And while we're all about picking lemons off our neighbor's tree and squeezing them straight into our hair, it just didn't feel right bottling that up and charging you for it—so, we added just a little hydrogen peroxide into the mix for an extra boost of hair lightening power. Leave the paste on like a mask for 30 to 60 minutes maximum, depending on how dark your hair is," Santo says. An experienced colorist will help verse you on those steps while applying bleach in the least-harmful way possible. It's great for brightening up dark roots in between salon appointments, and the formula's blend of citrus and chamomile helps make sure you don't lose any softness or shine in the process.

Good Housekeeping participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Costa Rican Pineapplesand Meyer Lemons: A blend that creates natural, subtle tones and bright, beautiful highlights. At the same time, this beverage can hydrate your hair and reduce frizz quite effectively… The lightening effect isn’t guaranteed, but nothing will for sure go wrong, too. And there are, as demonstrated above, a bunch of DIY, natural options to choose from for a subtly lighter look. You do have to be careful when lightening hair with lemon juice though, since the super-acidic properties can actually dry out your hair and scalp (along with irritate your face).Emphasising existing blonde and introducing new streaks, this effective UV-activated formula amplifies the natural highlighting effects of the sun. That said, as with hair dye and bleach it’s important to do a little bit of homework before trying one out. Hairstylists and dermatologists agree that you should stay away from the hard stuff (think: baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, white vinegar), and instead rely on ingredients that are going to help the overall health of your hair (hi, honey and cinnamon). Not only will a dose of apple cider vinegar help gently lighten hair, it will also dissolve oil and residue buildup in your hair and on your scalp, promoting growth. As an extra precaution, you can “protect your hairline with petroleum jelly and apply a moisturizing mask right after dying,” Davis adds.

To make your hair lighter using chamomile, all you’ll need to do is brew a few tea bags (Abdullah recommends seven). Formulated with a winning blend of citrus and chamomile, John Frieda’s Lightening Spray will brighten your hair up to two shades, leaving you looking like you were kissed by the sun. After you’ve applied your spray, head outside so the process can begin — remember, many of these lightening sprays active with sunlight.

If you already color your hair and you've still caught the bleach bug, it is possible to get hair to an even lighter place using the sun.

Now, spritz it on, either covering your full head of hair or targeting the specific parts you want to lighten.The best way to use it is by mixing it with conditioner or even with coconut oil, so you get those important hydrating and reparative benefits. Most experts recommend starting with an ounce of sunscreen – about the size of a typical shot glass – which should cover most of your body, as well as reapplying every two hours. Violet 2 (toning), PEG-12 Dimethicone (provides slip for even distribution), Disodium EDTA (enhances absorption and stability), Disodium Phosphate and Phosphoric Acid (pH balancing), Parfum (subtle and refreshing). Once they’re decarbonated, head into the shower and shampoo as normal before pouring the beer over your hair, from root to tip. While the melanin in your hair takes abuse from the sun, the sun also destroys other proteins in the hair, making it less manageable,” Gonzalez explains.

To ensure you are (safely) getting the most out of your spray, we recommend looking for sprays that include nourishing and moisturizing ingredients; look out for things like glycerin and hydrogenated castor oil, which will take some of that edge off of the hydrogen peroxide the spray is formulated with and prevent breakage.Just be aware of the results you can achieve based on your current hair color: "If you are a natural blonde, DIY treatments can lighten your shade around the face or on the ends," says Steven Picciano, a Goldwell National Artist. But before you go rushing to your hairdresser or local pharmacy for bleach or hair dye materials, consider hair lightening spray. Also known as “sun-in” (after the popular brand from the Nineties), the outcome is a light contrast that still compliments your natural color. Though they’re natural lighteners, lemon juice is acidic and can burn hair if you’re not careful, and salt can be very drying. The length of time the solution processes on the hair determines how light the person’s hair will lift.