If you’ve been thinking about going charcoal gray but aren’t sure where to start, Overtone Twilight Titanium Color Depositing Treatment Mask might already be on your radar. But does it actually live up to the hype?
I’ll share my honest review and results, walk you through the exact steps I take when coloring my hair, show before-and-after photos, and include a few bonus tips to help your color last as long as possible.
By the time you leave here, you’ll feel confident you can achieve the smoky gray hair color of your dreams.
What Is Overtone?
Before we dive in, what exactly is Overtone? Overtone isn’t a dye. It’s is a color-depositing hair mask, so it conditions while you color. There’s no developer or harsh chemicals, so it’s nourishing rather than damaging. That means you can feel good about coloring your hair dark gray, no matter how often.
My Honest Review and Results
Does Overtone Twilight Titanium Actually Work?
Short answer, yes! There’s a reason I’ve been using Overtone hair color for years. It’s easy to use, gives me the exact shade of gray I want, and leaves my hair looking shiny and smelling great.
It lasts longer than other semi-permanent hair colors I’ve used before. And when it does fade, it fades evenly to a beautiful silver shade.
Since it’s a semi-permanent gray, the only downside is that you’ll need to refresh your color every 2-3 weeks. But when you don’t have to worry about patchy hair between touch ups, it makes upkeep a lot simpler and less stressful.
How the Gray Color Looked on My Hair
Titanium gray hair color is tough to achieve. A true gray hair color happens when warm and cool tones are perfectly balanced, so no single color stands out. When everything cancels evenly, the result looks neutral, smoky, and gray instead of blue, green, purple, or yellow.
Overtone Twilight Titanium shows a hint of blue undertones on my hair, so it was a bit of trial and error until I found what worked to achieve the “perfect” gray. The trick is to neutralize unwanted tones using their opposite on the color wheel.
Since my hair had a blue tinge, I used an orange color depositing conditioner to cancel it out. To learn more about that product, check out the maintenance section below. Now that I know what to do, I can get that ideal neutral gray hair color every time.
How I Use Overtone Twilight Titanium (Step-by-Step Tutorial)
Hair Starting Point
The most important thing to know before starting is that you can’t achieve a titanium color without bleaching your hair first. While you can use Overtone color over any level hair, the lighter your starting point, the more visible and true to color your results will be.
My hair was a platinum pale yellow before attempting to go dark gray. I used a purple shampoo to tone and get my hair as close to white as possible. If you need advice on which purple shampoo to choose, check out my top 5 best sulfate free purple shampoos.
Application Steps
- Shampoo and condition like normal to start with clean, fresh hair.
- Section hair. Evenly apply Overtone Twilight Titanium straight out of the container to dry hair. Damp hair may dilute your color or make it uneven.
That’s it! It’s really that simple.
Processing Time and Rinsing
- Wait 10-15 minutes to give the color time to process. I’ve tried processing for longer, and there wasn’t a noticeable difference in longevity.
- Rinse with warm water until the water runs mostly clear.
The whole process takes under an hour, so it’s an easy addition to my routine every two weeks.
Overtone Twilight Titanium Before and After
Tips to Make Gray Hair Color Last Longer
Washing and Maintenance Tips
- Use color-safe shampoo. Shampoos that are made specifically to be gentle on color will keep semi-permanents from washing out as quickly.
- Wash hair in cold water every time you shower. Warm water opens the hair cuticle and allows color molecules escape more easily. Cold water helps lock the color in.
- Use dry shampoo. Dry shampoo keeps your hair looking fresh between washes. And the less you wash your hair, the longer your new smoky gray color will last.
- Use a color depositing conditioner when necessary. Remember I mentioned my hair had a blue tinge when I first colored it? I used the pastel orange-based Overtone Strawberry Blonde Color Depositing Daily Conditioner to cancel out the unwanted tones. Your conditioner color may vary depending on the tones you need to cancel out.To use: Apply to your hair after shampooing, let it process for 3-5 minutes, and then rinse. Repeat only if the unwanted tones persist or return.
What Product to Use Between Touch-Ups
The number one thing you can do to make your charcoal hair color last longer is to use the Overtone Twilight Titanium Color Depositing Conditioner. Use it in place of your regular conditioner with every wash. It works by depositing titanium pigment each time you condition, refreshing the color and helping it last longer.
Final Thoughts
Overtone has made it easy to get dark gray hair color at home. Nothing beats the moment someone asks which salon did my color, knowing I did it myself for a fraction of the cost.
Who Overtone Twilight Titanium Is Best For
Overtone is safe for all hair types and textures, 100% vegan, cruelty-free, and never contains ammonia or peroxide. If you’re interested in experimenting with gray hair without the commitment of permanent color, this shade is definitely worth trying.
