How to Lighten Black Hair

Co-authored by April Ferri

Last Updated: May 24, 2024 References

Black hair is beautiful and striking, but sometimes you want to switch things up and go lighter. Fortunately, even the darkest black hair can be lightened, with or without bleach. This article will walk you through the best ways to lighten black hair at home, from making a DIY lightening treatment to using bleach to achieve a bolder result.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Lightening Your Hair Naturally

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1
Prepare a natural hair treatment to begin the lightening process. You can make this treatment by mixing one part honey with four parts distilled water in a bottle. Allow the honey and water to sit at room temperature for an hour.^{[1]
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- You can also add one to two teaspoons of cardamom, which also has bleaching properties, to your natural lightener.
2
Apply your treatment. Wet your hair completely and then pour your mixture from the bottle onto your hair. When doing so, you should start from the root of your hair and work to the tip. For the honey's bleaching properties to stay active, you will need to keep your hair wet. You should consider wearing a shower cap for this purpose.^{[2]
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- You should allow your application to soak in for an hour or more before rinsing with conditioner.
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This can be done by mixing one part chopped rhubarb to four parts boiling water. Allow the contents to come to a boil, let it cool, and then strain the rhubarb from the mixture.^{[3]
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Research source} Now your rhubarb solution is ready for application.
4
Administer your rhubarb solution. You can further lighten your hair in the shower by using your natural rhubarb mix after shampooing, but before conditioning. Make sure to allow the solution to cool before applying.
- If you don't have rhubarb available to you, or if you don't feel comfortable making your own solution, many hair salons and product retailers sell ready-made rhubarb lightening solutions.
By applying lemon juice to your hair throughout the day, and especially when you are in the sun, you can continue lighten your hair. The mixture of sunlight and lemon juice will slowly but surely help you achieve a lighter shade.^{[4]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using Dye

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1
Purchase the necessaries. You will need hair dye specially formulated for dark hair and a color remover to help strip the color from your hair. Bleach and ammonia are commonly used to strip hair, though since these can be very damaging, you might consider using a sulfur-based color remover.
- Read all product information before use. Some products might be specially formulated to require extra steps or specific wait times/procedures. Follow the directions for the best results.^{[5]
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Strip your hair with a sulfur-based hair color remover. These products will be much gentler on your hair, unlike bleach or ammonia. As these are sulfur-based products, they can be quite smelly, but you don't have to worry about that smell sticking around.^{[6]
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Research source} To help with the smell, you might want to step outside while allowing it to set.
- Each product will be different, and you should follow the directions that accompany your preferred product for best results.^{[7]
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Spacing out hair coloring over the course of a month, or several months, will not only give you better, more accurate results, but will also do the least amount of damage. Also, changing your color by shades will help ensure that you meet your target without overshooting it. A lighter shade of dye, like a 20 volume developer, can be used to lighten gradually with each application.
You should space out dye applications as much as possible. A deep conditioner is a must to help keep your hair hydrated while dyeing. You should also think about using a product with protein added to it to help, which will strengthen and hydrate. Use these products throughout the dyeing process to protect your hair from damage.
5
Visit a salon. If you need to lighten your hair dramatically, it's a good idea to visit a professional. Professional hair stylists are often able to easily strip your dark hair of its color and add a lighter color on top of it. This is especially important if you've dyed your hair before—putting chemicals on top of previously-treated hair can cause a lot of hair damage.^{[8]
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Expert Source

April Ferri
Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Interview. 8 December 2020.}
- While you are at the salon, you should inquire about lightening shampoo or spray-in treatments. Professional hair stylists will have a better idea of how it will affect your hair. Many products are designed to help individuals with blonde hair brighten their blonde color; these will not be effective for your dark hair.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making Use of Other Techniques

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Though highlights will not make your hair uniformly lighter, the right application of subtle highlights can lighten the tone of your hair overall. If you are afraid of committing to a completely new and lighter color, a trip to the salon with this goal in mind might be for you.
This is an excellent way of testing out new colors without having to commit. An inexperienced stylist or an overconfident friend can leave your hair an embarrassing shade. By digitally adjusting your tint, you will better know whether lightening is really worth it.
3
Take your hair out to tea. Believe it or not, some teas have lightening properties. Boil some water and steep one bag of chamomile tea for roughly 10 minutes. Be sure you allow the tea to cool and then rinse your hair with the mixture, allowing it to remain in your hair for about 15 minutes.^{[9]
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- For extra lightening strength, repeat this process several times before you shampoo or rinse your hair clean.
4
Sprinkle some cinnamon on it. Cinnamon also has lightening properties in addition to its wonderful aroma. Add cinnamon powder to your conditioner until it forms a paste and coat your hair from top to bottom. It's important you do so evenly; you don't want irregular coloring! You may want to comb this mixture into your hair to ensure an even application.^{[10]
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- After the cinnamon is in, put on a shower cap and allow it to set for at least six hours, though overnight might get you even better results.

Expert Q&A

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Question

What hair color will lighten dyed black hair?

April Ferri
Professional Hair Stylist
April Ferri is a Professional Hair Stylist and the Co-Owner of Widows Peak Salon, a hair salon based in Los Angeles, California. With over ten years of experience, April specializes in hair coloring and enhancing and transforming natural tones into vibrant shades for beautiful and low maintenance hair. Her work has been featured in Voyage LA Magazine, and she has worked as a stylist for LA Fashion Week.

April Ferri

Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

If you have hair that's been dyed dark brown or black hair, you can't just put a lighter dye on it and achieve the results you want. You'll have to remove that color first with a lightener. In that case, I usually recommend seeing a professional.

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Is there a fast natural way for dark brown hair?

Community Answer

There is a natural way, but it isn't fast. It's been said that lemon juice will lighten hair. Soak yoir hair in lemon juice, then sit out in the sun for about 30 minutes. This is a long process and should be done over the course of months.

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If I have black hair and naturally lighten it to brown, is it possible to lighten it more to a blonde color?

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Yes, you can gradually lighten your hair in a number of different ways, just make sure whatever process you're using doesn't damage your hair when done frequently.

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Tips

Harsh chemicals, like bleach or hydrogen peroxide, can cause damage to your hair. Additionally, these chemicals sometimes cause black hair to turn a brassy, uneven orange color that may be difficult to cover up, even with hair dye.

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It's important to maintain your hair's health after you lighten it, so make sure to apply a deep conditioner to your hair every time you wash it throughout the lightening process. This will help lessen, or even prevent, damage to your hair.

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