Home Remedies That Will Not Lighten Hair Naturally

Introduction

While it might sound great to be able to lighten your hair naturally without bleach, hair color or chemicals, it's usually not possible. Of course there are exceptions to every rule, but there are usually more hassles then lightened strands.

Bottom line, to lighten hair with any success or consistency you must use some sort of chemically based lifting agent to pop open the cuticle and remove the current color.

Please don't kill the messenger. This article was written to save you from a lot of frustration, dried out tresses and possibly dashed hopes.

I spent my pre-teen and teen years trying every imaginable natural lightening remedy since my parents would not let me try anything chemically based on my rapidly darkening strands.

Note: Check out the Amanda Bynes Hairstyle Gallery at: HairBoutique.com.

Ultimately I joined the church of Clairol and spent years committing every hair color sin possible until I was rescued by a kind hairstylist who gently explained how much better I would look with highlights and lowlights versus by go-to box of dye.

Debunking Old Wives Tales About Natural Lightening

If your hair is dark blonde or light brunette it's possible that you may be able to add some sun kissed highlights by trying some of the common suggestions for lightening your hair naturally.

However, one big danger is that the all natural formulations may pull red and you could wind up with orange or brassy highlights.

Even worse, you will invest a lot of time into trying the natural route with absolutely no results. I don't know about you, but when I make the effort to change my hair color I want to see results.

Listed below the most common natural hair lightening misconceptions:

1. Lightening Hair Naturally In The Sun

If your hair is dark blonde and your hair has a history of lightening during Summer months you may be lucky enough to see some natural highlights after spending a lot of time outdoors.

Why You Should Skip This Option

Even if your hair does naturally lighten in the summer, you won't be able to control where the lighter strands appear. Nor will you be able to control the impact of extra sun time beating down on your scalp, the rest of your hair and of course your skin.

As the ozone layer has receded over the years the sun is stronger and better able to burn delicate scalps and roots.

While you might think that would help add natural highlights, it actually offers more potential for sun burnt scalps, damaged roots and dehydrated tresses.

If someone tells you to just lay out in the sum and wait for the blonde magic to happen don't believe them.

2. Letting Hair Dry After Swimming In A Pool Or Ocean

One old wives tale is to swim and then let hair dry in the sun with the help of the chlorine from a pool or salt from the ocean.

This suggestion is pure hair madness. Why? Pools have chemicals which are famous for causing major hair damage. Oceans are famous for their salt which can also harm delicate tresses unless the hair is immediately rinsed after swimming.

Why You Should Skip This Option

Chlorine may lighten some hair but not in a good way. You may, in some rare occasions have lighter hair but it will be literally fried from the effects of the chlorine on your hair. Chlorine dehydrates hair and makes it prone to breakage, splitting and ripped ends. Ditto with ocean salt.

If someone suggests you take a long dip in a chlorinated pool or an ocean and let your hair dry in the sun then consider them your hair's #1 enemy.

3. Using Lemon To Lighten Hair Naturally

Who hasn't heard the suggestion to squeeze lemon juice and rub it into your dry hair before sitting out in the sun to get a natural blonde hair? Even worse, this tip often comes with the suggestion to allow juice to remain on your hair for several hours.

Why You Should Skip This Option

During my teen years I literally had fresh lemon on my hair for days if not weeks on end. I sat in the sun, I use a sunlight on my lemon prepped hair. I got a nasty sunburn but my naturally dark blonde hair didn't register any changes in blondeness. Neither did the dark blonde tresses of my friends.

This is a risky suggestion at best. It is time consuming and rarely works with any noticeable results. Lemons are acidic and they can actually cause damage to delicate tresses.

Lemons should be squeezed on a fresh salad or made into fresh lemonade. But it should never be squeezed on your hair.

4. Lightening Hair With Tea

The most popular teas suggested for naturally lightening hair is usually chamomile or linden flower tea (if you can find it). But can tea without any type of lifting elements first applied to the hair lighten it? No, it's highly unlikely.

Tea formulas applied to freshly washed hair actually help to stretch the time between hair coloring services since the tea, if mixed properly will enhance the depth of the current hair color. It will also help to amp up existing high lights while brightening the shine and tonality of color-treated hair.”

If you already have blonde hair you can try this popular formula which most likely will not add any lightness but will help add shine and enhance any current blonde hues. This formula is safe for color treated hair.

Why You Should Skip This Option

Using tea of hair has not first been lifted will result virtually no lightening results. It will also take a lot of time and is just plain messy.

Not only do you have to schlep tea from the kitchen to the bathroom if you do your hair in the shower, you could wind up staining your towels or clothes.

