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Black hair is beautiful and striking, but sometimes you want to switch things up and go lighter. Fortunately, even the darkest black hair can be lightened, with or without bleach. This article will walk you through the best ways to lighten black hair at home, from making a DIY lightening treatment to using bleach to achieve a bolder result. Those who have a pro dye job can lather up with this shampoo to help it look salon-fresh. For those looking to the sky for a lighter shade, this preps hair to be gradually lightened by the sun sans brassiness.
Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide

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What natural ingredients can you use to lighten your hair at home?
After washing your hair in vinegar, rinse it again in cold water to color and revitalize dull strands. If you have previously had bleach issues, apply a gloss or conditioner to seal in moisture. Though they’re natural lighteners, lemon juice is acidic and can burn hair if you’re not careful, and salt can be very drying. If you're looking to prevent damage, or want to reduce existing damage while still lightening your hair, it could be time to make a change.
Why Would Someone Lighten Their Hair Without Bleach?
Is It Safe to Lighten Your Hair With Lemon Juice? - Everyday Health
Is It Safe to Lighten Your Hair With Lemon Juice?.
Posted: Mon, 15 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
This is the bleach-lightener of yore that’s recently gone viral again! It boasts a formula made with lemon juice and chamomile for subtle blonde highlights, and it includes soothing calendula extract to help soften and condition your hair. There was a time when soaking your hair in citrus fruit seemed a legit way to harness the sun's rays to bring out natural highlights. But you also might have thought that dipping strands in Kool-Aid to get Rainbow Bright ombré tips was the height of rebellion.
Klorane Sun Lightening Chamomile & Honey Spray
Along with gently removing product buildup and excess oil from your scalp, ACV can also help lighten your hair (especially if your natural highlights are on the warmer side). Fill a spray bottle with equal parts ACV and water, let it sit on your hair for a few minutes, and then rinse it out. Keep in mind that you probably won't see immediate results—try repeating this process 2x per week over the course of a month. Altering your hair’s natural color can be a fun way to freshen things up, add to your confidence level and help achieve that sun-kissed glow we all crave during this time of the year.
It can make your hair dry, brittle and frizzy
Sun-bleaching your hair is a great way to lighten your hair naturally without the need for harsh chemical treatments. The sun works to lighten your hair by breaking down the melanin in your strands, which gives hair its color. To achieve the desired results, you need to be out in the sun for around 30 minutes per day over the course of several days.
Lighten Your Hair Safely In The Sun: Natural Ways To Create A Unique Look
However, ultimately, if you're nervous or weary about taking the DIY route, your best bet—at the very least—is scheduling a consultation with a professional. Let it sit for about an hour for the ingredients to fully mix (cinnamon needs some time to fully activate hydrogen peroxide in raw honey). Then, apply it to damp hair for a few hours or, better yet, overnight. A dramatic change in brown hair can be achieved through about 10 or more uses. This formula is definitely on the stronger side, so pls only try it if you've got natural or color-treated blonde hair (brown shades can go orange or brassy with this one). It's great for brightening up dark roots in between salon appointments, and the formula's blend of citrus and chamomile helps make sure you don't lose any softness or shine in the process.
You've heard the saying, "Blondes have more fun," and we're not about to debate its accuracy with you, but what we can tell you is that blondes usually have more damage. And that damage tends to be caused by the lightening process, which calls for bleach. But, there's good news– there are ways to lighten your hair at home using natural techniques and ingredients instead of the harsh chemical. The shade you achieve through at-home lightening will depend quite a lot on any other permanent and semi-permanent hair colors you already had in your hair.

With lemon juice
If you want to lighten your hair without pre-lightening it, you can achieve a level of 1-2 light levels. If you want to change your hair color, a temporary color is the best option. This product is specifically designed for dark hair and will allow you to experiment with bright colors without staining your hair. The bleaching procedure used here does not cause damage to the hair, and you will be able to achieve the desired look without fear of it.
If your hair is blonde, use a purple shampoo, and if it is lighter brown, use a blue-tinted purple shampoo. Because purple and yellow are both on the color wheel, purple shampoos balance out yellow tones. Whether you’re using hair sunscreen or not, covering your head during hot and sunny days is your best line of defense against the sun’s rays.
Then, let the mixture sit for half an hour, giving the cinnamon and honey a chance to mix and the hydrogen peroxide time to activate. Apply the mixture to your hair, secure it in a bun, and top it off with a shower cap. It's even better if you can let it sit overnight (just remember to put a towel over your pillow so you don't stain your pillowcase!). According to Rachel Bodt, a senior colorist at Cutler/Redken salon, natural lightening really only works if you have fair hair with a fine texture to begin with.
With hot and sticky summer days comes lots of sunshine, and with more sunshine comes tanner skin and lighter hair. The sun’s rays are known to bleach out melanin in hair to make it a appear lighter, but that effect can look so amazing you may want to keep it even after the season is over. You may not mind your hair changing color in the summer, but that's just one symptom of overexposure to UV rays. To protect your hair from the sun, consider wearing hats or head coverings—especially if you're out in the middle of the day. You can also treat your hair with SPF products just as you would your skin.
What’s less fun, though, are the horror stories we’ve all heard about bleach. But if you're cool with a warmer hue, it might be worth experimenting. "If you're going for a warm tone and you already have light hair, and if the product is placed on the hair thoughtfully and sparingly, you might find yourself happy with the outcome," Baum says.
If you’re a candidate for this product (and we’ll get more into that below), it could be a quick, easy way to add highlights to hair in the warmer and sunnier months. While these methods may not provide drastic changes, they can gradually lighten your locks for a more natural and subtle effect. Additionally, proper maintenance and care, such as using color-safe products and protecting your hair from harmful exposure, will help maintain your newly lightened hair. All you have to do for this method is create a mixture of raw honey and warm water and apply it to your hair. Just bear in mind that honey is a milder lightener, so you may need multiple applications to reach the desired effect, especially if you have darker hair.