oVertone is a popular hair coloring product that claims to deposit pigments onto hair strands without damaging the hair. Many people wonder if oVertone is truly a gentle, non-damaging option for coloring hair or if it carries risks of hair damage like traditional permanent hair dyes. Here is a close look at how oVertone works, its ingredients, and whether it can damage hair with long term use.
How does oVertone hair dye work?
Unlike permanent hair dyes that penetrate into the hair shaft, oVertone coats the outside of hair strands with color pigments. This allows for a temporary, semi-permanent result that washes out over 4-12 shampoos depending on the individual’s hair type and how vivid the starting color is.
oVertone is a demi-permanent dye, which means it stains the outside cuticle layer of hair and does not penetrate deeply to artificially color the cortex inside hair strands. Demi-permanent dyes are less damaging than permanent options because they do not require ammonia or bleach.
Here is an overview of how oVertone colors hair:
Key Steps:
- oVertone uses pigments made of natural ingredients to stain the exterior of hair strands.
- The pigments adhere to the rough, scaly surface of the cuticle temporarily.
- The color result is vivid but washes out gradually over 4-12 shampoos.
- oVertone does not use ammonia, peroxide or bleach, avoiding penetration into the cortex.
This surface-staining method of coloring means oVertone results are temporary and less damaging than permanent dye. But is it still totally risk-free for your hair?
oVertone Hair Dye Ingredients
To understand if oVertone can damage hair at all, we need to look at its formula and ingredients. Here is an overview of what you’ll find in oVertone’s line of conditioning color cremes:
Key Ingredients:
- Pigments: oVertone uses natural pigments from ingredients like fruits, vegetables, and clays to create vibrant hair colors.
- Conditioners: The formula contains conditioning ingredients like cetyl alcohol, glycerin, and plant oils to hydrate hair.
- Slip Agents: Ingredients like cetrimonium chloride and behentrimonium chloride act as slip agents to help the product glide onto hair.
- Emulsifiers: Polysorbate-20 allows oVertone to mix oil and water components.
- Preservatives: Phenoxyethanol and potassium sorbate prevent microbial growth.
- Fragrance: Various natural and synthetic fragrances provide scent.
Notably missing from the ingredients list are harsh chemicals like ammonia, peroxide, paraphenylenediamine (PPD), or bleach. By leaving out permanent hair dye chemicals, oVertone aims for a gentle, conditioning color depositing formula. But could any of the included ingredients still damage hair over time? Let’s explore further.
Potential Hair Damage From oVertone Ingredients?
Upon close inspection, most ingredients in oVertone are hair-friendly. But a few components raise some questions around potential hair damage:
Ingredients That May Cause Damage:
| Ingredient | Potential Harm |
| Fragrance | Synthetic fragrances may cause irritation or allergic reactions in some. |
| Phenoxyethanol | At high concentrations, may depress the central nervous system. |
| Polysorbate-20 | May be contaminated with carcinogenic chemicals like ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane. |
While these components may pose concerns with long-term use or in high amounts, oVertone likely contains very small percentages that are considered safe on hair when following package directions.
Some sources say oVertone may contain propylene glycol. This common ingredient helps products penetrate into hair but may cause irritation in those with sensitivities. However, propylene glycol does not appear on oVertone’s official ingredients list.
Overall, oVertone seems to exclude harsh chemicals that aggressively damage hair like bleach and ammonia. But those with sensitivities should still patch test as individual ingredients may cause irritation.
Does oVertone Damage Hair Over Time?
Now that we understand how oVertone colors hair and its ingredients, does long-term use lead to hair damage?
There are a few factors to consider:
Potential Causes of Hair Damage:
- Frequent re-dying leads to an accumulation of pigments that may make hair dry and brittle over time.
- Some ingredients like fragrance or preservatives may irritate sensitive scalps.
- Without touch-ups, frequent washing to lift color may dry out hair.
- Bleached or excessively processed hair is more prone to damage from any type of coloring.
However, when used correctly oVertone seems less damaging than permanent dyes because it does not penetrate the cortex:
Reasons oVertone May Be Gentler Than Permanent Dye:
- No use of harsh chemicals like ammonia, bleach, or peroxide.
- Pigments only coat the outer cuticle layer rather than the delicate cortex inside the hair shaft.
- Conditioning and slip agents counteract drying effects of pigments.
- Color washes out gradually, avoiding a harsh grow-out line.
While no hair dye is totally risk-free, evidence suggests oVertone is a less damaging option than permanent color, especially when used sparingly. But those with already damaged or sensitive hair should still proceed with caution.
Tips to Prevent Hair Damage When Using oVertone
oVertone markets itself as a gentle alternative for coloring hair, but improper use may still cause issues like dryness or breakage. Here are some tips to use oVertone as safely as possible:
- Do an allergy test by applying a small amount to your arm before first use.
- Start with hair in healthy condition, avoiding excessive bleaching or chemical processing first.
- Follow package directions carefully and do not overlap timing.
- Wear gloves during application to avoid pigment staining your skin.
- Rinse thoroughly after the recommended processing time.
- Only re-apply oVertone as needed when color starts fading.
- Use oVertone’s Daily Conditioner in between coloring to maintain hair health.
- Get regular trims to remove any damaged ends from previous dye sessions.
- Use a good hydrating hair mask once a week.
- Protect hair from heat styling to avoid weakening it further.
Being cautious with frequency of use, following directions, and maintaining hair health between treatments is key to avoiding damage from oVertone over time.
Conclusion
oVertone offers vivid hair color results without using permanent dye chemicals like ammonia or bleach that penetrate and damage the cortex. While not totally risk-free, evidence suggests oVertone is less damaging than permanent options when used correctly on healthy hair. Avoiding over-processing and maintaining hair health between applications is key to preventing cumulative damage from any semi-permanent hair dye like oVertone. For best results, be selective in use, carefully follow directions, and pamper hair with conditioning treatments.
Summary
– oVertone is a demi-permanent hair dye that coats the outside of hair with conditioning pigments.
– It does not penetrate the cortex like permanent dyes, making it less damaging.
– Ingredients like fragrances or preservatives may irritate some sensitive scalps.
– Over time, frequent re-dying may cause buildup leading to dryness or brittleness.
– When used correctly on healthy hair, oVertone is gentler than permanent options like ammonia-based dye.
– Prevent damage by carefully following directions, limiting use, and conditioning hair between applications.
