9 Tips to Lighten Your Hair at Home in an Easy, Natural, and Gentle Way

If you add up all the money you spend in a year on hair dye, bleach, lotion, spray, and other products that promise to lighten hair, you might just notice how expensive those are. On top of that, it can happen that many of them end up damaging your hair because of the large amount of chemicals they contain. Thankfully there are other options, which are not only natural, but also efficient.

At Bright Side we like putting together a list of secrets that can help you give your hair a fresh natural look. Lemon (or lime), chamomile, cinnamon, honey, egg, barley, and vinegar are things that you probably have at home, but they are also well-known beauty products that’ll lighten your hair. They’ll give a unique shine, silkiness, and strength to your hair, on top of nourishing it. And the best part is that they are very cheap and you don’t even have to go to the beauty salon to apply them!

1. Chamomile tea and lime

Chamomile is a very common plant that has many health and, of course, beauty benefits. That’s why it’s a good choice for natural hair treatment.

• Ingredients: 2 cups of water, 5 chamomile tea bags, 2 tablespoons of lime juice

1. Boil the chamomile tea bags in water.
2. When you get a fairly concentrated infusion, add the lime juice.
3. Wait for it to cool down and pour the liquid into a spray bottle.
4. Apply it to all your hair evenly.
5. Wait for it to dry.
6. Apply conditioner and rinse your hair.

• You’ll see a difference after 2 or 3 uses.

2. Cinnamon and conditioner

Cinnamon is a common ingredient in a number of products available on the market because, in addition to providing many benefits, its smell and taste are unique. It is also a great friend when it comes to hair treatments, since it is an essential ingredient you can use to achieve that light color we all want.

• Ingredients: 3 tablespoons of powdered cinnamon and 1/2 cup of conditioner.

1. Add the 3 tablespoons of powdered cinnamon to the half-cup of conditioner.
2. Stir well until you get a thick cream.
3. Apply it to your hair.
4. Leave it on for 3 to 4 hours.
5. Wash and rinse thoroughly.

3. Vinegar

You can easily lighten your hair using vinegar, without having to spend large amounts of money and, above all, without using chemicals that could cause irreversible damage to your scalp.

• Ingredients: 1 part vinegar for every 6 parts of water

1. In a glass, mix 1 part vinegar and 6 parts of water.
2. Apply and leave on for 15 minutes.
3. Rinse with warm water.

• Apple cider vinegar will prevent any problems caused by the smell.

4. Non-alcoholic beer

Beer is rich in vitamin B, which keeps hair healthy. However, when it contains alcohol, its benefits are lost. That’s why it’s very important to choose beer without alcohol, so you don’t dry out or cause your hair to become dull.

• Ingredients: 1 cup of non-alcoholic beer

1. Wash your hair with a cup of non-alcoholic beer.
2. Gently massage your head.
3. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
4. Rinse thoroughly to remove all residue.

• You can repeat this procedure more than once a week.

5. Honey, vinegar, and lime

Limes are rich in antioxidants. They help to remove the excess oil from the hair, make it shiny, and also lighten it.

• Ingredients: water, 2 tablespoons of honey, 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, and half a lime

1. Heat water and add 2 tablespoons of honey.
2. When the mixture has boiled, add 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and also the juice of half a lime.
3. Stir well and put the mixture in the refrigerator for a few minutes.
4. Once it is cold, apply it to your wet hair.
5. Massage your head and let it work for 20 minutes.
6. Then rinse thoroughly.

6. Egg, beer, and lemon

Eggs are a very rich food. They contain proteins and vitamins that our bodies need to keep our hair healthy.

• Ingredients: 1 egg white, 1/2 glass of non-alcoholic beer, and 1/2 lemon

1. Beat the egg white.
2. Add half a glass of non-alcoholic beer.
3. Stir the mixture well.
4. Add the juice of half a lemon and mix it again.
5. Apply the resulting paste to wet hair.
6. Massage your head.
7. Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes.
8. Then rinse thoroughly.

• You can use this treatment once a week.

7. Chamomile tea

Chamomile has a golden pigment called apigenin, which, when applied to the hair, automatically adheres to the hair shaft.

• Ingredients: water, one chamomile tea bag

1. Boil a cup of water with the chamomile tea bag for 3 minutes.
2. Turn off the heat, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes.
3. When it has cooled down, apply this infusion to the hair.
4. Leave it on for 15 minutes.
5. Rinse with warm water.

8. Olive oil, cinnamon, and honey

Olive oil is a great ingredient, because it contains high doses of vitamin E, which strengthens and rejuvenates your hair. It also has vitamin C, which stimulates the formation of collagen, and vitamin A, which enhances cell regeneration.

• Ingredients: 1 tablespoon of cinnamon, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and 1 tablespoon of honey

1. Mix a tablespoon of powdered cinnamon with a tablespoon of olive oil and another tablespoon of honey.
2. Stir well.
3. Apply the mixture to all of your hair.
4. Wrap the hair in plastic wrap.
5. Let it rest overnight.
6. Don’t forget to rinse the day after.

• This mixture can give you a redder, more caramel tone.

9. Baking soda

Baking soda is easily available and has multiple uses in the beauty industry. This ingredient is ideal for a number of purposes because of its convenience and effectiveness.

• Ingredients: 1 tablespoon of baking soda and water

1. Dilute one tablespoon of baking soda in 1/3 cup of warm water.
2. Mix until you get a doughy consistency.
3. Part your hair into locks and apply the mixture with a brush.
4. To protect your scalp, avoid applying the baking soda to the roots.

• Using a little heat can speed up the process.

The fact that these ingredients are all affordable and that you might even have them at home already, means you can save yourself a visit to the hairdresser. So now all you have to do is to relax, treat yourself, and remember that the results of all of these treatments take time to be noticed. Before seeing any results, you really have to be consistent and do some testing. Everyone’s hair will react differently.

• Don’t forget to test any mixture with a strand of your hair before applying it to the rest, just to confirm that you are happy with the color and that it doesn’t cause any adverse reactions.

If you know of any other hair lightening secrets, let us know in the comments. Don’t forget to share these tricks with your friends and family, as well as pictures of your before and after!