6 ways to lighten your hair naturally, according to stylists

6 ways to lighten your hair naturally, according to stylists

Lemon juice

The acidity of lemon juice allows it to lift color by changing the hair’s pH levels, but it still needs a boost of heat for maximum effect. When it comes to applying lemon juice, LA-based colorist Anja Burton suggests: “Squeeze lemon into a spray bottle and spray on hair to mimic natural highlights. Let hair dry in the sun. This technique usually only works on light hair tones. Avoid putting lemon juice on your skin as it can burn from sun exposure.”

Vinegar

We’ve been advised to do an apple cider vinegar rinse every now and then but a prolonged rinse can really strip our color too, making it a great natural hair lightener. The use of vinegar requires extreme caution because too much can be harmful. If your hair is extremely fine or already in a fragile condition, this may not be the natural treatment for you.

If your hair is in healthy condition, be sure to dilute your vinegar with water 50/50. “Brunettes tend to pull off orange tones,” explains New York-based Ashley Schafer.

To avoid unwanted warmth, brunettes can try using white vinegar to pull off cooler tones. The same goes for blondes, who want cool tones, but apple cider vinegar is your best bet if you’re looking for more warmth.

Honey
The main ingredient in honey that works to benefit our hair is an enzyme called glucose oxidase. Its purpose is to break down sugars and serve as a protector against spoilage. But when you add water to honey, which could cause it to spoil, the enzyme actually produces traces of hydrogen peroxide. On its own, honey can take a while to act as a bleaching agent. Certain spices such as cinnamon or cardamom can work alongside the peroxide properties of honey to help activate an additional boost.
When applying your honey mixture, apply it to wet hair so that the water will help things fall into place. To keep hair moist and contained, twist it into a bun and cover it with a shower cap. You’ll want to keep hair dressed anywhere from 1 to 4 hours depending on how light hair you’re trying to achieve and how dark your existing color is. Again, heat can help speed things up, so take out the blow dryer and apply a little heat to your hair every so often while you let it sit.

Baking soda
Although most often recognized as a way to naturally brighten your teeth, baking soda can do the same for your hair. You’ll apply a paste to your hair the way you do for your teeth. Mix a tablespoon of baking soda with 1/3 cup of warm water, aiming for a perfectly sticky texture that isn’t too thick or too runny.

Apply with a paint brush or paint brush and try your hand at some DIY balayage. Paint your highlights and wrap them in foil. And as with every application we’ve learned so far, applying heat will help speed up the process.

Sea salt
Sea salt is a popular method for opening up hair. “It lightens previously light hair and also natural bases (think children’s hair). You can wet your hair with salt water from the sea and let the sun’s air dry it. And if you don’t live in a place with the sea, simply mix a tablespoon of sea salt with half a cup of warm water and let it sit for up to 20 minutes.

Χαμομήλι

Αυτό το λουλούδι φέρει μια χρωστική ουσία στα πέταλά του που ονομάζεται απιγενίνη. Η απιγενίνη δημιουργεί μια χρυσαφένια απόχρωση, η οποία μπορεί να προσκολληθεί στον άξονα της τρίχας όταν εφαρμόζεται.

Η colorist Cara Craig με έδρα τη Νέα Υόρκη μας συμβουλεύει να «αραιώσουμε με νερό και να απλώνουμε σε βρεγμένα μαλλιά, κατανέμοντας με μια φαρδιά οδοντική χτένα. Ο φωτιστικός παράγοντας θα ενεργοποιηθεί με τη θερμότητα, ώστε να μπορείτε να καθίσετε στον ήλιο ή να χρησιμοποιήσετε πιστολάκι μαλλιών.» Εάν έχετε ένα πιο ανοιχτό φυσικό χρώμα βάσης για αρχή, μπορείτε επίσης να δοκιμάσετε να χρησιμοποιήσετε το τσάι χαμομηλιού. Το μπόνους είναι ότι το χαμομήλι μπορεί να έχει μαλακτικές ιδιότητες που θα κάνουν τα μαλλιά σας απαλά και λαμπερά.