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Hair lightener. Make your own hair lightener

Submitted by Kate

Ingredients

  • 2 cups water
  • 2 cups chamomile tea
  • 1 tablespoon of parsley
  • 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
Boil all the ingredients and let it simmer for 15 mins. Strain out the tea bags and parsley (make sure to remove all of the parsley) and let it sit till room temperature. Poor on to hair over a sink and rinse two or three times. Your hair should be smelling nice and looking lighter!

The following was sent in by Answers

Before I answer the questions that have been asked 20X, first you need to understand how hair lightening works. When you lighten your hair, this is not something that will "fade" or can be undone. It's something that is permanent (except for covering it with darker dye).

When you go to a salon to have you hair professional chemically lightened, this is a two-step process. Or if you buy hair lightener in a box - same thing. The "developer" (usually a mixture of peroxide and ammonia = very harsh) opens the hair shaft and strips it of its natural color. Then the (blonde) dye is added to achieve the new shade. Results are different on each person, depending on the natural color of your hair.

This chamomile/lemon mixture acts in the exact same manner - except it is a "natural" method and not chemical. The lemon juice is the natural "developer" and the chamomile adds the warm blonde tones (unique to each person depending on the natural color of your hair.

If you've previously dyed your hair darker than its natural color (i.e. dyed it black), then your hair has not been stripped of its real color. The shaft has been opened and a darker pigment has been added. This will fade over time if you stop dying it black.

NOW THE ANSWERS:

Q: Will it work on naturally jet black hair?
A: No.

Q: Will it work on hair that is dyed black?
A: No. Not until the black dye fades or grows out.

Q: Can I use lime juice instead?
A: No. Lemon juice is a natural developer.

Q: Can it be bottled lemon juice?
A: Yes.

Q: Do I have to sit in the sun?
A: No. But if you don't then you need to use a hair dryer because it is the HEAT that makes the lemon juice work. 20 minutes with a hair dryer is as effective as 3 hours in the sun.

Q: Can I use a different tea?
A: No. The chamomile tea is what gives it the natural looking blonde tones.

Q: Can I just use lemon juice and nothing else?
A: Yes. The lemon juice is primarily what lightens the hair via a natural "chemical reaction." BUT it will look more bleach-blondy and harsh without the tea's tones.

Q: Will it work on brown (even dark brown) hair?
A: Yes. Not as effectively, but yes. You'll need to use more lemon, more heat, etc.

Q: Will it fade?
A: No. You've permanently lightened the hair.

Q: Should I wash my hair afterward?
A: Yes. After you have HEATED it with sun or blow dryer, wash it because the lemon will continue to dry out your hair.

Q: Do I need parsley?
A: No. Parsley promotes shine and hair growth. In this mixture it acts as the conditioner. It does nothing to contribute to lightening it. You can just use conditioner when you're done lightening instead.




Visitors comments



 
INSTRUCTIONS NOT CLEAR!! Comments By: Liz on 2009-03-21
I wasn't sure if you were meant to wash hair first, or pour onto dry hair sorry Kate I did not find your instructions clear. What I did which may help any out there is look for other sites and the consensus was to wash hair first and condition. I thought that seemed a bit silly as I would want to condition after treatment.
Here is what I did and it worked. I have naturally blonde hair which always darkens over winter and then goes very blonde in the sun but with our poor summer last year it did not get its usual dose of sun.
I wet my hair then poured mixture through. I didn't add the extra 2 cups of water I made two cups of tea in a cup not mug,1 tablespoon lemon and simmered in boling water for about 15 mins. Let cool over night.
I left the misture in fro about 20 mins then dries my hair not to bone dry but held the dryer a long way away and sort of wind blowed my hair! Left another 20 mins then I washed my hair using chamomile and lemon balm shampoo ( bought from Boots) and conditioned with thier intensive camomlie and lemon conditioning balm. Then blow dried hair properly. It looked great shiny and had picked all the natural highlights beautifully. I plan to do this twice a week until the sun can take over.I am 52 and hair suffering the hormonal effects of menopause but it left my hair looking lovely so definitely recommend particularly if like me you are blonde already.
I hope this clarifies the procedure I used.
1.wet hair
2.towel dry
3.pour in solution, make sure all covered
4.leave in and then rough dry your hair
5. shampoo and condition

