product this time, since my hair is exactly the same length. The only thing I could think of is that my hair was slightly more damp last time, so the product went on a little bit more easily. Either way, I’m still happy. Getting 2 uses out of the deep treatment is plenty. Based on how well my hair held it’s color over the last 2 weeks, I’ll definitely be able to get away with only using one bottle of deep treatment per month–if not longer.
I’m still in awe that the deep treatment only takes 10 minutes. That is unheard of in the hair coloring world! Anyone who has pastel colored hair has heard, “Leave the dye on your head as long as you can stand!” or, “I left mine on for 3 hours to be safe!” Before I found oVertone I was one of those people–sitting around with a grocery store bag on my head, attempting not to drip dye on my couch for 3 hours. But not anymore! By the time I finish applying the dye it’s pretty much time to rinse it off. I love it! oVertone makes it so easy to maintain your favorite hair color.
The color grabbed to my roots a little bit darker than the rest of my head, but that was expected. I’ve learned that’s just the way my hair is. Color always appears darker on my freshly bleached roots.
oVertone Pastel Silver Daily Conditioner
I can’t get enough of this stuff. I used to suffer through cold showers while reminding myself it’s a sacrifice I have to make for beautiful pastel locks. But not anymore! It’s such a dream to be able to enjoy a hot shower without sacrificing my color.
The daily conditioner makes color upkeep a breeze–so much so that your stylist might begin to wonder where you are. Or, if you’re like me, you might end up forgoing the salon altogether. With oVertone you get salon results (from the comfort of your own home) that actually last, all in a fraction of the time.
Final Thoughts
In the past when I would get compliments on my hair color out in public, the question that usually followed was, “Is the upkeep really tough?” We would then spend the next few minutes commiserating with one another about how keeping color looking fresh is next to impossible. I’m happy to say that all of that has changed with oVertone.
Now my answer to that same question is, “Nope! And I’ll tell you why…” I love spreading the word. It’s awesome to help other DIY colorists achieve their hair color dreams with ease. Needless to say, oVertone will be my forever brand for hair color.
40 Comments
Your hair is gorgeous! But how do you get it so light at the pre lightened stage?
September 3, 2017 at 5:53 pmHey Stacie,
Thank you!
My natural hair color is medium brown. It took about 2 bleach sessions (spaced out about a month apart so I didn’t lose all my hair haha) on my whole head to achieve that color. If your hair is darker it will probably take at least one or two more bleach sessions than that.
The best part is that once your whole head is bleached, you’ll never have to worry about lightening that hair again. All you have to focus on is root upkeep (which is a lot easier).
Make sure you tone after any bleach session. Toner will take you from that awful yellow color and more toward a white color.
Hope that helps! (:
September 4, 2017 at 8:51 amWhat lightening products did you use to achieve the pre platinum? Would like to use the same
April 21, 2019 at 6:26 pmHi Madeleine,
If you are bleaching your hair for the first time, I suggest going to a salon for the first couple sessions until you’re light enough. It’s a lot easier to safely bleach your roots on your own rather than your entire head. I don’t have a tutorial for it just yet, but here is a basic rundown of the process for how I bleach my roots:
1. Mix one scoop of L’Oreal Quick Blue Powder Bleach (scoop comes in this tub) and 2 scoops full of 30 Volume Creme Developer in a bowl
April 24, 2019 at 11:39 am2. Apply to hair
3. Leave it on for 50 minutes and then rinse well in the shower
I actually am trying to get my hair to the “almost paper white” that you originally had! Your hair is the exact tone & shade that I am trying to achieve! Do you know what the process was? I’m at a level 9 right now. I am mainly trying to prevent my hair from falling out from going to a 10. Do you have any recommendations for a hair repair for bleached hair?
February 23, 2020 at 5:21 pmI have white/gray natural hair. I would love to have the silver/ pastel color. How could I do it? Would I need to bleach my hair first or could I just color it
May 18, 2020 at 6:34 pmA couple of questions:
September 29, 2017 at 1:37 amWhat did you tone with before using these products? That paper white was beautiful and a great base.
Also, how did this conditioner work on your out growth? Did it tone it or turn it a werid color?
Loved this review!!
Hi Samantha,
First of all, thanks so much! To answer your questions:
1. Most people are surprised to find that I don’t actually tone my hair. When I bleach my hair I usually either just cover my whole head with a color immediately or use purple shampoo in the shower a couple times. In the case of the “paper white” you’re seeking, I did the purple shampoo method using Clairol Shimmer Lights. I know that for some reason I have magical hair, and that most people DO need to tone. I have seen results very similar to my paper white hair using the toner Wella T18 (lightest ash blonde) or Wella 050 (cooling violet).
2. The conditioner didn’t seem to affect my out growth. My natural color is medium brown, so it would probably take a color much darker than the pastel silver to actually affect it in any way. Don’t worry about it turning a weird color though. If it did anything it would probably just tone your regrowth. But you’d probably have to be blonde to notice!
