Black hair is beautiful, but sometimes you feel like making a change. If you want to lighten up your dark hair a bit but don't have the funds to do it at a salon, don't worry! You have several options for lightening hair color at home easily and cheaply, from natural hair bleaching agents you can find in the kitchen, to products you can buy at a fraction of the cost. Read on for this article to find out more.
Step
Method 1 of 7: Honey
Step 1. Use raw honey
Honey is a great natural ingredient that nourishes and moisturizes hair and also serves to lighten hair color. This is because honey contains enzymes that produce small amounts of hydrogen peroxide, which is a common bleaching agent. Over time, honey will lighten your dark hair color and also add moisture and shine to your hair.
- You can apply honey directly to your hair, like a mask. But it's a good idea to first dilute it a little with water to make it easier to blend. Apply honey to damp hair, cover your hair with a plastic shower cap and leave it on for 30 to 40 minutes before rinsing it off with warm water and a little shampoo.
- You can also make a mask by mixing honey and olive oil in a 1:1 ratio (for added nutrition, you can also add half a banana) and apply it in the same method as above.
- Another option is to add a little honey to your regular hair conditioner and shake the bottle to mix well. Use your normal hair conditioner after shampooing your hair.
Method 2 of 7: Chamomile
Step 1. Use chamomile tea
Using chamomile tea to lighten your hair color is another inexpensive and easy option that doesn't damage your hair. You can buy chamomile at most supermarkets or health food stores, either in tea bags or dried chamomile. To make this tea, place a tea bag or dried chamomile in a kettle of cold water and then heat the kettle to a simmer over medium heat. When it boils, reduce the heat and let the contents of the kettle continue to simmer for 30 minutes. This makes the tea very strong. Remove the kettle from the stove and allow the tea to cool before straining the tea to separate the water from the tea bags or dried flowers. After that you can use this tea in several ways.
- Try adding a few tablespoons of cold tea to your favorite shampoo and hair conditioner, shaking the bottle to mix well, and using it as usual.
- Use chamomile tea to rinse your hair. Pour the cooled tea into an empty shampoo bottle and store it in the bathroom to use as a final rinse after shampooing and moisturizing hair.
- If possible, allow your hair to dry naturally after applying chamomile tea as the sun can help speed up the lightening process.
Method 3 of 7: Lemon
Step 1. Apply lemon juice
Lemon juice has been used to lighten hair color for years, and while lemon is most effective for lightening blonde hair, it can also be used to lighten dark or dark brown hair a bit. When hair is sprayed with lemon juice and exposed to sunlight (or other heat source), the citric acid in the lemon juice becomes active, opening the hair cuticle and removing pigment from the hair. Lemon water can also dry out your hair when you dry it naturally, so make sure you moisturize your hair after applying it to your hair.
- Mix half a lemon juice with half a cup of water and pour it into a spray bottle. Spray as much of this mixture as possible onto clean, damp hair and allow your hair to dry naturally in the sun for up to an hour.
- Since lemon juice can dry out your hair, it's a good idea to rinse off the lemon water spray after drying it in the sun to avoid drying your hair.
- You can also mix a little lemon juice with honey, olive oil or chamomile tea to make a hair-lightening mixture that is more nourishing and effective.
Method 4 of 7: Cinnamon
Step 1. Try experimenting with cinnamon
It may sound strange, but cinnamon is another natural lightening agent that can lighten dark hair if used consistently. However, the end result can have a slight red tint due to the brown cinnamon color.
- You can use cinnamon in powder form or use a stick of cinnamon that you can grate into a fine powder.
- Mix two tablespoons of cinnamon with about four tablespoons of your favorite hair moisturizer, and mix well. Apply this mixture to the roots of your hair, then comb to spread it all the way to the ends of your hair. At first, this cinnamon can feel a little stinging on the scalp, but after a minute or two this stinging sensation will disappear.
- Cover your hair with a shower cap and let the mixture soak for up to four hours, or overnight if possible. Make sure you rinse it thoroughly with shampoo afterwards, to wash the cinnamon off your hair and head.