In addition, you have to continue to pour the mixture over your head until you've used it all up. It can be a major challenge on a number of fronts.

However, if you want to try a tea hair coloring option for blondes check out the following recipe and proceed at your own risk.

Home Recipe For Enriching Blonde Hair:

Combine the following all natural ingredients:

- 2 chamomile tea bags - brewed in 4 cups of boiled water and then stepped until cool - 1/3 cup of catnip, dried or fresh - 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice

Add tea bags or loose tea (if you prefer) to 4 cups of water. Boil and then step tea bags until cool. If you prefer you can pour boiling water over the individual bags and allow to step and cool.

Combine all of the ingredients in a unbreakable bowl. After hair is freshly washed pour the tea formula over the top of your head. Capture the drippings in the bowl and continue to pour until you can not longer catch any more tea drippings.

Allow tea mixture to remain on hair and air dry if possible. Use only old towels to blot hair since the tea or catnip may stain towels.

Warning: You may only notice slight changes of color richness over time. This will not lighten hair.

5. Hydrogen Peroxide To Lighten Hair

The term "peroxide blonde" comes from the use of peroxide to lighten hair. While it's been used for ages to lighten hair it is a risky option and should be avoided unless you know exactly what you are doing.

There is often confusion between the drugstore pharmaceutical grades and the beautican grades.

Pharmaceutical Versus Cosmetology Grade Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide has several grades. The two most commonly tied to hair are the following:

1) 3.5% Pharmaceutical Grade: This is the grade sold at the local drugstore or supermarket. This product is not recommended for internal use.

It contains an assortment of stabilizers which shouldn't be ingested or inhaled in some cases. Various stabilizers include: acetanilide, phenol, sodium stanate and tertrasodium phosphate.

Hydrogen peroxide's chemical representation is H2O2. The product available to most consumers through over-the-counter purchase is usually only 3% hydrogen peroxide and 97% water. Due to the fact that hydrogen peroxide breaks down quickly when exposed to light it's packaged in dark brown bottles which filter out any light.

2) 6% Beautician Grade: This is used in beauty shops to color hair and is not recommended for internal use. Diluted H2O2 (between 3% and 8%) is used by hair stylists to bleach human hair when mixed with ammonium hydroxide.

Bleaching Occurs When Combined With Ammonium Hydroxide

There are also 30%-35% high strength solutions on the commercial market, typically found in health food stores, but also sold as a disinfectant. These high concentrations should never be used on human hair.

Why You Should Skip This Option

Anna Torv

It's sometimes true that if you comb the drugstore version of hydrogen peroxide through damp dark blonde or light brown hair it will slowly lighten it over time. However, it also may lift unwanted hues, turn hair brassy or dry it out. Also, it is not advisable to inhale any type of hydrogen peroxide in an unventilated space.

A secret trick of professional hair colorists to remove hair color is to mix a paste of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda and apply it to the hair.

Warning: The hydrogen peroxide and baking soda paste should never be used without the assistance and/or advice of a professionals.

5. Color With Henna

Henna can be both heaven and hell for some hair consumers. By its very nature it does not lighten hair in any way. However, when applied incorrectly it can be difficult if not impossible to remove since it encases the entire hair cuticle.

Why You Should Skip This Option

Many people have been using henna for years with great results. If you are new to henna do extensive research before applying it to your own hair. Understand the pros and cons of henna.

6. Lighten With Color Shampoos Or Conditioners

Another common misconception is that color shampoos and conditioners can lighten hair. If hair is overly porous from excessive prior bleaching some color shampoos and conditioners may actually seep down into the cuticle. However, they will not lighten hair in any way.

Why You Should Skip This Option

Many people have been using henna for years with great results. If you are new to henna do extensive research before applying it to your own hair. Understand the pros and cons of henna.

Summary

Although this is a lot of misinformation in the world about natural hair lightening, ultimately most are eMyths or old wives tales. Whether you choose to experiment or not is up to you.

Bottom line, to lighten hair with any success or consistency you must use some sort of chemically based lifting agent to pop open the cuticle and remove the current color.

However, if you do decide to try one of the popular natural methods, always do your homework in advance and try the process on a very small amount of hair in case your encounter any problems.

Everyone in 'Hairspray'

John Travolta, Nikki Blonsky, Zac Efron, Amanda Bynes and everyone else rocked some major hair action. When "hair" is in the title of your movie, you have no choice. Read more: http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/fast-paised-movies/2010/10/15-unforgettable-big-screen-hairstyles.html#ixzz133PFVKgO

Everyone in 'Hairspray'

- Revised Date: 01/05/12

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