Lightening hair is the new trend in the hair care industry and is a glamorous idea to groom with. Do you wanna try it too? Or looking for ways how to naturally lighten hair?
Lightening our hair to two or more shades will make us easy on the eyes and give a stylish impression. It can also make our hair look fuller and the individual shafts thicker. Mostly, trichologists use bleach and chemical hair dyes to lighten your hair.
Lightening our hair naturally has the additional benefit of protecting the hair from the harsh effects of chemical bleach. It is a gentle way of cleaning the scalp and strands and supports hair growth, including saving pocket money.
You can now lighten your hair naturally at home without visiting a spa or salon! Wondered, and here is the complete guide to doing so.
Hair Color Lighteners
Before delving deeper into the subject, let’s try comprehending how lighteners function. Lighteners open the cuticles of the hair and release the melanin pigments present in them. Hair is made up of three bonds, such as hydrogen, disulfide, and salt bonds.
This irreversible oxidation process changes the internal structure of the hair, so the natural shade of the hair can be depleted. But this procedure may damage the hair bonds, reduce the hair protein (keratin), and cause weakness if not handled professionally. Now let’s see the prerequisites before knowing how to lighten hair naturally.
Things to be noted before lightening your hair
If your hair is prone to falling out and not healthy enough to undergo lightening, then take time to protect it against moisture loss and dryness and make it manageable. Postpone heat styling and condition the hair before lightening it to get the desired look.
Blonde hair
Choosing a suitable shade before lightening your hair is important. If you have warm undertones, honey or caramel-like shades will give you a mild and awesome appearance.
The recommended shades for people having cool tones are ash blonde and platinum. Thankfully, folks may choose their favorite color thanks to the neutral undertones!
Natural highlights
By lightening the hair naturally, you can only achieve two to three shades lighter than your original hair color, and you have to repeat the process once in a while. After lightening, frequent touch-ups are needed to keep the hair in the right hue.
The result of the lightened hair naturally differs according to the natural undertones of a person. The blonde hair will look blonder, and the red hair will achieve lighter red shades. But the natural lightening impact of the dark brown and black hair will be negligible. So make sure to schedule a consultation with a skilled colorist to lighten your black and dark brown hair.
How to Naturally Lighten Hair
Let’s start with our incredible natural hair lighting suggestions.
1. Lemon:
Lemon juice is a simple, affordable, and effective natural lightener. It has Vitamin C, which helps to strengthen the strands even more, and its acidic nature helps to clear out mineral buildup on the scalp. After applying the lemon juice to your hair, sit in the sun for greater effects. The bleaching process is accelerated by sunlight, which functions as a catalyst.
For best results, combine lemon juice with conditioner or olive oil to lessen the burn from its citric acid. Give the procedure a second or third time each week, and you can also massage your scalp with lemon juice! When you gently rinse it off after 20 to 30 minutes, you will see noticeable changes, such as moisturized hair, less oil, and less dandruff.
2. Saltwater:
Prepare a saltwater solution by mixing a tablespoon of salt in a small cup of water. Spray it over your head or the parts of the strands you want to highlight and leave it for 20 minutes. Exposure to sunlight will bleach the hair color faster and give it a lighter hair color. Rinse it properly and use conditioner for an enhanced outcome.
Preferring sea salt is the icing on the cake! Saltwater clears the residues near the roots of the hair. But it takes some time for it to work to lighten the hair. Sea salt is paraben free and provides thickness, sun-kissed highlights, and a tousled texture to the hair. But remember the warning that excess usage will lead to dry hair.
3. Baking Soda:
The best natural solution for removing synthetic hair dyes and hair colors is baking soda. Removing the color pigments from the foil removes the hair’s natural color and lightens hair naturally. Baking soda can be made into a medium-consistency paste by mixing it with warm water.
A little hydrogen peroxide will go a long way toward lightening undyed hair. Spread it lightly over the head and let it sit for 20 to 25 minutes. And yes, heating can be a booster. Please thoroughly clean with cold water, shampoo, and conditioner.
The hair will have a polished, lighter appearance! But the extra chemicals may cause harm to the hair when applied for a long time.
4. Vinegar:
A seasoned colorist suggests that apple cider vinegar is a fantastic natural thing to lighten hair naturally. Vinegar gives a subtle lightening of hair when we use it as a diluted lightner. But we should be aware of its adverse impacts, like damaged hair and itchy scalp, when we leave it for longer. White vinegar has a successful track record of removing semi-permanent hair pigments.
Apple cider vinegar assists in detangling and defrizzing the hair; it gives a nice grip and matte finish. It lowers the scalp’s pH and closes the cuticle, leading to sleek hair. Recent research states that apple cider vinegar assists scalp circulation.
Take one spoonful of apple cider vinegar and mix it well with six spoons of water. Apply it to the hair for 30 minutes and take a shower. Repeat this twice a week, and your lighter strands will be ready to explore with you!
5. Honey Mixture:
Raw honey is a natural lightener hair conditioner that makes hair silky and smooth. Dilution of the honey will enable the glucose oxidase enzyme to disintegrate and produce a natural hair lightener.
Cinnamon can be used in place of cardamom spice because it has a similar chemical reaction when combined with honey. When combined with cardamom, the honey’s hydrogen peroxide traces will be activated and serve as the ideal bleach. Before taking a head bath, apply the honey-cardamom combination to the dampened hairline to sit overnight.
Olive or coconut oil can be added for conditioning. This honey mix also protects the locks of lightened hair and delivers improved results. Thus, it lets you reap all the goodness simultaneously!
