With summer coming up, you might itch to dye your hair lighter. Lighter hair is definitely more common and fun for the summer, but if you don’t have naturally light hair, going about it can be difficult. Going lighter or blonder requires bleaching your hair, which can be damaging and cause your hair to feel brittle. So, if you’re trying to go lighter this summer without actually using any hair dye, these are a few ways you can lighten your hair naturally without destroying it:
Lemons
As a kid, I used to always bring lemon juice and water with me when I went to the beach and sprayed it on as soon as I got there. Lemon juice is actually effective for lightening hair! Dilute lemon juice with distilled water for a natural way to lighten dark blonde or light brown hair.
Henna
Henna is typically used to darken hair, but it can bring reddish tints to dark brown or black hair. Put three tablespoons of henna powder to 1/2 of a cup of boiling water and let it sit for at least 12 hours. Apply to hair and keep it in for 2-3 hours.
Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar has been used to lighten hair because it strips out the color. Just be careful, though, as the acidity can damage your hair and cause dryness. Dilute the vinegar with water to a 50/50 ratio and apply it to hair for a natural lightening method.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is a great way to lighten your hair when used as a paste. Combine one tablespoon of baking soda with 1/3 cup of warm water and apply to your hair with a paint or dye brush and wrap the hair with foil. Using heat helps to speed up the process!
Sea Salt
If you’ve already lightened your hair in the past and are looking to bring some life back into it, sea salt is the route for you. You can either just wet your hair with ocean water or make your own mixture of one tablespoon of sea salt and half a cup of warm water. If you go with the latter, just leave it in for 10-20 minutes and voila, blonder hair.