Happy coloring! (:
September 29, 2017 at 5:22 pmMaya, I love your silver hair. Wish I was a girl and could wear that hair. But since I’m a guy and have Snow White hair ( I’m 60) I want to go silver instead. Does the pastel silver color conditioner work well on my hair since I don’t have to bleach it like you did. Also is the shorter hair going to be a problem. I like the silver look better than the intense look. I have fair skin and dark does not good on me. Thank you very much for your time and advice
December 7, 2020 at 7:28 pmI agree! I’m trying to get to this level, but safely!
February 23, 2020 at 5:22 pmHi there, do you also use your purple shampoo at all once you r gone silver? Or do you consistently use overtones daily pastel silver?
October 19, 2017 at 10:48 amHi Joanna,
If I dye my hair with oVertone products, I pretty much just skip the purple shampoo because the oVertone conditioners do all the upkeep work for me! I might use the purple shampoo every now and then, but it’s definitely not necessary.
I usually only use purple shampoo if my hair is a blank slate. If I don’t have any dye in my hair and I want to keep it toned (and from turning an ugly yellow color when I shower) then purple shampoo is a must! (:
October 19, 2017 at 11:35 amWould this work on natural salt and pepper hair ? I love how bright silver your hair is!
October 20, 2017 at 9:10 amHi Pam,
It depends on how light the natural salt and pepper hair is. If it’s pretty light, then it should have no problem taking. But if it’s more on the pepper side than the salt side, you might want to consider getting the Vibrant Silver or Extreme Silver, which are more concentrated silvers. If you’re interested in either, I talk about them both in my Silver Ombre Hair Dye Tutorial with oVertone.
October 20, 2017 at 1:38 pmWhen you touch up your roots, if you do, how well does the overtone lift? Do you adjust your bleach products according or just let the silver fade out before touch ups? Thanks again.
October 24, 2017 at 7:02 amHey Joanna,
I usually color my hair with oVertone twice every month and bleach my roots once a month. Because my hair is a medium brown, oVertone doesn’t really affect my out growth (roots). So I never have to adjust the bleach products or anything like that. I just bleach as normal.
If you’re blonde and the pastel silver does take to your outgrowth a little bit, you’re probably still fine to bleach as usual. I wouldn’t imagine this color holding very well to anyone’s natural outgrowth or changing the ability of the bleach to do its job. If anything, the pastel silver would just tone your outgrowth. And there’s nothing wrong with bleaching roots that are slightly toned. Hope that helps!
October 24, 2017 at 10:33 amWhat do you recommend for bleaching? My stylist never gets my hair as light as I’d like so am thinking of trying it myself.
December 16, 2017 at 12:30 pmHey Linda,
I totally understand your pain! I’ve been there. I actually get better results bleaching on my own than I ever did at the salon. While I don’t have a tutorial for it just yet, here is a basic rundown of the process:
1. Mix one scoop of L’Oreal Quick Blue Powder Bleach (scoop comes in this tub) and 2 scoops full of 30 Volume Creme Developer in a bowl
January 8, 2018 at 10:07 am2. Apply to hair
3. Leave it on for 50 minutes and then rinse well in the shower
Hopefully that helps!
Hi, love your hair. My hair is salt and pepper but around my face it is white..I look sick. What can I do to make it look medium silver without blue or purple tones?
January 25, 2018 at 7:32 pmHi Esther,
All hair silver hair dye is going to have blue or purple undertones in certain lighting. oVertone has been the closest hair dye I can find to avoiding those unwanted undertones.
If you want to go another route, La Roux Fanciful in True Steel (darker silver) and La Roux Fanciful in Silver Lining (light silver) are temporary rinse hair colors. You apply the liquid to damp hair and then blow dry. The color will only last as long as you don’t wet your hair again. As soon as you shower (or it rains really hard) the color will all come out. This could be an option for you as well, as La Roux seems to be a very true silver color.
April 12, 2018 at 8:10 amIs the overtone daily and deep conditioner fairly moisturizing? I have noticed my hair getting dry from bleaching.
April 11, 2018 at 11:09 amHi Chendra,
My hair is very damaged from bleaching, but I find that oVertone’s daily conditioner and deep treatment are both very moisturizing, especially on days when I use them both. My hair feels so silky after the deep conditioner and I love it!
On days when my hair feels extra dry, I’ll use regular shampoo, follow up with a regular deep conditioner (the oVertone deep treatment is used for coloring your hair, not conditioning in the shower), and then finish with my oVertone daily conditioner to replenish any lost color!
April 12, 2018 at 8:20 amHi, my name is Betty and I am 52 yrs old and ready for a change. My question is…my hair is med brown, what and how do I get it ready for the look you have? I simply love it. Thank you and can’t wait for a reply!
