How To Lighten Hair

How To Lighten Hair Naturally: 7 Tips for Lighter Hair

When life gives you lemons, some people make lemons – and others squeeze lemons into their hair in hopes of subtle kissing highlights.

Do lemons lighten your hair? We asked hair care experts how to lighten hair naturally and it was found that lemon juice is effective for lightening hair …

According to Rachel Baude, senior color artist at the Cattler / Redken salon, natural light only works if you start with fine texture on your fine hair. “When you work with dark hair, you work with red and orange undertones, and these are the first colors to be released,” explains Rachel.

So, think about what results you will get before trying to lighten hair. If you have blonde hair it will be more blonde. If you have light brown hair, you can look into dark blonde hair. Red heads may transform strawberry blondes. If you have dark brown or black hair, lemon juice and other natural DIY recipes won’t lighten your hair. (If you have dark hair and want a change, Rachel recommends a mineral removal shampoo like Malibu C Hard Water Wellness Shampoo to give your hair a softer, lighter look.))

If you have fair hair, lemon juice (among other things) can lighten your hair by a few shades. Check out how to lighten hair with items you already have around the house!

1. Mix your lemon juice with the conditioner

According to popular colorist Ara Friedman, lemon juice works … but be careful. “Lemon juice brightens hair, but it can also be dangerous,” said Ara. “It’s so acidic that it can burn your hair. The best way to use it is to mix it with conditioner or even coconut oil so you get all of the important moisturizing and preventative benefits.”

Bonsai Trees

2. Apply vitamin C to the hair

Vitamin C is one of the most effective hair remedies for citric acid. Rachel regularly urges customers to try Vitamin C Wash. “It’s very simple. You put a few bits of vitamin C in the spray bottle and squirt it. It brightens the hair and removes the mineral build-up,” explains Rachel. (You can also avoid the crushing step if you are given vitamin C powder))

3. Use a saline solution

If you’ve already dyed your hair and still have the bleaching bug, you can use the sun to move the hair to a lighter spot. “For anyone with the color treatment, mix most of the water with a little salt and spray your hair on the beach. This loosens the hair fungus a little and exposes it to the sun,” says Rachel, but remember! “Regardless of the color of your hair, the sun will fade it,” says Ara. “Think about how the car color fades in sunlight. The same thing happens with hair.”

If you want a bright, shiny color with the cord coming out of the salon, stock up on some UV protective shampoo and conditioner. And remember: if you want to see platinum perfectly, please leave it to the experts.

4. Add apple cider vinegar

A dose of apple cider vinegar will not only help gently lighten the hair, but it will also help dissolve oils and residue in your hair and scalp. Apple cider vinegar also helps detangle and freeze your hair. All around, it’s the hair care winner.

“Mix one part apple cider vinegar and six parts water (such as chlorine),” explains Rachel. “It’s a gentle way to lighten the strand – but you may have to do it a few times to get results.”

5. Combine baking soda and hydrogen peroxide into a paste

Make a paste with baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. Regular drugstore hydrogen peroxide alone won’t lighten your hair because it dries out before a chemical reaction occurs. However, when you combine hydrogen peroxide with baking soda, it creates a paste that can do magic on your hair. Combine one cup of baking soda with three tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide, mix and apply to your hair. Leave the mask on for 30 to 60 minutes (but no more than 60 minutes) and your hair will be 1-2 shades lighter!

6. Apply a cinnamon and honey mask

It is a sweet smelling solution to naturally lighten hair. When you mix honey and cinnamon together, something magical happens: the amount of hydrogen peroxide in honey is activated by cinnamon, and if the mixture is left on your hair for a long time, it will lighten up to two shades. Make a mask by combining 2 tablespoons of honey, 1 tablespoon of cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil (for extra hydration).

Mix it together and add the conditioner if it’s too thick. Then let the mixture sit for half an hour to mix the cinnamon and honey and activate hydrogen peroxide. Apply the mixture to your hair, secure it in a bun, and cover it with a shower cap. Leave on for at least four hours. This is even better if you can get up overnight (remember to keep a towel on your pillow so you don’t get your pillow dirty!).

7. Exercise caution when using sunlight

Sun-in fans for you, we hate to break you, but you might want to think twice. While this seems like a natural approach (hey, it’s called “sun” by name!), It’s actually not a safe way to lighten hair. “This type of product causes a chemical reaction with your hair. If you want to dye it later, keep in mind that it is still there and can damage the game later.” When you use hair lighting products and then go to the salon, expect your colorist to avoid breaks.

 

Natural Hair Lighteners You Can Try at Home

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Why use natural hair lighters?

People have been coloring their hair for centuries. In fact, the highlighted hair dates back to 4 BC. Can be traced back to ancient Greece. Then they used olive oil, pollen, and gold flakes in the sun for a few hours.

You can buy bleaching kits at local drug or beauty stores much faster today for chemical hair lightening. However, with the help of these kits there is a risk of chemicals being used in your hair such as:

Hard, brittle or otherwise damaged hair
Skin irritation or eczema
Inflammation of the airways or asthma
Possible links to certain cancers (bladder, breast, leukemia), although more reliable sources are needed in humans

The good news is, like the Greeks, you can use more natural methods to lighten or highlight your hair. These options can be useful for a number of reasons. They’re less exposed to chemicals, less likely to irritate the skin, and often at a much lower cost.

Lighting options

Your kitchen or bathroom can contain a wide variety of ingredients that can be used to lighten your hair. You may want to experiment with different methods to find out which are best for your hair color and hair type.

Lemon juice

Vitamin C in lemon juice can bleach hair without the use of chemicals. The GoingEvergreen blog explains that this method works best in naturally light or blonde shades.

