How to lighten your hair: homemade recipes and the best bleaching agents for a good result

Often, messing with coloring requires fading the hair. To ensure a good result, it is important to know how to lighten the wires in a uniform and safe way. Hairdresser Jéssica Carmo, specialist in colorimetry, presents several ways to get lighter hair and shares several tips on the subject. Check out!

How to lighten hair?

According to Carmo, there are several methods that can be used to lighten the hair and it all depends on the current condition of the hair. Colored and/or toned hair “needs to undergo bleaching processes with bleaching powder with ammonia and hydrogen peroxide or products without ammonia and with the same bleaching function”.

For natural hair, you can use “colors with or without ammonia, synthetic lighteners (such as shampoo, conditioner, lotions and masks) and natural lighteners (such as henna, chamomile, honey, vinegar, lemon, bicarbonate, milk, rhubarb, cinnamon, vitamin C, salt and even onions)”.

What to do to lighten hair fast?

The specialist explains that the fastest method is “to use bleach, but this procedure should only be performed by trained professionals”, as it is a chemical process that can wear out the wires.

She also explains that lightening and bleaching are two very different processes. Using less aggressive methods is a way to lighten the strands, but only bleaches can open the hair tone for a more drastic change.

Are there any risks to the hair?

The professional highlights that there are more risks in the discoloration process, since “all discoloration has risks of breaking the hair fiber, caused by the exaggerated opening of the cuticles. Done irresponsibly can result in stretchy and brittle strands.”

Thus, the safest ways to lighten hair are through coloring or natural lightening methods. “Natural lightening also requires care, because they open the hair cuticles to remove pigments. However, they are less aggressive, making the whitening process a little slower,” he says.

How to lighten hair naturally?

Carmo explains that “natural methods only work if the hair is free from chemical processes or coloring”. However, they are not recommended for all hair shades, especially for women who want extremely light shades.

Also, “this method is only recommended for natural blonde or light brown hair.” Using natural lighteners, these lighter shades gain a “warmer color and their reflections vary between golden, coppery or reddish, depending on the shade of the hair”.

In darker natural shades, ranging from light brown to black, natural methods “require more applications to reveal lighter reflections, which can damage the strands”. She reinforces that “all lightened hair must be treated properly to avoid breakage”.

How to lighten hair with chamomile

“The best known and most used method is using chamomile extract, either in tea or shampoo”, he explains. In addition, the method only works on dark blonde or lighter tones, as “chamomile has yellow and violet pigments that slightly enhance the color and shine of the strands”. Thus, “you will not notice a difference in the first applications, if your hair is dark blonde”. To lighten your hair with chamomile tea, the professional explains the step by step:

How to lighten hair with cinnamon

The professional explains that cinnamon “has assets that lighten the hair and strengthen the hair fiber, promoting healthy hair growth” and can be used as a whitening method. She explains how the process should be done:

How to lighten hair with honey

The specialist explains that the use of honey “is good for the hair, as it hydrates and nourishes the hair. As for lightening the hair, the use must be constant to give results”. Follow the expert’s steps:

How to lighten hair with vinegar

Carmo explains that in addition to lightening the strands, vinegar can “reduce the oiliness of the scalp, balance the hair’s pH and act as a reconstructor to seal the ends”. She teaches you how to use it:

How to lighten hair with lemon

Another way to lighten your hair naturally is to use lemon. The professional explains that “the lemon works together with the sun’s rays to lighten and enhance the results”. To enhance the result, you can still “add conditioner and cinnamon to the lemon juice”. The step by step is as follows:

How to lighten hair with onion skins

One of the less obvious options presented by the professional is onion skin whitening. Although different, onion helps in hair growth. Check step by step:

How to lighten hair with rhubarb

Rhubarb may not be such a popular vegetable, but this plant can be an option to lighten your hair. In addition to this function, applying rhubarb to the strands is a way to stimulate the hair’s natural shine. Learn how to:

There are many options to lighten your hair with natural ingredients, right? When choosing your method, consider the ingredients you can easily find, as it will be necessary to apply the mixture several times to obtain a result.

How to lighten hair with dye

The professional explains that bleaching with paint can cause damage to the threads, as it is performed “a mixture of coloring mass and hydrogen peroxide, with or without ammonia”. For a safe procedure, bleach your hair with a professional.

However, know that “it is not necessary to bleach the hair to lighten the strands, as it is possible to achieve a good tone with coloring”. For this type of procedure, Carmo points out that it may not work if “the client wants very light tones, if the hair has already been colored before or has undergone chemical procedures that waterproof the wires, such as progressives and botox”.

She adds that “discoloring is extremely complex, as it opens the hair cuticle, leaving the strands more fragile and increasing the risk of breakage. There are several steps and can be a lengthy process.”

Homemade tutorials on how to lighten hair

If you are interested in natural whitening methods, then this is the time to learn a little more about these processes. In the selected videos, you can see natural and homemade whitening processes and their results:

Lightening your hair with chamomile

In the video, you learn how to lighten your hair with chamomile tea. You can put the tea warm in a spray bottle to ensure a more even result. After that, just stay in the sun for a while and finish your hair with a hairdryer. The result can be enhanced if you use a whitening shampoo.

Mixing different recipes

How about mixing several natural products that lighten the hair to ensure results? In this video you can see a mixture of milk, chamomile tea, onion peel and cinnamon powder. You don’t have to be afraid of the smell, because the onion skin doesn’t leave an odor on the wires.

Result of constant use of natural bleaching agents

Here you will see the result of the constant use of the bleach with chamomile, milk, onion peel and cinnamon powder. The blogger reports that she has been using this recipe for four years and proves the results with before and after photos. Here, persistence and patience are powerful allies!

Lightening hair with milk, lemon, honey and cinnamon powder

Unlike previous recipes, you can’t go out in the sun with this little mixture. That’s because the recipe uses lemon, which causes burns with exposure to the sun. Therefore, the recommendation is to apply it at night. The lightening combination chosen takes milk, lemon, honey, cinnamon and conditioner to facilitate the application.

You can already see that the options are wide when it comes to natural ways to lighten your hair. Remember that because they are natural recipes, the result is slower and requires more than one application. Read on to see other ways to lighten hair that provide faster effects.

What is the best product to lighten hair?

If you want lighter hair and with quick effects, the best thing is to do the bleaching process. To avoid damage, try to use safe products and create a good hair schedule routine. Check out the bleaching products recommended by the professional:

1. Lightner Diamond, by Cless – $

This product is a bleaching powder, used in the lightening of up to 10 tones. Its formula contains minerals that minimize the damage caused to the hair during the bleaching process.

2. BB Bleach High Lift, by Alfaparf – $$

White bleaching powder, used to keep the level of fading under control. The product is easy to mix and you can even create a homogeneous cream to apply to the hair.