Natural blond hair is never white and can even be quite dark. If you want to lighten your natural blond strands, it’s a good idea to let the professionals do it for you at the hair salon. They will be able to help you lighten your blonde hair with a high-quality bleaching agent.

However, if you prefer to do it yourself, there are some great DIY methods that you can try to lighten your natural blonde hair.

Common ways to lighten natural blonde hair at home are to use a chamomile tea hair mask, apple cider vinegar mixture, or use sun-lightening sprays.

Try a Chamomile Tea Hair Mask

According to a research document posted in the Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research, Chamomile is a vegetable dye that is used commonly to yield yellow shades. Chamomile also helps to lighten hair by providing it with greater light reflection.

When applied to the scalp, Chamomile can provide skin-soothing, softening, and moisturizing effects. This makes chamomile one of the best natural ingredients you can use to lighten blonde hair.

To Make a Chamomile Tea Hair Mask, Here is What You Will Need:

• Chamomile Tea Bags
• A large Cup
• A Spray Bottle
• Tooth Comb

What You Need To Do:

1. Infuse 1 chamomile tea bag in a cup of hot water for about 30 minutes.
2. Let the tea cool down to room temperature and add it into a spray bottle.
3. Spray the tea onto sections of your hair that you want to lighten. Use the comb to help spread the tea evenly on the strands of hair that you want to be lightened.
4. Let the hair air-dry.
5. Wash your hair after 10-20 minutes.
6. Repeat steps 1-5 daily until desired shade is reached.

Keep in mind that the higher the concentration of the tea, the strong the effect.

Use Apple Cider Vinegar

According to Britt Brandon, a certified fitness nutrition specialist and author of his book Apple Cider Vinegar For Health, apple cider vinegar contain acids and enzymes that can lighten the hair. To use apple cider vinegar to lighten blonde hair, follow the steps below.

What You Will Need:

• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Water
• A Spray Bottle
• Tooth Comb

What You Need To Do:

1. Mix 1 cup apple cider vinegar with 6 cups of water in a spray bottle
2. Spray the mixture onto sections of your hair that you want to lighten. Use the comb to help spread the mixture evenly on the strands of hair that you want to be lightened.
3. Let the hair air-dry.
4. Wash your hair after 10-20 minutes.
5. Repeat steps 1-4 daily until desired shade is reached.

Spend 1 to 4 Hours In the Sun (with Sun Lightening Sprays)

Monica Davis, a Professional Hairstylist with over 25 years of experience and the founder of MyStraightener, shares that sunlight may tan your skin but it can actually lighten your hair. This is because the ultraviolet rays from sunlight oxidize your hair and bleach out the melanin, your hair’s natural pigment.

Results from sun hair lightening are usually permanent and your hair will not fade or darken unless it’s color-treated.

This method is most effective when done with store-brought lightening sprays or DIY lightening sprays that you can make at home (More on this below).  I would use this method for lightening / highlighting sections of your hair only.

You could do this method without the lightening sprays but it will be less effective. The effectiveness of this method will depend on:

• The amount of sunlight you receive in your area
• The intensity of the sun rays
• How evenly you distribute your hair to receive the light
• The amount of time you spend in the sun.

Here’s What You Need: 

1. Hair Clips / Hair Ties
2. Sun Lightening Spray (Store Brought or DIY, see below)
3. Tooth Comb

Here’s What You Need To Do:

1. Part your hair so that the section of hair that you want to lighten is exposed.
2. Mist the sun lightening spray on the damp or dry hair section.
3. Spend 1-4 hours a day under summer light.
4. Rinse hair thoroughly and condition hair.

Results should show within 2-3 weeks. Don’t forget to use a good conditioner after each session.  Every lightening session requires hair restoration and protection procedures.

Suggested Sun Lightening Sprays to Try

Oribe Bright Blonde Sun Lightening Mist

The Oribe Bright Blonde Sun Lightening Mist is one of the best hair lightening sprays for blondes. This spray is  Dermatologist-tested and formulated without parabens, sulfates, or sodium chloride. It’s safe for color and keratin-treated hair.

It contains:

• Concentrated Lemon Extracts –  Lemons contain citric acid, an oxidizing agent that can be absorbed into the hair cortex to lighten the hair.
• Concentrated Chamomile Extracts – Chamomile yields yellow shades that help to lighten blonde hair. It also helps reflect light, enhancing the lightning effect of blonde hair.

This spray gradually lightens your blonde hues with the heat of the sun. You can also use your hairdryer.

Klorane Sun Lightening Spray

The Klorane Sun Lightening Spray is one of the best sun lightening sprays with chamomile and honey.

Honey contains glucose oxidase, which is an enzyme that breaks down glucose and leaves behind hydrogen peroxide. When applied to the hair, it bleaches melanin which lightens the hair.

This spray is tested by dermatologists. It is paraben, silicone, and hydrogen peroxide-free. This spray gradually brightens your hair without bleaching agents.

DIY Your Own Sun Lightening Sprays

2 common natural sun hair lighteners for blonde hair are salt and lemon. Use the recipes below to create your own sun-lightening spray using these natural ingredients.

DIY Sun Lightening Salt Spray

Salt helps to open your hair’s cuticles, allowing more sunlight to bleach out the melanin in your hair.

To make your own sun-lightening salt spray, simply mix a tablespoon of salt and 1/2 cup of warm water in a spray bottle. 

DIY Sun Lightening Lemon Spray

Lemon juice is made up of about 5% citric acid. When applied to hair, it acts as an oxidizing agent and when your hair is exposed to the sun, the acid helps to accelerate the oxidizing process to reduce melanin (your hair’s color pigment).

To make your own sun lighting lemon spray, simply mix 2 cups of water with 1 cup of lemon juice in a spray bottle.