Accessories you will need:

2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 cup of water

Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle. Apply on the hair and focus on the core areas. Dry in the sun for a few hours. Wash and condition your hair. You can use lemon vodka in place of lemon juice for more dramatic results.

Chamomile

Vlogger Jessica Lee uses chamomile tea to turn her brunette locks blonde. He notes that these ingredients dry the hair, so he recommends a deeper conditioner treatment.

Accessories you will need:

2 cups of chamomile tea (made solid with 5 bags)
1/4 cup lemon juice

In a spray bottle, apply the solution evenly from the roots to the ends of the hair and stay in the sun until the hair is dry. Then rinse off and follow the conditioner.

Apple Cider Vinegar

According to Carlin, a blogger at Jezebagnia, the combination of chamomile and apple cider vinegar works great for naturally lightening locks. He explained that for some reason, apple cider vinegar helps maintain the pH of the hair. And don’t worry – the scent of vinegar will be lost.

Accessories you will need:

1/4 cup chamomile tea
1/4 cup ACVConsume lemon juice

Combine the ingredients in a bowl or spray bottle. Satisfied hair. Leave on all day. Leaving the sun can help speed up the electrical process. Wash and style as usual.

Raw honey

Volga uses honey for highlights at HolstickHabits. He explained that honey and cinnamon act as “natural hydrogen peroxide boosters”. Make sure you use raw honey as processed honey doesn’t have the same level of active enzymes.

Accessories you will need:

1/4 cup raw honey
1/2 cup of distilled water
1 tablespoon of cinnamon
1 tablespoon of olive oil

Mix the ingredients and let rest for an hour. Moisten the hair overnight for a few hours. Scale the ingredients according to your hair (put four times more than the amount of honey in cinnamon). You may have to go through this process ten more times for dramatic results.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon alone can lighten hair. You can find this ingredient in various other DIY hair bleaching recipes. Alternatively, you can use this ingredient yourself to create highlights and general lighting.

Accessories you will need:

1/2 cup hair conditioner
2 tablespoons of cinnamon

Combine the ingredients into a paste and apply to damp hair. Leave your head covered with a shower cap for three to four hours or overnight. Wash and style as usual.

Honey and vinegar

Vlogger Sarah Williams claims that regular vinegar and honey can lighten hair in less than 10 minutes. You can even use this solution at night and your sleep in natural highlights.

Accessories you will need:

2 cups of white vinegar
1 cup of raw honey
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon of ground cardamom or cinnamon

Mix ingredients and apply to damp hair. You may even want to comb your hair for further distribution. Alternatively, you can only refer to the sections where you want highlighting.

After applying, wrap your plastic wrap or shower cap. Leave on for 10 minutes overnight before washing.

Salt

Even simple table salt can make the lock lighter. Popular blog Brit + Co explains that taking a dip in the ocean and spending all day in the sun is the easiest way to try this method.

Accessories you will need:

salt
water

Mix the ingredients in half / half ratio. Stay at least 10 minutes, preferably while on the go. Wash or leave a beach texture.

Henna

Henna powder comes from a plant and has been used for thousands of years to decorate the skin with the help of leather or beautiful designs. Blogger Crunchy Betty explains that it is used to color hair naturally. Brunettes, especially dark brown to black hair, can use it for natural highlights or tone changes.

Accessories you will need:

3 tablespoons of henna powder
1/2 cup of boiling water

Combine the ingredients with a paste for sitting overnight. Apply to hair for two to three hours. Cover your hair with a shower cap to protect your scalp and clothing from dyes. Then wash and style.

Hydrogen peroxide

Some of the above procedures are based on ingredients that naturally cause the effects of hydrogen peroxide. Using pure hydrogen peroxide is another option that can produce more noticeable results on dark hair.

Deliver:

3% hydrogen peroxide solution

Wash and care for your hair. Let the air dry wet. Apply peroxide to the spray bottle and apply for 30 minutes to an hour, depending on how light your locks are. Rinse with cold water and deep condition before styling.

Baking soda and hydrogen peroxide

Another popular way to lighten your hair is with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. If you follow in the footsteps of the “no po” hair care movement, mixing hydrogen peroxide and baking soda is believed to lighten your hair while keeping it healthy.

What you need:

1 1/2 teaspoons of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide
2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder

Combine ingredients into a paste. You’ll need to scale this recipe depending on the length and thickness of your hair. Just keep the proportions the same. Apply to dry hair and leave on for 15 minutes and an hour. Then wash your hair and condition.

Attention

Before applying a natural lighter to your hair, examine a strand to see if it is irritated or allergic and to make sure you are happy with the color.

To test:

Apply a small amount of your desired lighter to part of the hair. If you don’t like the results, choose a category below the top level.
Keep your hair light for the recommended time.
Then rinse off and look for any reactions on your skin or otherwise.
You should also evaluate the brightness and overall color level to see if you like the results.

Keep in mind that chemicals like bleach can damage your hair, but many home methods can cause your hair to dry out or temporarily affect its condition. Use a deep conditioner to keep your hair moist and manageable. This is especially true if you want to use a method multiple times to get more highlights over time.

Many of these highlight tips recommend sitting outside for extended periods of time to take advantage of the sun’s added bleaching benefits. Be sure to protect your skin after using good quality sunscreens.

Bottom line

DIY methods can be better than bleach or commercial products if you’re looking for an easier way to achieve lighter strands. The results you see are certainly not as dramatic as chemical processes, but it can be better for your hair and overall health. If you decide to use chemicals, suggest going to a salon and getting guidance from professionals.

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