5 Natural Hacks to Lighten Brunette Hair

By Emily Orofino, Pop Sugar 

When temperatures begin to rise, I feel a pang of envy when seeing my blond-haired, beach-waved friends. 

[post_ads]It feels like chic braids are so much more flattering on them — but I'm too scared to lose my hair-color virginity. I've never processed my straight, light-brown strands, and colorists constantly try to convince me to try dye.
Instead of giving in to the pretty peer pressure, I'm turning to natural remedies to brighten my mane. If you're also brunette (and bored!), I suggest you do the same — plus, these DIYs make for a superb Pinterest board. While you might not get to platinum status, these easy tricks will add some sun-kissed golden tones to your mane without the serious commitment of bleach. Read on to master these hacks!

Chamomile Tea

If you have superdark hair and would like to give it more of a golden glow, sift through your bags of tea and find your favorite chamomile brew. Fill a large mug with boiling water, then steep a chamomile tea bag in it for 10 minutes. Once the tea has cooled, pour it over clean hair and let strands soak overnight. Rinse and feel free to repeat! Chamomile is one of the gentlest essential oils, so you can even use it on color-treated hair without fear of brassiness. Bonus: this ingredient has antidandruff properties.

Lemons

This is basically a more natural (and less risky!) version of your Sun-In experiment from high school. Use a piece of lemon to lightly "paint" highlights onto your head — try focusing on small sections at the crown of your head and the pieces that frame your face. Alternatively, mix two tablespoons of lemon juice in a cup of warm water and apply to your strands as an all-over mask. Then, sit outside and let your hair dry in the sun, letting the heat activate the lemon. Be sure to follow up with a nourishing treatment, like a coconut oil mask, as the fruit juice may aggravate dry hair. After all, you're putting citric acid on it!

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Cinnamon

If you're concerned about taking your hair color into your own hands, trying a cinnamon hair mask is the safest place to start, because the color-changing effects of this spice are very subtle. Mix a teaspoon of cinnamon with enough water to form a paste. Apply your favorite conditioner thoroughly to wet hair and leave it on. Apply the cinnamon-water mixture to your slick strands — the conditioner will help the blend stick. Wrap a shower cap around your strands, then leave the mixture on for at least six hours (overnight is ideal). Rinse it off, and enjoy a brighter, delicious-smelling mane.

Vodka 

This doubles as both a hair treatment and a cocktail! Mix one part vodka to two parts seltzer and pour it into a spray bottle, then spritz it on strands while relaxing in the sunshine. (We suggest doubling the recipe if you want something strong to sip on.) The clear blue tones of vodka will lift any brassiness you have in your strands, while the alcohol (plus the hot sun) lifts the natural pigment in your locks. Model Eva Herzigova has sworn by this boozy beauty secret for years.

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Baking Soda 

While I don't recommend using baking soda on your hair as a shampoo, it can make an excellent, easy at-home lightener. Mix a teaspoon of baking soda with water and use it as a rinse once a month (after you shampoo and before you condition your strands) to gradually brighten your color. Baking soda is an alkaline ingredient, and this will lift the cuticle of your hair, the part that protects your hue. This isn't the most hair-healthy technique, because it is similar to how dye works, so you might want to skip this one if you have damaged strands.

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