Peroxide is the most commonly used method for getting a lighter hair color. However, it is well known that peroxide is drying and damaging to the hair. This is obviously not what you want when you make the decision to try a new hair color. Fortunately, there are some natural products that also have a bleaching effect on your hair so you don’t have to reach for peroxide. Using simple home remedies such as honey, cinnamon and chamomile tea, you can lighten your hair a few shades.
Lighten your hair with honey and cinnamon
Honey and cinnamon naturally have a bleaching effect, but because the effect is not as strong as normal hair bleaching agents, the effect will not be as great. It is therefore advisable to use these ingredients several times as a hair mask to gradually see the effect. The recipe for this hair mask is very simple. The ingredients you only need are honey, cinnamon and water, which you often already have at home. Take two tablespoons of honey and two tablespoons of cinnamon for short hair, double that for long hair, and mix together. Then dilute this mixture with water. The amount of water required depends on the length of your hair. For long hair use approximately 300 ml of water and for short hair approximately 150 ml. Then carefully apply the mixture over the entire hair, or go for an ombre effect by treating only the ends of the hair with the mask. Then tie long hair into a bun and wrap your hair with plastic wrap. This way you can leave the mask on for a while without having to worry about drips. Leave the mask on for at least an hour or leave the mask on all night for a greater effect. Then rinse the mask thoroughly, washing the hair twice if necessary to remove the sticky substance.
Bleach your hair with chamomile tea
Chamomile tea can also be used as a natural alternative to the harmful peroxide. This soothing tea has a mild bleaching effect and does not damage your hair. For this method, bring about a liter of water to a boil and then pour it into a large bowl. It is important to make very strong chamomile tea: use about 5 tea bags and let the tea steep for 15 minutes. Then let the water in the bowl cool until it is a lukewarm temperature and feels comfortable on your scalp. Before you start using the chamomile tea, the hair must be washed. You skip the conditioner once, so that the chamomile tea can do its work better on your hair. When your hair is towel-dried, start with the chamomile tea: dip your hair ends in the tea and use a cup to also wet the hair at the roots with the tea. Then tie long hair into a bun and let it dry. The tea does not need to be rinsed.
Lighten your hair with vitamin C tablets
Another product you can use to lighten your hair is vitamin C. For this method, buy cheap vitamin C tablets from the drugstore and make sure that you take tablets without artificially added fruit flavors. Crush approximately 5 of these tablets and then mix the powder with the usual amount of shampoo for one wash. Wet your hair in the shower and massage the shampoo with vitamin C into your hair until it foams well. Make sure that you are not standing under the shower stream, the shampoo should not rinse away immediately but should work into your hair for a while. When the mixture is well foamed, tie your hair into a bun. Then let the mixture sit for about an hour. Then you resume washing your hair. Don’t forget to also use a conditioner afterwards to restore the slightly drying effect of the shampoo.
Repeat the treatments until the desired result
The following applies to all methods using natural remedies: if you want a greater result, repeat the treatment several times. If you want to lighten your hair with natural means, a lot more patience is required than when you use peroxide. But persistence wins and with these natural remedies you will gradually see an effect. This has the great advantage that you can control the color change yourself and build up to the desired result. In addition, your hair will be in better condition after the treatments than if you used drying peroxide.
