How to Lighten Hair Naturally, Without Damage I John Frieda (2024)

  1. John Frieda
  2. Hair Care Tips
  3. HOW TO LIGHTEN HAIR: TIPS & TRICKS

Learning how to lighten your hair can be tricky when you’re first starting out. Use our tips and tricks to learn to basics about lightening hair.

How to Lighten Hair Naturally, Without Damage I John Frieda (1)

Natural blonde or beautiful brunette, chances are you’ve thought about changing your hair color at some point. Lightening some or all of your strands can be a good way to add sunkissed dimension to your mane without getting too drastic with your hair color. But how to go about it?

Whether you’re adding highlights, going for a trendy ombre, or planning a full beach-blonde transformation, here are a few tips on how to lighten your hair without the damage of bleach.

Consider Your Natural Hair and Skin Color

Warm and cool don’t just describe the weather. We also use these descriptors for hair and skin tones. So, when you’re choosing a lighter shade for your hair, consider your natural undertones.

An easy test to determine whether you have warm or cool undertones is to check out the veins in your wrists.

  • Do they appear green? You likely have warmer undertones.
  • If they appear blue, you’re probably cool-toned.
  • Somewhere in the middle? You’re neutral.

Adding warm tones to your hair like honey or caramel shades can complement warm-toned skin, while cooler hair shades like ash blonde and platinum look awesome against cool tones. And if you’re neutral, congrats! You can rock pretty much any shade.

Choose a Lightening Method

Bleach, dye, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice—there are several different ways to lighten up your locks.

If You Have Darker Hair

If your hair is dark, or if you’re going for a more radical transformation, you’ll probably have to use bleach. Although bleach can be very damaging, it’s easy to end up with undesirable red or orange tones if your hair is naturally dark. A professional stylist can mix the perfect solution to lighten dark hair without creating any unnatural warm tones.

So if you want to naturally lighten darker hair, bleach will be your best bet in getting the best results without dark undertones peeking through your strands.

If You Have Lighter Hair

If you have blonde hair but want to lighten it on your own without the use of bleach to avoid damage, these different methods:

1. Use Hair Lightening Products

There are a lot of lightening hair products that can help you achieve that lighter shade. Try opting for blonde lightening shampoo, conditioner, and spray. This trio is safe to use on natural and color-treated hair, that can take your blonde up to 2 shades lighter.

2. Natural Bleaching Agents

Natural bleaching agents like apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, chamomile tea, or cinnamon and honey can lighten hair gently and naturally with minimal damage. Here’s a breakdown of how these ingredients can help, but what you should also be wary of:

  • Apple cider vinegar. Benefits of incorporating apple cider vinegar to lighten your hair naturally include reducing frizz and residue buildup. There is less risk of damaging your hair, but achieving results will take a few sessions to work through.
  • Lemon juice. This is a natural bleaching agent that can be added to your conditioner with a little bit of water to reduce its acidity. However, lemon juice can be dangerous as excessive or improper use can lead to hair damage and dryness, so try with caution.
  • Chamomile tea. This ingredient has much gentler properties as it promotes hair growth while gradually lightening your hair. This isn’t the best option for darker hair, and even with lighter shades of blonde, results are more subtle for those who want minimal change.
  • Cinnamon. Including cinnamon in a DIY hair mask can naturally lighten your hair as it can interact with the hair's proteins and cause oxidation, leading to subtle color changes. When applied and left on the hair, it can gradually lighten the hair over time with repeated use.
  • Honey. Honey naturally lightens hair when its properties are activated by sunlight, aiding in gradual lightening and brightening of the hair. This method is great for darker hair colors. Honey can also be mixed with cinnamon to create a DIY hair mask.

Rinse your hair in a solution of warm water and one or more of these lightening agents, then sit in the sun to dry. The sun’s rays will intensify the effect, creating subtle, sunkissed highlights.

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Care for Your Lightened Hair

Whether you use a chemical bleach and peroxide solution or a natural lightener like lemon juice, your hair is going to need a little extra TLC.

brassiness from forming in your newly-lightened locks by washing with purple shampoo. Make sure to moisturize and lighten your blonde tones with a blonding conditioner to keep your hair feeling soft or even a deep conditioner to maintain its vibrancy. Bleached locks are more prone to dryness and breakage, so after washing your hair use a repairing mask for blonde hair to help strengthen damaged strands and protect them for a softer, healthier blonde.

Love your new look? Check out more John Frieda hair ideas here.

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How to Lighten Hair Naturally, Without Damage I John Frieda (2024)

FAQs

How to Lighten Hair Naturally, Without Damage I John Frieda? ›

Natural bleaching agents like apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, chamomile tea, or cinnamon and honey can lighten hair gently and naturally with minimal damage.

