Hair Lightening Recipe

Is there anything natural I can put in my hair to bring out the blonde in it?

By Melissa from Hendersonville, NC

Answers: Hair Lightening Recipe

Read answers for this question below.

By 08/10/2010

MaxiSpeaks, I need to clear up that acid on a PH scale regarding hair is not drying but rather it's the alkaline on the scale that is drying to hair. Hair is a dead appendage and does not react exactly the same as the living cells in our body. Your recipes are good though because the ingredients (alkaline, neutral (water) and acid) balance out PH values close to neutral. ;-)

Deeli
Retired (after 35 years) Cosmetologist

RE: Hair Lightening Recipe

By 08/09/2010

Any of you who are using the lemon juices, or vinegars, the reason your hair is drying out, is because these are an acid. - As is the Beer. The Chamomile is not. I am a Naturopath. Here's a suggestion:

Take your formulas:
half cup water
half or quarter cup hydrogen peroxide (9%)
two lemons

Then: Boil the half cup water on the stove and add 1-2T Chamomile - let boil on low 10 min (kills bacteria) turn off the heat and steep one hour.
Strain through cloth into your bottle. Then, add 1 and a 1/2 tsp avocado oil. Most health food stores carry this. The oil will nourish your hair.

I sometimes will use cornstarch and make a paste and comb the mixture through my hair because the cornstarch is inactive and will not do anything but provide a carrier. Let this sit on your hair for up to 45 min or until you like your tone. Wet in the shower and condition with coconut milk, rinse again. If you need to adjust your tone, follow below:
For a deeper brown-red, use a paste with black tea instead of water

For Deep Red- Substitute Logwood chips that have been decocted (boiled) in water for an hour.
To tone Red: Make a paste with black coffee instead of water. (This especially works if you accidentally turned yourself orange!)

If you want to go darker red, add 2 Tablespoons Cloves, (I added Cayenne) myself. I'll let you all know HOW that one turns out! You can also use red wine as well. (I do a lot of experimenting with color!)

You can use sage for brown. Make sure you infuse this as well in the water, and you can use 2 Tablespoons of cloves, I also added 1 tsp. of comfrey!

Walnut brown: Boil the walnut hulls in warm water until the water is a rich, dark brown. Make sure you strain the hulls. Use the infusion to mix your paste.

Auburn: You can use the Chamomile flower infusion for the water. Again, I mixed just a PINCH of cayenne and comfrey with this, and a touch of Oat Grass and Goldenseal to get a "natural" tone.

Remember that the Native American had to mix all of their colors from the plants around them. The same is true for us. We still have this available today. Have fun with it.

By 12/02/2009

Lots of time in saltwater and sunshine (like surfers), lemon juice and sunshine or heat, chamomile and sunshine or heat. Short of that you could use peroxide but unless your hair color is close to blonde the peroxide might make it look brassy.

By 12/01/2009

Like the other posters, I've used 1 lemon squeezed into a jug with strong camomile tea, this worked better than anything else I tried as the results are more natural looking than if you use peroxide. Ive tried that in the past and you can end up looking strange if you're not careful.

By 12/01/2009

Cassia is an herb that will provide a golden glow to hair that is already light.

By 11/30/2009

I'm not sure about how good it is for your hair, but I've used sun-in for years, just on or near the ends of my long hair and it always looked great. Don't know that I'd use it all over my head, but if you're somewhat already blonde, go ahead. Just be sure & condition your hair well.