May 2, 2018 at 11:49 pmHi Betty,
My hair is also medium brown naturally. It took me 2-3 bleach sessions on my entire head to get to the platinum level necessary for this silver. I went to a salon for the initial all over bleach sessions and now I keep up with my roots on my own. I would suggest going to the salon and letting them know your end goal. They can help you get there. And once you’re at a platinum level, the upkeep is a lot easier.
Just know that it’s a slow process. You can’t bleach your hair three times in one day. You have to space it out over weeks or even months to be totally safe. Good luck with your hair goals!
May 3, 2018 at 7:45 amFor those bleaching–may I suggest (this is what my stylist did) using Olaplex bond strengthener. There are specific products to use along the bleaching process to minimize breakage and preserve hair health.
September 21, 2018 at 8:56 amHi MRB,
Olaplex is a great addition to bleaching if you’re worried about the health of your hair! I typically only include Olaplex when I go to the salon (since I like to keep things simple when I DIY), but you most definitely can use it at home for added protection. (:
September 21, 2018 at 5:32 pmDid you use pastel orange to cancel out the blue? My color is the same as yours originally and I want the silver you have with no blue or purple undertone
November 14, 2018 at 7:22 pmHi Nadja,
I didn’t use pastel orange when I made this post because there weren’t really any blue undertones that I noticed with the pastel silver. I have, however, used pastel orange and pastel red to cancel out the blue/green that can be more obvious with the darker shades (deep silver/extreme silver). Hope that helps!
November 15, 2018 at 12:17 pmI don’t wash my hair every day, so do I need to wash my hair before applying the deep treatment? Or can I apply with (not gross, but also) not freshly washed hair?
March 26, 2019 at 9:12 amHi Emily!
I usually don’t wash my hair every day either. In fact, in this post I applied the deep treatment on my “day old” hair. So to answer your question, you can absolutely still use the deep treatment whether or not your hair has been freshly washed!
March 26, 2019 at 1:55 pmSooo… A new stylist completely destroyed my hair last week 🙁 She bleached it twice, and even the toner didn’t fix the “yellow” she left behind. I’d really like to give this a try, but I’m concerned I will end up with some weird tones. It’s yellowish, but still very light (been using purple shampoo every other day). Do you have any thoughts on my end results? I’m hesitant to pull the trigger!
April 17, 2019 at 7:44 pmHi Jess,
Using pastel silver on your yellow hair should only help the cause! Anything that’s opposite of yellow on the color wheel (purple tones) should help counteract the intense yellow tones. The more purple shampoo and the more pastel silver dye, the better. Depending on how damaged your hair is, the color may or may not take/stick as well as you would like, but I can’t see it doing any harm. I would give it a shot. It might even take a couple tries to slowly build the color and tone your hair over time. Good luck!
April 19, 2019 at 9:01 pmOnce this washes out, did your blonde reach it’s normal state or did it leave some pigments. I want to have a color on top of my blonde, but I don’t purple pigments to be left and then it would be difficult to take out if I decide to maintain my blonde.
April 30, 2019 at 12:30 pmHi Astrid,
I never really wait for any of the colors I use to fade out naturally. I either color again before it gets to that point, or remove it myself to change my hair to a new color. That being said, it has always been very easy to remove when I want to change up my color!
May 2, 2019 at 11:30 amSo I used extreme silver deep treatment and I have a blue tinted how do I fix my hair? Should I add pastel orange conditioner or buy pastel orange deep treatment to add into my deep treatment silver?
July 3, 2019 at 5:43 pmHi Leah,
Sorry to hear that! The color you end up with depends on what color your hair was to begin with, and it can be hard to get that perfect base color.
Since your hair is blue tinted, you could absolutely add pastel orange conditioner to your routine or use pastel orange deep treatment with your silver deep treatment (or a combination of both!).
oVertone also has a great system for helping their customers achieve great results. If you want advice tailored just for you, you can go to their website and hit the contact button to get in contact with one of their hair color specialists. Hope that helps!
August 13, 2019 at 11:24 amI’m so glad I found this review! I am about to order the pastel silver deep treatment for myself, and my color is the same as yours was before you used the treatment. I now feel more confident in achieving the same color you have! I am also considering mixing a bit of pastel blue with mine to get a bit of a blue tint. I absolutely love overtone, I have previously used the rose gold and have had amazing results. I will now be following you for future reviews!
December 3, 2019 at 12:45 pmLove your color! My hair is a honey blond color. Would I need to bleach it out first or could I use Overtone without bleaching it out first?
April 9, 2020 at 12:06 pmDid you do a shadow root? The dimension of the darker silvery/gray at the top is great. I want to do something similar
September 25, 2020 at 6:09 pmHi Maya,
Thank you for this tutorial. I love the color, but I also love the ombre silver you posted. I read your post about using purple shampoo once in a while. How do you use the purple shampoo when you are using overtone.? Do you use the purple shampoo before applying the silver daily conditioner, or do you use purple shampoo separately, on a different day? Does the purple shampoo fade the silver color?
December 10, 2020 at 8:46 am