What is the least damaging way to lighten your hair? ›

Faye adds, “Balayage is a great technique to consider that uses bleach painting on the surface of the hair, not penetrating as deep into the hair cuticle which creates less opportunity for damage.”

How can I lighten my hair naturally without damaging it? ›

Some of these aren't just good for natural, sun-kissed highlights; they'll leave your stands shinier and softer, too!
  1. Mix Up Your Lemon Juice with Conditioner. ...
  2. Apply Vitamin C to Your Hair. ...
  3. Use a Saltwater Solution. ...
  4. Add Apple Cider Vinegar. ...
  5. Combine Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide. ...
  6. 6. Make a Cinnamon and Honey Mask.
Jan 28, 2022

How does John Frieda lighten hair? ›

KEY INGREDIENT: Citrus Botanical Blend is a carefully chosen blend of readily known and loved hair care ingredients including Lemon Oil and Orange Oil. This blend is known for its lightening properties and strengthening the hair follicles.

Does honey lighten hair? ›

How can honey lighten hair? Honey contains a low level of peroxide. More accurately, it contains an enzyme (glucose oxidase) that can produce peroxide. Peroxide is an effective way to lighten hair, but keep in mind that peroxide is only an effective bleaching agent at the right concentration and at the right pH.

What should hair never be lightened to? ›

Color
QuestionAnswer
lighteners utilize ingredients such as ammonia and peroxide to penetrate the cortex andcause the melanin to break
how many stages of lightening and decolorization exist?10
hair should never be lightened or decolorized towhite
if the hair is overlightened, a toner may cause the hair to appearashy or gray
36 more rows

What home remedy can I use to lighten my hair? ›

Baking soda and hydrogen peroxide

Another popular way to lighten your hair is a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. Following in the footsteps of the “No Poo” haircare movement, mixing hydrogen peroxide and baking soda is believed to lighten your hair while keeping it healthy.

Does cinnamon lighten hair? ›

For example, it's said that cinnamon can change blond hair to strawberry blond, or that it lightens dark brown hair to red-light brown. Cinnamon's lightening effect on hair is purely anecdotal and isn't backed by scientific evidence.

Is John Frieda go blonder safe to use? ›

SAFE FOR COLOR TREATED HAIR - John Frieda Sheer Blonde hair products have been developed for safe use on natural, color-treated, or highlighted hair.

Does John Frieda Go Blonder damage hair? ›

Another consideration is the potential for dryness or damage, particularly with prolonged use. While the product claims to be gentle, frequent application can lead to dryness or even breakage, especially for those with already fragile or processed hair.

Is John Frieda actually good for hair? ›

“This shampoo is great for keeping my hair looking healthy and shiny. The scent is also really nice.” 5. “I have been using John Frieda shampoo for a few months now and I am really happy with it.

How do you make homemade hair lightening spray? ›

Measure out ¼ cup of hydrogen peroxide, ¼ cup lemon juice and ½ cup water and pour them into the spray bottle, along with the freshly brewed chamomile tea. Use a funnel to easily transfer the liquids into the bottle. Once all of the ingredients are in the bottle, stir the contents gently until mixed well.

What is a good substitute for bleach in hair? ›

You can lighten your hair with at-home products like lemon juice, hydrogen peroxide or vinegar. These products might feel more “natural” because they react with the sun to change your hair's hue. While you technically can use these products as an alternative to bleach, Joerger advises against it.

Can lemon really lighten hair? ›

Lemon juice contains mostly citric acid, a natural bleaching agent that whitens and therefore lightens the hair, but is not exactly harmless. If you want to achieve beautiful golden highlights, lemon juice is far from being the most effective and safest solution.

What is the safest way to lift hair color? ›

If you're looking to get rid of hair color, the safest way is to contact a professional at a salon. A colorist may use bleach or sulfur-based hair stripping products to lighten your hair back so that it can be re-dyed. They can also assess your hair for damage and recommend the best treatment option.

Which hair color technique is less damaging? ›

Semi-permanent hair dye is usually best if you want to subtly change your color, are concerned about damaging sensitive hair, and don't mind it eventually washing out. You may opt for it if you want to: Blend highlights with your base color.

How many levels can you lighten hair without damage? ›

It's best if you don't go up more than four levels in one sitting. You can go four more levels up after two-three weeks to get the lighter hair shade of your choice. Going from dark to light too quickly can cause your hair to become dry, brittle, and weak.

How can I lighten my hair without permanently? ›

Your hair will lighten on its own when exposed to UV and UVA rays. To quicken this process, spritz equal parts lemon juice and water onto your hair and soak up the sun. “The safest way to do some lightening at home is lemon juice diluted with water,” says Davis.

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