How to Dye Your Hair from Brown to Blonde Without Bleach

A straightforward guide on going blonde without the harmful bleach

Going blonde is a great way to shake things up and surprise people with a sunny new look, but bleach is often quite damaging for the hair, and can leave it looking pale and punk-like. Fortunately, it's easy to make your hair blonde yourself. You don't even have to visit the salon! It’s easy and simple, with few ingredients, so it can be done with ease at home.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Lemon Juice

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1
Use lemon juice. It is best if you used fresh squeezed, but organic lemon juice in a bottle will also work.^{[1]XResearch source} The amount of lemon juice you need will depend on how long your hair is, how thick it is, and whether you want to use it all over your hair, or just on sections.
- If you have very long hair and you want to lighten all of your hair, you will probably need at least 2 cups of lemon juice. If you have shorter hair, or you just want to lighten a couple of small sections, you might be able to get by with a 1/2 cup of lemon juice.
- You can potentially also use non-organic lemon juice, but this should be a last resort as you won’t know what toxins and/or pesticides might be present in the juice. These may be trace amounts, but they still aren’t good for you.
2
Mix the lemon juice with water. Mix two parts lemon juice with one part water in a spray bottle.^{[2]XResearch source}
- How much a part is depends on how much you want to make, it is not an exact measurement, but rather a ratio. In this case, if you were to use 2 cups of lemon juice, you would use one cup of water. If you used 1 cup of lemon juice as a part, you would use only a half a cup of water.
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3
Spray the mix into your hair. If you want to lighten all of your hair, then spray the mixture all over, until your hair is completely covered in the juice. Use a wooden or plastic comb to help spread the mixture evenly through your hair.
- Be careful not to get it in your eyes, as this will burn!
4
Separate your hair into sections. If you only want to lighten certain parts of your hair, you can separate those sections, and apply the lemon juice directly to this part of your hair.
- Dip your fingers in the mixture and then disperse the mixture throughout the hair you wish to lighten.
- Alternatively, you can dip a cotton ball or pad into the mixture, grab the sections of hair you want to lighten and run the cotton ball down the shaft.
- If your hair is long enough, you could also try dipping it directly into a bowl of the mixture, and then applying it to the roots using your fingers.
- Avoid using a spray bottle if you only wish to lighten parts of your hair; it will most likely cause the mixture to coat more than the hair you intend to lighten.
5
Use heat to activate the lemon juice in your hair. This method will work best if you then apply heat to your hair, and will work even better if you can spend some time in the sun.
- If it is very sunny and warm outside, then your best option is to go outside for a few hours. The sunlight, in combination with heat, will lighten your hair. Make sure to apply sunscreen to your face, and any other areas where your skin will be exposed!
- If you don’t have access to the sun, another option is to use a blow dryer. Turn the dryer on the highest setting, and dry your hair thoroughly.
6
Repeat. You can repeat this process as often as necessary to achieve the desired result; however, be aware that the lemon juice is acidic, and will dry out your hair with frequent use.
- Understand that you may not see results the first time you do this, especially if you have very dark hair.
- Consider using a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner, or a deep conditioning hair treatment to keep your hair healthy by restoring moisture back into it.
7
Tone down brassiness, if necessary. If you use the lemon juice method to lighten your hair, you may end up with “brassiness” in your hair, meaning it appears more orangey than blonde. If this happens, you can use tomato paste or tomato sauce to help combat this problem.
- Make sure the tomato paste or sauce only contains tomatoes and water.
- Apply the tomato sauce on your hair so that it is evenly spread throughout your hair.
- Wrap your head in aluminium foil.
- Leave in for 20-25 minutes.
- Rinse thoroughly.
- Repeat daily until all of the brassiness is gone.
- Finish with a regular shampoo and conditioner to remove the tomato smell from your hair.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using Honey and Vinegar