I have also read that you can add this solution to natural yoghurt and make like a paste to put on your hair. You lleave on for 50 mins wearing a shower cap or wrapped in clingfilm and this conditions hair at the same time. maybe better for people with chemically coloured hair. Hope I have helped .

 
Excellent Results Comments By: Suzette C. Myers on 2009-04-02
Before the treatment my hair was a very light blond with gray at the nape of my neck and in the middle of the top of my head. After the treatment, the gray appears much lighter and has blended into the rest of my hair much better. My light blond hair picked up some wonderful warm tones, it's soft, bouncy, and definitely looks more youthful.
Tips and more Info: I made the treatment with fresh, organic herbs and a lime obtained at a local Grower's Market. I put filtered water in a sauce pan and heated it until the first little bubbles appeared at the edge of the pan. I turned off the heat, plunged in the fresh herbs and the lime which I cut in half and squeezed into the water, and covered. While I waited for the mixture to be ready, I took another lime and squeezed it into the roots of my gray hairs. I knew the herbal mixture was ready when the herbs and lime had sunk to the bottom of the pan. By this time, it was also cool enough to pour on my head. I covered my shoulders with a towel, put a large bowl in the sink and bent over it as I poured the tea over my hair, chamomille flowers, parsley,(Parsley has been used for centuries to protect the skin and hair from the effects of the sun.) and all. They mostly stayed in the bottom of the pan while the rest of the tea flooded my hair and was gathered in the bowl to repeat the pouring 3 more times. No sun today, and I didn't want to use the heat from a hair dryer on my hair. I wrung my hair out and clipped it back while I made a phone call to a friend. After maybe 30 minutes, I shampooed with a natural non-lauryl sulfate shampoo and followed with a conditioner. My hair still felt dry so I put a heaping tablespoon of real maynnaoise through it and let it rest for about 15 minutes. I shampooed, used more conditioner and rinsed. I let my hair dry naturally with fabulous results!

 
? Comments By: eadie on 2009-04-11
will this make natural dark brown hair lighter??? what colour would my hair turn????
 
help Comments By: sahel on 2009-04-24
how long do i have to put this on my hair can someone please help. please can you just email me the answer my email is [email protected]
 
Will it turn orange to blonde? Comments By: Victoria on 2009-05-13
i dyed my hair red a while ago so i let it grow out and it faded a little bit so i went ahead and died it blonde well it came out orange if i do this will it come out blonde like i wanted???
 
Does dries parsley work? Comments By: KJ on 2009-05-15
I don't have frsh parsley... will dried work okay? Hope it does...
 
=] Comments By: Anon on 2009-05-21
what does the parsley do?
 
Works on dark Brown hair Comments By: Britt <3 on 2009-05-25
This does work on dark brown hair. Ive been using it the past couple of days and am finally seeing nice results. Dark brunettes may have to repeat this many times but eventually it will work. Its bringing out my natural reddish/blonde highlights and i love it
 
trying this tomorrow Comments By: Camille on 2009-05-30
im gonna try to do this mixture tonight n sit in the sun tomorrow as much as possible...i have like medium brown hair but its kinda golden too so hopefully i can get back to my natural sandy blonde color. done wi salons. charge wayyyyy too much and i never get the results i want.
 
sounds good babe Comments By: Sarina on 2009-06-05
i havnt tryed it yet but...it sounds good i have medium brown hair and i want to go lighter but if it doesnt work i love brown hair aswell so good luck hunns hope it works :)xxx
 



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