March 20, 2025

Lighten hair naturally: ingredients and DIY methods

Schiarire i capelli in modo naturale fai da te

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Is there a way to lighten your hair without the help of a hairdresser? Not just one, but many! Read our article to discover some methods that lighten your hair without damaging it, achieving a natural result that will make you feel like you're already on the beach.

Is it possible to lighten hair naturally without damaging it?

Sun, sea, and salt water aren't just the perfect setting for a perfect vacation; they're also the natural elements that allow us to achieve not only a magazine-worthy tan but also that natural, sought-after golden hair color . You'll agree with us that it would be fantastic to have this look all year round, right?

If tanning lamps exist to darken your skin—but don't use too intense ones, mind you— what do you do for your hair? No sooner said than done: we've compiled a list of stress-free methods for lightening your hair.

A premise: are there natural hair lighteners?

There are numerous natural products that, if used regularly, can give hair subtle golden highlights. However, it's important to note that these natural remedies don't produce intense lightening results like those obtained in a beauty salon.

In other words, if your goal is to achieve a radical hair color transformation, or a full-blown bleaching, natural products may not be enough.

If, however, you want to illuminate your hair with a natural and healthy effect , the remedies you will find in this article are the ideal solution for you.

How to Lighten Hair with 6 Easy-to-Find Natural Ingredients

1. Lighten hair with chamomile

To prepare a decoction or compress, it's best to start with the flower itself : herbalists can find dried flowers, if you prefer, to make the preparation easier. Just a few teaspoons in a saucepan of boiling water and voilà , you're done; remember to let it cool for a few minutes before pouring it on your hair.

If you use it as a decoction , it should be applied after shampoo and conditioner, leaving it to act for about ten minutes, without rinsing.
If you want to make a compress , combine chamomile with a little honey and lemon: this will give you a slightly thick mixture that you can spread on your hair. Leave it on for about twenty minutes and then proceed with your usual wash.

Learn more about how to lighten hair with chamomile

2. Lighten hair with turmeric

If you're experienced with DIY beauty, turmeric is an ingredient you've probably heard about often: it's a spice known for its myriad healing properties, so much so that it's a staple ingredient in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. While it's excellent for cooking to benefit from its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, today we're interested in its skin-lightening properties .

To use it, do a bit like with chamomile:

dissolve a teaspoon of turmeric powder in boiling water;
mix carefully;
let it cool;
spread the resulting mixture on your hair;
leave it on for half an hour or so ;
then move on to washing with plenty of conditioner.

3. How to lighten hair with lemon

Here we are with the king of lighteners: lemon, perhaps the most widely used natural method for bleaching hair. It's generally used as a rinse :

dilute the juice with water;
sprinkle it on your hair;
hold the pose: the longer it remains in the pose, the more evident the result will be.

It is already excellent on its own, but it is often combined with other preparations – such as chamomile – to enhance the effects of both.

4. Lighten hair with honey

Honey also has excellent lightening properties and, given its full-bodied consistency, it is used as a base for masks and compresses .

You can use honey in two ways:

as it is – like a conditioner – leaving it on for at least half an hour, then rinsing thoroughly.
If it seems too sticky and difficult to manage, dilute it with a little water to make it easier to apply to your hair.

5. Neutral henna for blonde highlights

Neutral henna (also incorrectly called blonde) is a powder that doesn't lighten hair, but adds luminous highlights to light hair . Chamomile, lemon juice, or other herbs can be added to the paste to slightly alter the color, maintaining copper or honey tones.

For this reason, henna is more visible on blonde and brown hair.

6. Lighten hair with beer

Beer is also one of the most popular ways to lighten hair, although it's very mild. To increase its lightening power and achieve lighter shades:

always combine it with lemon
pour the mix on your hair
do not rinse, but let it dry in the sun.

Always remember to choose non-alcoholic beer: this way, the alcohol, evaporating, will not dry out your hair.

After you lighten your hair, take care of it.

Discover our section of shampoos for colored hair

Lightening hair with hydrogen peroxide: yes or no?

Lightening your hair with hydrogen peroxide, done at home, has no contraindications; it just involves a small amount of risk. A small mistake in the proportions or timing can lead to your hair being much blonder than you'd hoped.

However, if you want to lighten your hair naturally with hydrogen peroxide, do this:

Make a solution with equal parts peroxide and water
Put it in a spray applicator
Spray the solution all over your hair, evenly from roots to tips.
Try to avoid applying the mixture on your scalp, as it may irritate your scalp.
Leave it on for 20, maximum 30 minutes (the longer it stays on, the lighter the hair becomes)
Rinse with cold water
Shampoo your hair using a specific product for colored hair.

Caution! Don't leave it on for more than 40 minutes: the hydrogen peroxide will dry out your hair.

Lighten hair with professional products

Natural methods are the best for achieving delicate, multi-faceted golden highlights. However, they require a lot of time and consistency to achieve bold highlights.

If patience is not exactly your virtue, but you still want to opt for a do-it-yourself method, there is a solution: you can opt for a "shortcut" and use specific bleaching products , generally a bleaching powder and oxygen .

The oxygen used for bleaching ranges from 10 to 40 volumes. Each type of oxygen volume allows you to bleach a different shade: to achieve a light, sun-kissed look, a 10 or 20 volume hydrogen peroxide will be more than sufficient (choose it based on your starting color).

A possible combo? White powder + 20-volume creamy stabilized hydrogen peroxide from the Alfaparf Colore line , loved worldwide by professional hair stylists as well as by clients who choose do-it-yourself treatments.

To get professional highlights in a short time, follow these steps:

Mix the chosen bleach with the oxygen in a non-metallic bowl at a dilution ratio of 1:1 to 1:3 depending on the desired degree of lightening;
Mix with a brush until you obtain a smooth cream;
Apply the mixture to dry, unwashed hair;
Leave the lightening mixture on for as long as it takes to achieve the shade you want (this can range from 10 to 30 minutes);
Rinse thoroughly and shampoo lightly to completely remove any residue from the bleaching mixture.

You can find more tips on choosing the right products and the correct application method in our article: How to bleach your hair without damaging it.

If you want to lighten a color you've already used by a few tones, we recommend trying a bleaching wash, which is ideal for removing some of the pigments from your hair and slightly lightening the shade.

Discover our section of shampoos for colored hair