Hair Lightening Recipe

I'm looking for a home recipe for lightening my dishwater blonde hair. I used to buy "touch of sun" by Clairol and used sporadically throughout summer time to give my hair a bleach blonde look without looking unnatural. It works well and never damaged my hair. Clairol no longer sells this and I know it had lemon juice, and hydrogen peroxide in it. I have seen the recipes for lemon juice but nothing with both ingredients. Does anyone know how many parts lemon juice and how many parts hydrogen peroxide will work safely? If so can I use lemon juice concentrate or is straight from the lemon best. Thanks for any and all replies! smcoulter from Freeport, MI
Answers:
RE: Hair Lightening Recipe	06/07/2006
A little vinegar (about 1/4 c) on your hair before washing will not only get all the build up out of your hair but also lighten it and trust me, your hair won't smell like vinegar either.
By IMAQT1962
RE: Hair Lightening Recipe	06/07/2006
When I was younger I used to just pour straight lemon juice on my hair and lay out in the sun letting it dry naturally.
By mef1957
RE: Hair Lightening Recipe	06/07/2006
What about "Sun In" spray in hair lightener? I have silver-blonde hair and I use it all the time. It really brings out the shine in addition to lightening. You don't have to go out in the sun either. You can just spray it on damp hair, comb it thru and then use your blow dryer on medium or high. There's Sun-In with lemon, and Sun-In Super. I know it has peroxide in it, but I don't know what else. Also not only does it lighten and bring out the shine, it makes your hair soft. I get mine in the hair coloring section at Wal-Mart.
By Louise
RE: Hair Lightening Recipe	06/07/2006
John Frieda makes a shampoo for blondes called Beach Blonde. It brings out the natural highlights in blonde hair. My daughter uses it and it works great! You can get the line of products at Wal-Mart.
By lizkemp
RE: Hair Lightening Recipe	06/08/2006
I use a mixture of half peroxide and half water and spray it on my hair when it is dry. It only takes a couple of applications before I notice a result. I have used straight peroxide on my hair after I wash it, but for some reason it seems to work better when my hair is dry to spray it on. Absorbs it better maybe? Good luck
By NHilligas
RE: Hair Lightening Recipe	06/11/2006
When I was a teenager, many moons ago, I would mix together in a bowl: 1/2 cup peroxide, 1/4 cup lemon juice, and an egg (yes, an egg). Mix well, apply to hair, and then lay out in the sun. The egg protected it from sun damage, but still allowed the lightening to occur. Gee, I wish it would cover gray hair. I would do it again in a heartbeat.
By Julia
RE: Hair Lightening Recipe	06/16/2006
I know that they still make "touch of sun".
By britt67556
RE: Hair Lightening Recipe	06/19/2006
Just mix lemon, hydrogen peroxide, and some water and spray it on your hair and lay in the sun. if you go outside when it's cloudy, the clouds will magnify the sun and your hair will be lighter.
By marissa
sun streaking	06/29/2006
Wash your hair with pantene pro-v shampoo. Then condition with Pantene Pro-v conditioner. While your hair is still wet squeeze three lemons into your hair while avoiding seeds. Blow dry your hair until COMPLETELY dry. Take single strands of hair that you wish to highlight. Dip your fingers in Vinegar then spread along the strand... add lemon juice in with the vinegar. (the more lemon juice the lighter it will be) Sit in the sun for 2 hours. Then reapply if neccesary and sit in the sun for another hour. THIS WILL COMPLETELY CHANGE HAIR COLOR. "I had a friend who had black hair and tried this and came back with light brown/blonde highlights. THIS WILL OUTGROW WITHIN MONTHS!
By jenn

Hair Lightening Recipe

I'm looking for a home recipe for lightening my dishwater blonde hair. I used to buy "Touch of Sun" by Clairol and used sporadically throughout the summer time to give my hair a bleach blonde look without looking unnatural. It works well and never damaged my hair. Clairol no longer sells this and I know it had lemon juice, and hydrogen peroxide in it.

I have seen the recipes for lemon juice, but nothing with both ingredients. Does anyone know how many parts lemon juice and how many parts hydrogen peroxide will work safely? If so can I use lemon juice concentrate or is straight from the lemon best. Thanks for any and all replies.

SMCoulter from Freeport, MI

DON'T USE "SUN IN"

The spray "Sun In" is very damaging to your hair. Any hair specialist will tell you they wouldn't even give this product to their worst enemy. Don't use it. Your hair will turn orange like this person's. (05/15/2007)

By Sarah

RE: Hair lightening Recipe

All I use is "vinegar" by its self. Changed my hair from dark brown to light brown. (06/07/2007)

By Emily

RE: Hair Lightening Recipe

I used a mix of peroxide and lemon and sprayed it on dry. My dark brown hair turned instantly lighter with a tint of blond in it. I stayed out in the sun for 45 minutes and got plenty of compliments. (06/10/2007)

