Women get excited when they lighten up their hair. It is only normal. The excitement is real, and some women prefer to have lighter tones of their hair.
But lightening comes with a price. When you lighten your hair, you also put pressure and do damage to it. That is due to the chemical bleachers we use.
You have to consider both the pros and cons when it comes to lightening your hair. But what if we tell you that there is a way to lighten your hair naturally, and it comes without any side effects and damage to your hair?
Keep reading to find out how you can get some highlights, lighter tone, and lighter hair, and do that damage-free. It is all thanks to the ingredients you already have in your pantry.
Chapter Overview
How to prepare your hair for lightening?
Before we take a look at the methods for lightening, we have to tell you that preparation is the key. If your hair is not in a good condition, the methods will not work.
To be honest, even if you go to a hair salon, if your hair is in a bad condition, the coloring will not work. Instead, it will only dry your hair out.
With that in mind, before we talk about how to lighten your hair naturally, we will talk about how to prepare your hair. And it is quite simple, actually.
All you have to do is oil your hair 2 or 3 times per week, for two weeks before you bleach it. And, you should use a deep conditioning hair mask once per week for two weeks before bleaching.
So, that is it. Now, onto some home remedies for bleaching hair.
How to Lighten Hair Naturally
Lemon juice
When it comes to bleaching, lemon is the best natural ingredient you can use. Known as one of the best natural bleaching agents, lemon can help you lighten the color of your hair.
That is, as long as there is enough warmth to lift your hair cuticle and allow lemon to penetrate into the hair shaft.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup warm water
- ¼ cup conditioner (optional, if you have dry hair)
How to do it?
- Pour the ingredients in a spray bottle, and shake. If you have normal hair, use water and lemon juice. If you have dry hair, mix the ingredients in a bowl first before pouring into a spray bottle
- Spray the mixture onto your hair, and make sure to saturate your entire head
- Let the mixture stay for 2 hours, and then wash your hair regularly and apply conditioner
- Repeat once per week
Honey and vinegar mixture
Honey and vinegar also have bleaching properties. They can easily lighten the tone of your hair.
This method should give you a lighter tone by one shade. If that is not enough for you, look for more potent bleachers.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- ½ cup of honey
How to do it?
- Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl
- Once you have a smooth mixture, apply to your hair
- Wrap your hair in a towel, and leave it to stay overnight
- Wash with mild shampoo in the morning and follow up with a conditioner
- Repeat once per week
Vinegar rinse
If you do not have honey, you can lighten your hair just with apple cider vinegar. For some people, vinegar is more than enough to get the results they desire. Your hair will have some reddish highlights, and a lighter tone.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup of apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup of water
How to do it?
- Mix the water and vinegar in a spray bottle. Shake well to combine the ingredients
- Spray the solution all over your hair
- Leave the vinegar to stay on your hair for 30 minutes, and then rinse with cool water
- Repeat once per week
Honey and olive oil
We already established that honey is a great bleaching agent. When you use in combination with olive oil, you also condition your hair.
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup of honey
- ¼ cup of olive oil
How to do it?
- Combine the ingredients in a bowl and mix until you have a smooth paste
- Apply the mixture on your hair and then go out, and allow the sun to do its magic
- Stay in the sun, and expose your hair to sunlight for one hour
- Shampoo your hair as usual and then apply conditioner
Chamomile tea
Chamomile tea can help you lighten your hair, and add subtle highlights. If you love to drink the tea, we have good news, you can also use it for lightening your hair as well.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of freshly brewed chamomile tea
How to do it?
- Brew a cup of chamomile tea. Let it cool down to a slightly warm temperature
- Pour into a spray bottle, and then spritz your hair
- Depending on whether you like highlights or you want to lighten your entire hair, spritz the tea. If you like highlights, saturate individual sections only
- Wait out in the sun for 30 minutes
- Wash off with shampoo
Baking soda
You will be surprised, but baking soda is one of the best bleaching agents you can find in your kitchen. This versatile solution can also work as a mild hair cleanser and hair lightener.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup of baking soda
- ½ cup of warm water
How to do it?
- Combine baking soda and warm water until you have a smooth paste
- Apply on your hair, and leave it to stay for 20 minutes
- After 20 minutes, rinse with water if you are happy with the results. If not, you can leave the solution on for more
- Repeat once per week
Vitamin C
Vitamin C contains citric acid that can lighten your hair. It is basically same as with lemon juice. In the same time, the treatment will give your scalp a boost of vitamins and nutrients. Vitamin C promotes healthy hair growth as well.
Ingredients:
- 10-15 vitamin C tablets
- Anti-dandruff shampoo
How to do it?
- Crush 10 to 15 Vitamin C tablets. Put them in your regular shampoo and shake well to mix the solution
- Rinse your hair, and then massage the vitamin C mixture into your scalp and hair
- Leave it to stay for 10 minutes, and then rinse the shampoo
- Follow up with a conditioner and repeat once per week
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a spice that can also protect your hair from damage done by the sun. Not only it lightens your hair, but cinnamon also prevents any hair damage. Win-win situation, right?
Ingredients:
- ½ cup of cinnamon powder
- ½ cup of conditioner
How to do it?
- Combine the ingredients to get a thick paste. You might need to use less cinnamon powder, you might need more
- Apply the mixture onto your hair. Wrap your hair in a towel, and leave it overnight
- Wash your hair with shampoo in the morning
- Repeat once per week
Rhubarb
This is one of the oldest tricks. It is a solution that even our grandmothers used.
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup of chopped rhubarb
- 2 cups of water
How to do it?
- Boil the water and rhubarb together
- Strain the juice, and leave it to cool down
- Apply to your hair, and allow it to stay for 10 to 15 minutes
- Wash out with shampoo
Extra notes
We have to stress that bleaching your hair using natural ingredients will produce mixed results. They will vary. The reality is that everyone’s hair is different, and our hair will absorb the color at a different rate.
But do not quit. Allow yourself at least one month of experimenting before you go to a beauty salon and try those commercial bleachers.