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1
Thoroughly combine the ingredients in a bowl. You will need to mix the ingredients thoroughly, so consider using a whisk or a fork to make sure the ingredients are well-incorporated. This method requires more ingredients, but may work better together than they would on their own.^{[3]XResearch source} Raw honey is best because it is the least processed, meaning it will not behave differently than expected because of anything that might have been done to it or added to it before you bought it.^{[4]XResearch source} You can usually find raw honey at your local health food store. The necessary ingredients include:
- 2 cups of distilled vinegar.^{[5]XResearch source}
- 1 cup of raw honey.^{[6]XResearch source}
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil.^{[7]XResearch source}
- 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon or ground cardamom.^{[8]XResearch source} There is no difference between the two in terms of end result, so just use whichever you have on hand, or whichever you will be able to keep for different uses.
2
Apply mixture to hair. You should apply this mixture to damp hair. You can do this either using a comb, to make sure that it completely covers your hair, or with your hands.^{[9]XResearch source}
- You don’t necessarily need to shower to get your hair wet, you can also just spritz your hair with a spray bottle filled with water, or you can wet just your hair in the sink.
- If you only want to apply it to a section or your hair, separate that section, and apply it with your fingers, with an applicator brush, or by dipping the section directly into the mixture.
3
Apply plastic wrap. Wrap the plastic wrap around your head so that it is tight enough to stay in place, but not so tight that it will give you a headache.^{[10]XResearch source}
- You can also use a plastic bag, which you can tie in place, or use a headband to hold in place.
- If you have a shower cap, you can also use that.
- A silicon swim cap might also work well.
4
Leave on overnight. This mixture does not require sunlight, but instead, just needs time to work. Therefore, you should leave it on while you sleep.^{[11]XResearch source}
- Rinse the mixture out of your hair thoroughly in the morning, using whatever you use to wash your hair.
As with the lemon juice method, it will take time to reach the desired color. If you want to make your hair lighter, mix it up again. Remember to keep your hair healthy with a good moisturizing shampoo and conditioner.
Lorri Goddard-Clark, Hair Colorist
Coloring your hair is a great way to express your personality and enhance your natural beauty. But it's important to choose the right color and technique for your hair type and skin tone. Whether you're looking for a subtle change or a dramatic transformation, there's a hair color out there that's perfect for you.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using Chamomile Tea

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1
Brew the tea. The tea needs to be strong, so consider using two bags. Brew enough tea so that you will be able to rinse your hair completely with the tea.^{[12]XResearch source}
- The amount will depend on the length of your hair. If you have very short hair, a large cupful may be enough. If you have very long hair, you may need a pitcher of tea. Fortunately, tea is cheap and easy to make, so if you need more, you can always make some extra.
- Make sure that you wait for the tea to cool before applying it to your hair! It can still be warm, but make sure it won’t burn your skin.
2
Separate your hair into sections. If you only wish to lighten certain parts of your hair, you should separate those sections from the rest of your hair. Instead of dumping the tea all over your hair, you can put it in a spray bottle and spray it directly on the section you wish to lighten.
- You can also dip the sections directly in the tea, and use your fingers to apply it to the roots.
3
Rinse your hair with the tea.^{[13]XResearch source} This will be the least messy if you get undressed and stand in the bath or shower.
- Slowly pour the tea over your hair until it is completely drenched in the tea.
4
Leave in your hair. If you wish, you can leave this on your hair for as long as you wish. Some suggest leaving it on for 15 minutes, while others suggest letting it stay in until your next shampoo.^{[14]XResearch source}^{[15]XResearch source}
- You can try both ways and see which yields better results.
5
Spend some time in the sun. If you can, after applying the tea to your hair, go out into the sun, and let the sun dry your hair. This will speed the lightening process.^{[16]XResearch source}
- As an alternative to completely drenching your hair in the tea, you could make the tea, put it in a spray bottle, and spritz onto your hair before going in the sun each day.^{[17]XResearch source}
- Remember to use sun screen each day on the parts of your skin that will be exposed.
6
Repeat the process. As with all of the methods, it will take many days for you to see results. Fortunately, the tea method will not damage your hair as badly as lemon juice might.
- If you have very dark hair, be patient! Eventually your hair will lighten, but understand that it is unlikely that your hair will ever be platinum blonde without using bleach or some other chemical treatment.

Expert Q&A

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Question
How can you lighten your hair naturally?
Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.
Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Expert Answer
Honey, lemon, and chamomile are all natural lighteners. Apply once or twice a week for gradual, natural lightening.
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Question
Can you lighten your hair with box color?
Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.
Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Expert Answer
It may be possible to lighten your hair with permanent box dye. However, this will only be possible on hair that hasn't been previously colored.
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Can you dye dark hair without bleaching it?
Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.
Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Expert Answer
You can dye hair that has not been previously colored without bleach, but you'll need to pick a color that is no more than 2 shades off from your natural color. Once you have colored your hair you can go the same level or darker without bleach, but not lighter.
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Tips

Get your hair trimmed regularly to keep it healthy. Applying ingredients to lighten it will eventually cause damage, especially to the ends of your hair.
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Warnings

Try to keep the tea off of your skin. If you use this method often, the tea may eventually start to stain your skin.
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Helpful15 Not Helpful2
Don’t let the lemon juice get in your eyes, as it will be very painful if it does!
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Understand that achieving blonde hair without bleach can be very challenging, and depends on your hair color and hair type. Some people will achieve the results they want quickly and easily, while some may never get their hair as light as they want without using bleach.
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Note that while lemon will help lighten the hair, it is also acidic and will cause the hair to become dry and brittle.
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