Q&A for How to Lighten Your Hair

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What tea makes your hair lighter?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

Chamomile tea can lighten your hair. Black tea can actually stain it darker.

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Question

Can you lighten your hair with vinegar?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

Vinegar may lighten your hair slightly over time. It tends to produce subtle warmth instead of strong brightness.

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Question

Can lemon juice ruin your hair?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

Lemon juice can cause dryness, but it isn't damaging. You can follow it with a rich conditioner to make sure your hair stays shiny and moisturized.

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Question

What can you use to lighten your hair?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

Chamomile, honey, and lemon are great natural lighteners. You can also lighten hair with hydrogen peroxide.

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Question

Can I use baking soda on my hair every day to lighten it?

Community Answer

Yes, you can. Try also adding hydrogen peroxide or lemon juice. If using lemon juice, make sure you expose your hair to the sun for at least fifteen minutes.

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Question

Will hydrogen peroxide cause any damage to the hair? Is it permanent?

Community Answer

If you spray too much then it will dry your hair a little, but make sure to just condition it after you rinse it out with cold water.

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Question

For method 4, does it have to be olive oil or any oil?

Community Answer

You can probably use another oil like grapeseed oil, but it won't have the lightening effect. I wouldn't recommend using vegetable oil instead, if that's what you're thinking.

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Question

Are any of these temporary?

Community Answer

No, but if you want to temporarily lighten your hair, just use like a L'Oréal or Revlon temporary hair dye. Then if you decide you don't like lightening your hair, you can wait for it to come out completely or you can dye it close to your natural color.

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Question

Which one will lighten my hair the most?

Community Answer

Bleach, because it is the strongest. The others will take a lot longer and probably require multiple applications.

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Question

How long does the hydrogen peroxide and baking soda take to bleach dark brown hair? I've tried just peroxide and peroxide and baking powder and haven't seen any lightening.

Community Answer

It may have something to do with the color of your natural hair. I have very dark, ashy brown hair and I never saw a result either. My sister has brown hair with some lighter tones in it than mine, and the hydrogen peroxide lightened hers a few shades. The only thing I've found effective for lightening my hair has been actual hair bleach. Any person working in a beauty salon or beauty supply store should be able to tell you what type of developer you need for your desired shade.

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Question

If I lighten my hair, will it stay like that until it grows out?.

Form voltron

Community Answer

Yes. You are removing the pigments from your hair, and you cannot put them back. If you want to go back to your natural color, you can dye it back.

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Question

What did the article mean by "Use raw honey", can I use the honey in a bear container?

Community Answer

The bottle will say if it's raw or not. Raw means unprocessed. Most likely the honey in the bear is not raw.

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Question

Does the honey have to be raw?

Community Answer

Yes, the honey needs to be raw.

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Question

Would you say honey is effective?

Community Answer

If may be, depending on your natural hair color. Check out Lighten Hair Naturally With Honey for some tips.

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Question

Will toothpaste lighten my hair?

Community Answer

Yes, because it contains hydrogen peroxide, which bleaches hair. Things to note, however: 1. It is permanent (once you remove hair pigments, you can't put them back, you have to wait for it to grow out), and 2. Toothpaste only work on some hair colors. I've heard that it didn't work for people with really dark brown/black hair, but on my friend who has dirty blonde/brown hair it worked perfectly. You may need a few applications.

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Question

How long will it take to lighten my hair with the honey mixture?

Community Answer

Approximately 2-3 weeks if you apply it on your hair at least 3-4 times a week. Otherwise you could use the chamomile or lemon mixture, which is much more effective and quick.

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Question

If I dyed my hair, will bleaching my hair lighten it?

Community Answer

Yes, but be careful with bleach. It is very easy to lighten your hair too much.

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Question

Does purple shampoo/conditioner help lighten dirty blonde hair?

Luke

Top Answerer

No, purple shampoo/conditioner does not contain any lightening agents. However, it may make hair look somewhat lighter by neutralizing brassy yellow or orange tones.

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Question

How do I bleach my dark dark brown hair without bleach or hydrogen peroxide?

Community Answer

Lemon, honey, cinnamon, and chamomile tea all have effective lightening properties.

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Question

Won't the honey won’t make your hair sticky?

Luke

Top Answerer

No, honey certainly won't make your hair sticky as long as it is properly washed out.

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Question

Do these methods work instantly?

Luke

Top Answerer

No, even the most efficient lighteners (like bleach) need at least 20 minutes for a difference to be seen. For natural lighteners, upwards of two hours could be necessary for a lightening effect to take place.

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If I use honey, will there be a large difference in lightness from my natural hair color?

Luke

Top Answerer

No; honey only contains trace amounts of hydrogen peroxide, meaning it is much less efficient as a lightener than bleach or even hydrogen peroxide itself. You would need to leave it in for two or three hours to get a difference, and even then it would be a very slight difference. If you want a very noticeable lift, you would need to either use honey multiple times or use a more potent lightener.

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Question

I've mixed cinnamon with conditioner, olive oil, and salt and I've slept with it on overnight and my hair looks the exact same! Why is this?

Hannah Madden

Community Answer

Your hair might be too dark to lighten with natural products. If your hair isn't blonde or light brown, it will be very hard to lighten it without bleach.

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Question

I used the method with the hydrogen peroxide and it worked, but it dried my hair out. How do I fix it?

Hannah Madden

Community Answer

Apply a deep conditioner and let it sit for 15 minutes before rinsing it out. You could also use a hair mask and let it sit in the shower as you do your normal routine. Keep using products like these once or twice a week until your hair feels healthy again.

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Question

When you put the lemon and water in your hair do you have to go outside in the sun?

Hannah Madden

Community Answer

You don't have to, but it helps! Adding natural UV rays when you have lemon juice in your hair can help you hair lighten faster. Just be careful, though, as sitting in the sun for too long with lemon juice in your hair can really dry out your locks.

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Question

Can I use toothpaste for lightening my hair?

Hannah Madden

Community Answer

Toothpaste isn't a great option for lightening your hair, since it's clumpy, sticky, and fairly drying. If you want to use a product you already have at home, try lemon juice, hydrogen peroxide, honey, or chamomile tea.

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Question

In the first, method could you substitute lemon for lime?

Sreenithie SaravanaPerumal

Community Answer

Lemon juice is a good substitute for lime, also orange juice. They both are in the same family as lime.

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Question

Can I mix lemon juice and hydrogen peroxide with an equal amount of water for extra lightening? How often can I do a lightening treatment?

Community Answer

Yes you can mix the lemon juice with the hydrogen peroxide. But only use it once a week or once per month.

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Question

Can I spray lemon juice into my hair and leave it?

Community Answer

You can leave it in overnight, but that will dry your hair out, so make sure to rinse and deeply condition it in the morning.

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Question

Will toothpaste lighten my hair?

Community Answer

The bleach in whitening toothpaste could do so, but not in an effective or desirable manner, and cleaning it out of your hair would be difficult. It's best to avoid this method.

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