By Sheryl

RE: Hair Lightening Recipe

My hair color is blonde, dirty blonde streaks. My older sister has bleach blonde hair, and it is natural and looks natural. I love it. I used vinegar, peroxide, and lemons and my hair is now the same color as hers. All I did was apply it, then I went out in the sun, and went to a board walk. There everyone was telling me how great it looked. (07/01/2007)

By Elle

RE: Hair Lightening Recipe

Ever since I was 10, my mom had lightened my hair with lemon juice, that you buy in the bottle, and hydrogen peroxide. When you mix it half and half, put it into a spray bottle. Spray in hair. Make sure it is soaked. Leave it in for as long as you want not any less than 2 hours. If you want faster results, blow dry your hair on high heat. Leave in one hour then wash.

You will see better results: much lighter much faster. I would suggest repeating this at least 2 times a week until you achieve the results you want *If you have dyed your hair a darker color and are trying to lighten it do not do this. Your hair will become orange and will be two very different colors. Well hope this answered your question. Good luck. (08/11/2007)

By Roxy

RE: Hair Lightening Recipe

"Sun In" does not turn your hair orange. I always use it and my hair never turned orange, besides you have to keep using it to get the results you want. Buy it. It's great. (08/16/2007)

By Amber

RE: Hair Lightening Recipe

Mix apple vinegar (4 teaspoons) with vanilla extract (1 teaspoon) and 2 glasses of water. Just blow dry. Then wash your hair. It will be lighter (but not as a permanent hair dye). It won't turn orange. Don't use in the sun. It makes the hair lighter, but damages a lot. (09/24/2007)

By Diana

RE: Hair Lightening Recipe

My natural hair color is black and now I have beautiful light blonde hair. I lightened it using:

half cup water
half or quarter cup hydrogen peroxide (9%)
two lemons.

Mix all of these, and apply on your head. Sit in the sun for at least 20 to 30 minutes and blow dry or for better results keep the mixture on your head for 1 to 2 hours and wash off. Try this twice or thrice a week to get desired color. Your hair will get very dry so condition it well. (05/04/2008)

By Amy

RE: Hair Lightening Recipe

Lemon and vinegar does work, especially in the sun. But you've got to even them out. Never use too much vinegar with just a little lemon. I think too much of that routine would damage your hair, but if you use it twice or three times a week, you're okay. Another less lightening thing is the Sunsilk shampoo for dyed hair, but it slightly and gradually lightens naturally dark hair. I hear butter in the sun makes your hair a lot lighter. Is it true? Oh, forgot to mention chamomile. That's a huge hair lightener and I think there are recipes on using it for hair, somewhere on the Internet. (05/17/2008)

By Nadia

RE: Hair Lightening Recipe

This isn't a reply to the original question but I have seen a lot of people asking how to remove artificial color. To be honest, the best I've ever used is Prell shampoo. Don't use it daily, it will strip the almighty right out of your hair, but I'd suggest using it twice a week. The artificial color will fade right out. (12/12/2008)

By Adrianne

RE: Hair Lightening Recipe

Dried Chamomile also lightens hair in sunlight. I brewed tea bags in a cup or 2 of water, let it cool and then put it into my hair and then went out into the sun. After a few hours I could see brighter highlights. (12/25/2008)

By lala

RE: Hair Lightening Recipe

I have lightish brown hair and I tried 1/4 cup of 6% peroxide and the juice from 1/2 a lemon and left it in my hair for 1 and 1/2 hours and it turned my hair considerably lighter. Just remember to wash it out with good quality shampoo or it dries your hair out a lot. Good luck. (12/26/2008)

By Stacey

Hair Lightener

You should always use chamomile, never vinegar, because that damages your hair very badly. Chamomile works in the winter, too, because you can pour it over your hair a few times and you can notice the lightening. It's great. (01/02/2009)

By Teresita

RE: Hair Lightening Recipe

I have dark brown hair, I use a permanent hair color to lighten my hair, but when I go to the beach I put some beer (any type will work) on my hair and it brings nice highlights and shine to my hair. I would definitely recommend it. (03/22/2009)

By redishblonde

RE: Hair Lightening Recipe

I had a hairdresser tell me that to lighten my hair to use Lemon Joy dishwashing liquid. She said it will lighten hair also will help take out color you have applied that you don't like. (07/27/2009)

By packlestax