6. Cinnamon:
This spice has many benefits for hair, including promoting scalp blood flow, speeding hair development, and repairing hair damage. When coupled with honey or conditioner, it whitens warm-undertoned hair. Apply the ground cinnamon paste to your damp hair and scalp, then let it sit for the night.
The cinnamon and honey blend close the cuticle, naturally lightening the strands, giving honey-colored hair, and promoting shine. Its anti-fungal properties help to lessen dandruff. You can add olive oil for enhanced advantages. It is a crucial component of every product for whitening hair that is now on the market and has numerous uses in the hair care sector.
7. Chamomile:
The herb is full of medicinal value and a gentle lightener, and has been used for conditioning hair. The natural pigments quercetin and apigenin, abundant in chamomile tea, help reduce hair melanin without losing the fatty acids required for healthy hair.
Make a strong chamomile tea with honey for lustrous hair. Apply this chamomile tea mixture to your hair and let it sit for 30 to 60 minutes without touching it. You can use a dryer or sit in the sun to speed up the process and the brightening effect. Use shampoo or conditioner to preserve the hair after completely rinsing it out. You’ll acquire a sophisticated style, and your hair will be lighter in color!
8. Vitamin C:
Vitamin C washes will strengthen and rehydrate the hair, encourage thick hair development, curb hair loss, and significantly help lighten the hair. It creates a collagen protein that helps in split management and cleanses the debris near the root of the hair. It has antipigmentary characteristics, so it will clear away the color of the hair and give a lightened look!
Apply the crushed vitamin c capsule all over the head evenly or to particular strands of your hair you want to highlight and wait for 10 to 30 minutes. For maximum impact, you can use heat or sun exposure helps. Vitamin C powder sachets are also available on the market, which is convenient to use. Since it is a natural vitamin, the side effects of vitamin C are extremely small.
9. Rhubarb:
It works effectively as a hair-lightening agent for blonde or light brown hair. Oxalic acid traces in rhubarb serve as a fixative and produce outcomes that last for a long time. It contains all the micronutrients required to control hair growth, treat scalp acne, and aid in dandruff removal.
10. Henna:
Henna is one of the most effective natural lighteners for persons with deeper tones like dark brown or black hair. Henna may make the task simple and provide a natural glow. Usually, it takes a lot of time and works to lighten dark hair. It is a deep conditioner that shields the scalp from dandruff and other issues.
Mix henna powder with boiling water and apply it on the hair overnight; it helps change the color of the darker hair into a reddish tinge and highlights the strands. Henna has little whitening impact because it has been used for years as a natural dye to color hair deeper colors.
11. Hydrogen Peroxide:
Hydrogen peroxide is one of the most commonly used lightning agents in homes today and is readily available in most places. It delivers a pleasing and anticipated spectrum of lightening and shines the hair. However, if we use it for a little while longer, it does have some drawbacks, such as significant hair fall, breakage, and dryness.
Apply the chemical to your head using a brush and gloves because it could trigger severe skin allergies. Therefore, it is always recommended to take safety precautions before using hydrogen peroxide. As given earlier, mixing it up with baking soda is a great idea for better brightening!
These suggestions might help you choose the best procedure for your hair type and give you a clear picture of the practical application of natural lighteners. The most important aspect is how we nurture our hair for the long term after lightening it.
Hair Care After Hair Lightening
- Weak hair and greater hair fall will result from failing to maintain the hair after hair lightening. To repair hair and shield it from pollution and UV rays, it is always recommended to use conditioner after shampooing.
- The adverse effects of natural hair-lightening treatments are generally little or nonexistent. However, a lot of it is determined by a person’s skin and hair type. Due to the lengthy duration it is applied to the hair, it occasionally causes dryness, irritation, and red scalps. So, seek the advice of a qualified trichologist and schedule frequent follow-ups if you experience any adverse reactions following the lighting.
- Use moisturizer to stop hair from falling out and becoming frizzy if your scalp and hair are dry. Select a deep conditioning treatment to rehydrate the hair and restore its suppleness if necessary.
- Avoid using more chemical products that harm the delicate cuticle, influence the brittle hair, and overheat hair dryers. To prevent hair breaking after hair lightening, it is a good idea to use a heat protectant.
- Use an egg yolk and aloe vera mask to guarantee that the hair receives enough protein and vitamins. Consider dairy products for the adequate fatty acids required to stop hair loss. If it becomes very weak after lightening your hair, get a bond-repairing treatment to make it stronger again.
- Once a week, oiling and massaging the scalp promotes healthy hair and improves blood circulation. Your hair should always be detangled thoroughly and brushed gently. Choosing a keratin treatment can be a solution if the hair seems lifeless and vulnerable.
- It is always good to shower in cool or lukewarm water. Hot oil treatments can help a lot with moisturizing dry and split hair. Olive oil, avocado oil, and virgin coconut oil are elixirs in hair care. Choose a shampoo that matches your preferences and contains fewer chemicals.
Whitening the hair changes the way it looks and makes it more beautiful. Be prepared to follow the post-care hair lightening guidelines for a lasting effect and nourishing hair at the same time. Consider it twice, then carry out your plan to become a fashion icon.
Given that it is a labor of love using natural light is a fantastic alternative. Leave that decision to your hair stylist if you’re still torn between using bleach for an immediate improvement or natural lighteners for a more gradual one.
By observing and analyzing your hair, you can understand your hair tone. Lighten your hair with the trichologist’s advice and rock it!
Last Updated on by K
