Regardless if you want to learn how to naturally lighten dark hair, how to naturally lighten hair in one day or you just want to explore home remedies to lighten your hair, you have come to the right place. We all know how harmful dyeing and bleaching your hair with commercial products can be, so we have done the research on lightening hair color naturally for you. With the help of these 13 tips and tricks on how to naturally lighten hair, you will get that gorgeous glow you have been dreaming of!
How to Naturally Lighten Hair at Home
1. Sunshine
Before stocking up on ingredients for home remedies on how to naturally lighten your hair, you should consider the options that are almost always readily available for you. Even though this tip on how to naturally lighten hair might not work during winter, it’s the perfect solution for getting blonder locks during the summer. Exposing your hair to sunshine will beautifully lighten your hair, especially if you do this after using some of the ingredients mentioned on our list. It won’t cost a penny and you will get stunning results after a few sessions.
Instructions
- Enjoy some sunbathing or take some time to go to the beach.
- Optionally, experiment with a few natural ways to lighten your hair and then stay in the sun.
2. Hydrogen Peroxide
[amazon box=”B074MHGDNV”]
Hydrogen peroxide is an ingredient that you will frequently find among home remedies for lightening hair naturally. It won’t harm hair like commercial bleaches or dyes and the results will start showing quite fast. Please make sure that you use the proper quantities when applying this as a tip on how to naturally lighten hair.
Instructions
- Combine equal parts of hydrogen peroxide and water.
- Mix them well and apply on the areas you wish to lighten or all over.
- Leave the diluted hydrogen peroxide on your hair for about 20 minutes or until you get your desired tone.
- Wash your hair normally afterward.
3. Salt
[amazon box=”B01FE7PM1U”]
We all love going to the beach, having a good swim and lazily basking in the sun. Well, the great news is that this is also an excellent way to naturally lighten your hair color. We have all noticed how our hair becomes noticeably lighter after swimming in the sea, and one of the main reasons is that it comes into contact with salt. Moreover, combining this with sunbathing is sure to have an awesome impact for lightening natural hair. You can use any kind of salt for this trick on how to naturally lighten hair.
Instructions
- Take one tablespoon of salt and dissolve it in half a cup of water.
- Apply the solution to your hair and let it sink in for 15 minutes.
- Rinse thoroughly.
- Repeat once a week to start seeing lighter and brighter locks.
4. Chamomile
If you want to learn how to lighten hair color naturally at home, you can also look into herbal solutions. Not only is chamomile lovely to drink, but it is also used for a wide range of ailments and home care alternatives. For this solution on how to naturally lighten hair, it is best to use organic chamomile.
[amazon box=”B001VNGN9C”]
Instructions
- Prepare a small pot of chamomile tea but use more chamomile than you would for normal tea.
- Let it cool off and either use it on your whole head for an all-around lighter appearance or just in key areas for highlights.
- Let it dry naturally under the sun, it should take about half an hour.
- Rinse and repeat weekly.
5. Baking Soda
[amazon box=”B00032BPCM”]
When studying methods for how to lighten your hair color naturally, you will find that baking soda is ubiquitous. Even though baking soda is acclaimed as a great ingredient to have around the house for multiple issues, it’s actually one of the best natural ways to bleach hair. For this tip on how to naturally lighten hair, all you will need is some baking soda and water.
Instructions
- Combine half a cup of baking soda with some water until you get a paste-like substance.
- Cover your hair with this paste and wait for about 20 minutes.
- Leave it on more if you want to make your hair even lighter.
- Wash your hair well at the end.
6. Coffee
[amazon box=”B006CQ1ZHI”]
A hair lightening natural method that will work for people who have dark hair is coffee. It might not work for those who already have fairly light locks, but it will help those with brown or black hair bring out their natural highlights. For this trick on how to naturally lighten hair, you will need some coffee, water, a pot and a spray bottle. See how you can prepare it below.
Instructions
- Brew a pot of super strong coffee.
- Allow it to cool down entirely.
- Pour it into a spray bottle once it’s chilled.
- Spray the coffee evenly in your hair.
- Go outside and stay in the sun for roughly 30 minutes.
- Repeat this for better results.
7. Cinnamon Conditioner
[amazon box=”B071HSW2MY”]
Aside from the fact that it smells heavenly, cinnamon can help with lightening hair naturally. You can use whatever cinnamon you have at hand, but natural cinnamon sticks will help you get the results you desire. It will help brighten the lighter areas of your hair without damaging it with harmful ingredients. To get this solution right, you need to whip up a cinnamon mask for your hair.
Instructions
- Brew a pot of cinnamon tea by using 2 tablespoons of powdered cinnamon or a couple of sticks in several cups of water.
- Apply it to your hair after it cools and leave it on for about 15 minutes.
- Rinse your hair well at the end of the process.
8. Rhubarb
Rhubarb probably isn’t the first ingredient you think of when looking up ideas on how to naturally lighten hair. Nevertheless, you should know that rhubarb works amazingly for naturally lightening hair, without causing any damage whatsoever. Please remember that rhubarb results in a yellow shade, so you might not want to use it if you already have light hair.
[amazon box=”B013ACRJ5S”]
Instructions
- Slice up some rhubarb root until you get about a fourth of a cup.
- Combine this with two cups of water and boil the liquid.
- Strain and use the solution on your hair after it has cooled.
- Wait for about 10 minutes before rinsing well.
