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I first heard about it back in junior high or high school, a magical potion that would make your hair lighter. It's been around for decades, a fabled elixir generations before me used to change up their hair color at home when going completely blonde was too much of a commitment or forbidden by strict parents. But there was a catch – the general consensus was that my dark brown hair wouldn't take to its transformative powers.
Using Lemon Juice to Lighten Your Hair
Someone with dark hair looking to go fully blonde won't get that look with just a bottle of Sun-In. A trip to the salon is the best choice for that situation because the stylist will be using a more powerful bleach and toner on your hair to make it look a certain color. Dobos reminds me that the lightening effect of Sun-In is permanent and all the hydrogen peroxide can weaken the hair's proteins, making it more prone to breakage. So as with any bleach job, be sure you're helping your hair out with a good leave-in conditioner when you feel it's getting dry.
Apple cider vinegar
If you’ve already gotten to that point, though, don’t stress; a couple of washes with a normal shampoo will help fade out the unwanted tones. Send your Q to for a chance to have it featured in a future installment of Hair Health Hotline. If you have (or want) sun-bleached hair, here's what you should know about UV rays' affects on your strands. Sun-In might not give an exact result, but that’s part of the adventure. Letting my hair grow out was a transformation in itself, adding Sun-In gave me that extra boost of trying out a new hair identity.
Make Cinnamon-Honey Tea
But, there's good news– there are ways to lighten your hair at home using natural techniques and ingredients instead of the harsh chemical. To make your own sun lightening spray, you can use lemon or salt. 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 spend hours a day in the sun, it’ll eventually work its magic and lighten your hair. But this could take an entire summer of all-day sun exposure to achieve and potentially lead to sunspots and a higher risk of skin cancer in the process. 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.
How to Apply Lightening Spray
It’s all thanks to quercetin, a flavonoid — or, the thing that gives plants their pigmentation — found in chamomile. Quercetin is known to inhibit tyrosinase, which is an enzyme that helps control hair’s production of melanin, and that makes chamomile an effective DIY hair lightener. According to celeb colorist Aura Friedman, lemon juice works — but proceed with caution. "Lemon juice does lighten hair, but it can also be dangerous," Friedman says. "It's so acidic it can burn your hair. The best way to use it is by mixing it with conditioner or even with coconut oil, so you get those important hydrating and reparative benefits.”. Cunningham predicts this glossy shade is going to be everywhere this summer.
Lightening Your Hair Without Bleach Has Its Perks

Read on to try some proven natural ways to lighten your hair at home. The good news is that, just like the Greeks, you can still try more natural methods to lighten or highlight your hair. They involve less exposure to chemicals, fewer opportunities for skin irritation, and many times, a much lower price tag. To make a big hair change like this one, Burns notes you'll have to bleach your hair first. "Once you get the color of your hair to look like the inside of a banana peel (aka striking blonde hue), you'll have to go back over it with got2B Metallics in silver," she says.
5 ways to lighten your hair without totally destroying it (yes, it's possible!) - FASHION Magazine
5 ways to lighten your hair without totally destroying it (yes, it's possible!).
Posted: Fri, 17 Jul 2015 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Many of these highlighting tips suggest sitting outside for long periods of time to get the added bleaching benefit of the sun. Be sure to protect your skin by wearing a quality sunscreen. Popular blog Brit + Co. explains that a dip in the ocean and being in the sun all day is the easiest way to try this method. You may want to comb through your hair for more even distribution. Alternatively, you may apply only to sections where you want highlights. In fact, highlighting hair can be traced all the way back to Ancient Greece in 4 B.C.
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!). That baking soda you use to make banana bread can also act as a natural method for lightening hair. There’s just one catch—you need hydrogen peroxide for the baking soda to be effective. Simply mix both ingredients together to create what looks like a paste. Add the mixture into a glass or plastic bowl and apply it to your hair with a brush.

Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
While it might seem like a natural method — hey, it says "sun" right in the name! "That kind of product causes a chemical reaction with your hair. If you want to dye it later on, you have to remember that it will still be there and could cause damage later in the game," says Friedman. If you have been using a hair-lightening product before heading to the salon, fess up to your colorist to avoid breakage. If you already color your hair and you've still caught the bleach bug, it is possible to get hair to an even lighter place using the sun.
Leave it in for 30 to 60 minutes, then rinse, shampoo, and condition your hair. Chances are, you have a lemon or two sitting in your fridge right now. Well, it’s time to get juicing, because you’re going to need a good amount of lemon juice for lightening action. It’s an age-old tip that we bet your mom once tried as a teenager back in the day! Sun says this is probably the best and easiest way to subtly lighten your hair at home. All you need to add is a little sunshine, which will help the lemon work its magic.
Apigenin creates a golden tint, which may attach itself to the hair shaft when applied. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
This is because the sun naturally changes the melanin in hair. Lemon juice doesn’t only freshen breath, increase hydration, and improve digestion. If you’re looking to brighten your hair color, squeezing lemon juice over your strands can give you a new look without going to a salon. Sun also affects the melanin in our skin, but in a different way. Instead of losing pigmentation after spending too much time outdoors, our bodies ramp up melanin production to provide us with the extra protection we need. This is why sun makes skin look darker instead of bleaching it.
Meanwhile, vinegar, beer, and baking soda are more abrasive and can damage the hair. To make your own natural lightener, brew several bags of chamomile tea in hot water, let it cool, and transfer to a spray bottle. Spritz it thoroughly through your hair and leave it on till your hair dries. Letting hair air dry in the sun will help chamomile tea lighten your hair faster. Thus, used properly, this combo can actually help lighten, soften and condition your hair. "The citric acid in lemon juice is a natural bleaching agent," says Bennett.
"Natural brunettes can easily make this transformation seamlessly. Since warm undertones are produced when you go from dark to light, the copper vibrancy is only enhanced," explains Burns. \"This bright platinum with a sweet warm undertone is a great trend to try for those looking to connect with their blonde side,\" says Burns. Using lemon juice to lighten your hair is a simple process. To get started, you’ll need a few lemons, warm water, and a spray bottle. Sun-In is definitely one of those nostalgia-inducing products that many people remember from their teen years.
If you want to intensify its effects, use this scalp-soothing leave-on treatment from ORIBE that features chamomile as a main ingredient. After shampooing, slather this bb through your strands and let it sit for five minutes. K, I know this is the opposite of what you wanted to hear, but lightening your hair should almost always be left to the pros. Sorry, I don’t make the rules—I’m just here to help you save your hair (and scalp!) from some serious damage.