- One of the advantages of using cinnamon is that your head smells great afterwards!
Method 5 of 7: Amla Oil
This method can be done three times a week to darken gray hair naturally.
Step 1. Pour in three tablespoons of amla oil
Step 2. Cut the lemon in half
Squeeze the water over the oil.
Step 3. Make a paste by adding water and mixing it
Leave this mixture for 2-3 hours.
Step 4. Apply this paste to the scalp and hair
Let hair dry for 40 minutes.
Step 5. Wash hair with plain water
Method 6 of 7: Hair Mask
Step 1. Create a mask
You can also make a mask to lighten your hair color, using a combination of the ingredients listed above. This mask can lighten dark hair effectively (if used regularly) thanks to the combined effects of lemon water, chamomile tea and cinnamon, which can also help strengthen and nourish hair, thanks to the addition of egg yolk and Greek yogurt. Here's how to make it:
- Boil three chamomile tea bags in one cup of water. Let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove from the heat and allow the tea to cool. Remove the tea bag and squeeze the lemon over the cooled tea. Then mix two tablespoons of Greek yogurt, two or three egg yolks and two teaspoons of cinnamon.
- Apply this mask to the hair, starting from the roots to the tips of the hair. Cover your hair with a plastic shower cap and leave the mask on your hair for at least 30 minutes to four hours. Then rinse thoroughly to remove the mask from the hair.
- You should apply this mask at least once a week for a few weeks to witness significant results. The more often you apply this mask, the lighter your hair color will become.
Method 7 of 7: Hair Dye Products
Step 1. Use hair dye products that can be done at home
If you want to lighten your hair quickly and don't have time to use natural ingredients, maybe you can use a hair color product that you can use at home. While using this type of product has its risks, you won't have any problems if you stick to a hair color product that's specifically made to lighten dark hair. If you're worried about the final color of your hair, try testing the product on a small amount of your hair first.
Step 2. Use shampoo and hair conditioner that lighten the hair color
This special shampoo and hair conditioner is designed to lighten hair color slowly after several uses. You can buy this product at pharmacies and beauty supply stores and while it is usually marketed for those with blonde or lighter hair, many people with dark hair have had success with getting lighter hair colors. Look for the words "lightening shampoo" on the bottle.
Step 3. Spray hair with a lightening spray
In addition to shampoo and hair conditioner to lighten hair color, you can also buy hair spray products that have the same function as lemon water. You just need to spray it on damp hair, then activate the substances in it by heating your hair with a hairdryer or in the sun.
Step 4. Use hydrogen peroxide
Pour a little hydrogen peroxide into a dark bottle (not even light can get into it). Spray it on your hair. Repeat every day. You will see the effect after using it repeatedly over a medium to long period of time.
Tips
- You can also sprinkle cinnamon powder on your hair before soaking in the tub. Also, after applying moisturizer to your hair, try sprinkling cinnamon on your hair and letting it sit for 5-10 minutes (the longer the better). Hopefully after doing this a few times, your hair should be at least two or three levels lighter.
- Heat the olive oil mixed with the chamomile or mint tea without burning the oil and then discard the rest of the tea. You can use the remaining oil as a hair moisturizer without rinsing or a few drops of this oil like a serum to keep your hair soft and shiny.
- You can also rinse your hair regularly with a mixture of chamomile tea and lemon, but make sure you use a hair conditioner to keep it soft.
- Also, rinsing your hair regularly with apple cider vinegar, lemon juice or citric powder mixed with water can lighten your hair color, but it can also dry it out.
- Make sure you don't use food extracts that can damage your hair.
- Squeeze a small amount of beetroot juice into wet hair. Leave it overnight and wash your hair the next day.
- If you have a hairspray that activates in the sun, you can spray a small amount on damp hair and then blow dry. This can lighten the hair color without making it completely light. But if you want light brown or blonde hair, it's a good idea to bleach your hair blonde and then dye it to get the color you want because you can't just dye your hair black for a lighter color.