9. Olive Oil & Honey
[amazon box= “B00WN0342G,B00CMQD3VS,” template=”table”]
In addition to helping you learn how to lighten hair naturally, honey actually has an abundance of health benefits that have crowned it one of the top home remedies for all sorts of health and aesthetic issues. Likewise, olive oil is highly praised for its health benefits, so combining these ingredients will get you outstanding results on all levels. When used together, olive oil and honey make one of the best home solutions on how to naturally lighten hair available. Moreover, olive oil is one of the remedies we recommend for maintaining the health of your hair.
Instructions
- Mix about ¼ olive oil with about ¼ honey.
- Apply directly on your hair.
- Leave it on about half an hour to an hour.
- Wash your hair well to get the mixture out in the end.
10. Apple Cider Vinegar
[amazon box=”B001ID6MIC”]
One of the most reliable home products to lighten hair is apple cider vinegar. However, you should note that apple cider vinegar is especially effective for bringing out natural reddish highlights. Also, keep in mind it is great to be used as a home remedy for oily hair.
Instructions
- Mix equal parts of apple cider vinegar and water.
- Pour the solution in a spray bottle and use it evenly on your hair.
- Wait for half an hour before washing and rinsing as you normally would.
11. Lemon
Among all of our tips on how to naturally lighten hair, lemon juice is by far the most popular. You probably have heard of this method when you were younger, and for a very good reason. Aside from being one of the oldest natural solutions for lightening hair, it’s also among the most effective. It’s best to prepare your own freshly squeezed lemon juice to get the impact you are looking for.
[amazon box=”B004G2DR5S”]
Instructions
- Take a few lemons and squeeze them to make fresh lemon juice.
- Pour the lemon juice into a spray bottle and use it to apply the solution on your hair.
- Wait for about 20 minutes before rinsing.
- Let it dry naturally in the sun for boosted results.
- Use some olive oil as well if you feel that your hair gets too dry due to the lemon.
12. Honey, Apple Cider Vinegar & Coconut Oil
[amazon box=”B00DS842HS”]
Sometimes the best ways to naturally lighten hair is to combine numerous ingredients that will get the job done admirably. In this case, you can create your very own homemade natural hair lightening mask from three basic – yet effective – ingredients. We are talking about honey, apple cider vinegar and coconut oil, three natural ingredients that are widely appreciated for their health benefits and hair care properties. Honey also works great when trying to get rid of frizzy hair, while coconut oil is great for hair damage and for hair growth.
Instructions
- Combine two cups of apple cider vinegar with one cup of honey.
- Warm up a tablespoon of coconut oil and add it to the mixture.
- Apply the mask to your hair after mixing all three ingredients well.
- Wrap your head in a towel or shower cap and leave it on while you sleep.
- Wash your hair with shampoo the next morning.
13. Vitamin C Tablets
[amazon box=”B0006ZNFT2″]
Vitamin C might not instantly come to mind when researching how to naturally lighten hair, but it sure is a great natural way to bleach hair. This is actually a long-term solution, so you most likely won’t see the effects the following day. However, if you add vitamin C to your shampoo, you will start to see your hair gorgeously lighten in a natural way over time.
Instructions
- Take anywhere between five and ten vitamin C tablets and crush them up.
- Put this powder in your shampoo.
- Wash your hair as you normally would with the shampoo and start seeing the wonderful results.
14. Henna Powder
[amazon box=”B07B96CFYT”]
Even though Henna is known to darken light hair, if you use it on very dark brown or black hair it will lighten it and give you lovely reddish highlights, adding dimension and helping enrich your hair color. Henna is not just a very popular remedy for lightening hair, instead, you can also use its leaves to stop hair from thinning.
Instructions
- Boil 1/2 cup water.
- Add 3 tbsp Henna powder.
- Let the mixture sit overnight.
- Apply the mixture the next morning.
- Wrap hair in towel or plastic wrap.
- Leave it on for about 2-3 hours.
- Wash out well and dry.
- Repeat 1-2 times a month.
Conclusion
All in all, you should try out these tips on how to naturally lighten hair to see which one is the most effective for your locks. It might be harder for people with darker hair, but it’s not impossible to bring that natural shine we all strive for. How about you, which tip on how to naturally lighten hair worked for you the most?
Alyssa says
These natural hair-lightening tips are definitely interesting. My hair is very dark and I have noticed that when I spend a lot of time in the sun, my hair does lighten a little. Though, I have wondered how safe hydrogen peroxide would really be for this purpose. I guess the trick to make sure that the right amounts are used. Anyway, thanks for sharing these tips.
Elaine S. says
I know people (I won’t name names) who have been a little overenthusiastic when it comes to coloring their hair (especially bleaching it), resulting in some nasty-looking hair years later. I stopped lightening my hair because I didn’t want to go through this myself but your 14 tips and tricks on lightening hair gives me hope I can lighten my hair without damaging it.
Allie Newman says
That’s great, Elaine! Let us know which tip worked best for you!
Erika Drummond says
When it comes to lightening hair, I only thought you could do it with a bottle of some nasty gunk. Blown away by your 14 tips and tricks on lightening hair. How do you find these home remedies? I’m impressed and it takes a lot to impress me.
Allie Newman says
Hi, Erika!
Well, honestly, I am no stranger to lightening my hair at home either, these are methods that I have tried over the years and have always worked for me. Plus, some are methods tried by my friends that worked for them, so I thought I should share this knowledge and help others in search of healthy ways of lightening hair, glad I could help!