. Method for preparing white paper which comprises adding to the pulp mass an aqueous formulation comprising a) at least one optical brightener of formula in which the anionic charge on the brightener is balanced by a cationic charge composed of one or more identical or different cations selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an alkali metal cation, alkaline earth metal, ammonium, ammonium which is mono-, di-, tri- or tetrasubstituted by a C 1 -C 4 linear or branched alkyl radical, ammonium which is mono-, di-, tri- or tetrasubstituted by a C 1 -C 4 linear or branched hydroxyalkyl radical, ammonium which is, di-, tri- or tetrasubstituted by a mixture of C 1 -C 4 linear or branched alkylradical and linear or branched hydroxyalkyl radical or mixtures of said compounds, and R 1 and R 1 ' are the same or different, and each is hydrogen, C 1 -C 4 linear or branched alkyl, C 2 -C 4 linear or branched hydroxyalkyl, CH 2 CO 2 -, CH 2 CH 2 CONH 2 or CH 2 CH 2 CN, and R 2 and R 2 ' may be the same or different, and each is C 1 -C 4 linear or branched alkyl, C 2 -C 4 linear or branched hydroxyalkyl, CH 2 CO 2 -, CH(CO 2 -)CH 2 CO 2 - or CH 2 CH 2 SO 3 -, R 3 signifies hydrogen, -CO 2 - or -SO 3 - and p is 0, 1 or 2. b) at least one shading dye of formula wherein in the compounds of formula R 4 signifies H, methyl or ethyl, R 5 signifies paramethoxyphenyl, methyl or ethyl, M signifies a cation selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an alkali metal cation, alkaline earth metal, ammonium which is mono-, di-, tri- or tetrasubstituted by a C 1 -C 4 linear or branched hydroxyalkyl radical, ammonium which is, di-, tri- or tetrasubstituted by a mixture of C 1 -C 4 linear or branched alkylradical and linear or branched hydroxyalkyl radical or mixtures of said compounds. c) optionally one or more auxiliaries and d) water. a) at least one optical brightener of formula in which the anionic charge on the brightener is balanced by a cationic charge composed of one or more identical or different cations selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an alkali metal cation, alkaline earth metal, ammonium, ammonium which is mono-, di-, tri- or tetrasubstituted by a C 1 -C 4 linear or branched alkyl radical, ammonium which is mono-, di-, tri- or tetrasubstituted by a C 1 -C 4 linear or branched hydroxyalkyl radical, ammonium which is, di-, tri- or tetrasubstituted by a mixture of C 1 -C 4 linear or branched alkylradical and linear or branched hydroxyalkyl radical or mixtures of said compounds, and R 1 and R 1 ' are the same or different, and each is hydrogen, C 1 -C 4 linear or branched alkyl, C 2 -C 4 linear or branched hydroxyalkyl, CH 2 CO 2 -, CH 2 CH 2 CONH 2 or CH 2 CH 2 CN, and R 2 and R 2 ' may be the same or different, and each is C 1 -C 4 linear or branched alkyl, C 2 -C 4 linear or branched hydroxyalkyl, CH 2 CO 2 -, CH(CO 2 -)CH 2 CO 2 - or CH 2 CH 2 SO 3 -, R 3 signifies hydrogen, -CO 2 - or -SO 3 - and p is 0, 1 or 2. R 1 and R 1 ' are the same or different, and each is hydrogen, C 1 -C 4 linear or branched alkyl, C 2 -C 4 linear or branched hydroxyalkyl, CH 2 CO 2 -, CH 2 CH 2 CONH 2 or CH 2 CH 2 CN, and R 2 and R 2 ' may be the same or different, and each is C 1 -C 4 linear or branched alkyl, C 2 -C 4 linear or branched hydroxyalkyl, CH 2 CO 2 -, CH(CO 2 -)CH 2 CO 2 - or CH 2 CH 2 SO 3 -, R 3 signifies hydrogen, -CO 2 - or -SO 3 - and p is 0, 1 or 2. b) at least one shading dye of formula wherein in the compounds of formula R 4 signifies H, methyl or ethyl, R 5 signifies paramethoxyphenyl, methyl or ethyl, M signifies a cation selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an alkali metal cation, alkaline earth metal, ammonium which is mono-, di-, tri- or tetrasubstituted by a C 1 -C 4 linear or branched hydroxyalkyl radical, ammonium which is, di-, tri- or tetrasubstituted by a mixture of C 1 -C 4 linear or branched alkylradical and linear or branched hydroxyalkyl radical or mixtures of said compounds. R 4 signifies H, methyl or ethyl, R 5 signifies paramethoxyphenyl, methyl or ethyl, M signifies a cation selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an alkali metal cation, alkaline earth metal, ammonium which is mono-, di-, tri- or tetrasubstituted by a C 1 -C 4 linear or branched hydroxyalkyl radical, ammonium which is, di-, tri- or tetrasubstituted by a mixture of C 1 -C 4 linear or branched alkylradical and linear or branched hydroxyalkyl radical or mixtures of said compounds. c) optionally one or more auxiliaries and d) water.