need to lighten...HELP!

[wadawas]

Hi everyone.

I've been washing my hair for a while now with molasses - completely not even thinking that it might darken my hair.

I didn't even notice it was darkening because it's winter & i'm free of sun highlights.

Well, now my naturally light honey gold blond hair is brownish looking! Ahh!!

Is there any way to *naturally* lighten my hair?? I've never before had to do anything to my haircolour, so have not researched at all.

My hair is thin, very fragile & on the dry side, so whatever i do has to be gentle.

Help is appreciated!

[chamogirl]

Hi everyone.

I've been washing my hair for a while now with molasses - completely not even thinking that it might darken my hair.

I didn't even notice it was darkening because it's winter & i'm free of sun highlights.

Well, now my naturally light honey gold blond hair is brownish looking! Ahh!!

Is there any way to *naturally* lighten my hair?? I've never before had to do anything to my haircolour, so have not researched at all.

My hair is thin, very fragile & on the dry side, so whatever i do has to be gentle.

Help is appreciated!


Quit the molasses and use honey instead. I use it by putting it into my conditioner and it gradually lightens. There is a honey thread that is helpful too.

[ktani]

Hi everyone.

I've been washing my hair for a while now with molasses - completely not even thinking that it might darken my hair.

I didn't even notice it was darkening because it's winter & i'm free of sun highlights.

Well, now my naturally light honey gold blond hair is brownish looking! Ahh!!

Is there any way to *naturally* lighten my hair?? I've never before had to do anything to my haircolour, so have not researched at all.

My hair is thin, very fragile & on the dry side, so whatever i do has to be gentle.

Help is appreciated!

Welcome to LHC!

Honey can lighten hair colour but the molasses colour should gradually wash out on its own.

Molasses like honey, can leave a residue on the hair that can be drying and that a vinegar rinse (in this case I suggest white vinegar), can help remove. Honey residue is best removed with shampoo, based on reports in Honey.

Here is the Honey thread, the first post of which, tells you all you need to get started on that, if you like, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=148.

And here is an excellent molasses post, that I posted, by another LHC member, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=2128&postcount=5.

[chrissy-b]

I agree with the honey lightening. I did that to lighten up chemical dye on my ends that was nearly black and it worked well.

[ktani]

I agree with the honey lightening. I did that to lighten up chemical dye on my ends that was nearly black and it worked well.

Always happy to read this, lol.

[wadawas]

Thanks everyone.

ktani - i'm surprised that you say molasses can be drying - i've been washing my hair with *only* molasses on it's own for weeks & my hair feels wonderful.

I will switch to honey tomorrow. Will soapnuts not take the residue off? I haven't used shampoo since December & have no desire to go back to one. I want to stay 100% natural (as i am with all of my body care).

Or how about lemon juice? Vinegar makes my hair reek like B.O. for weeks.

[ktani]

Thanks everyone.

ktani - i'm surprised that you say molasses can be drying - i've been washing my hair with *only* molasses on it's own for weeks & my hair feels wonderful.

I will switch to honey tomorrow. Will soapnuts not take the residue off? I haven't used shampoo since December & have no desire to go back to one. I want to stay 100% natural (as i am with all of my body care).

Or how about lemon juice? Vinegar makes my hair reek like B.O. for weeks.

You said that your hair is on the dry side. I actually misread that as dry but molasses can leave a residue. You can try a diluted lemon juice rinse. Soapnuts may help and would be more cleansing. Try honey if you like. It can leave a residue too. It depends on the honey. I have not heard of washing hair with either honey or molasses, exclusively, for long periods of time. Soapnuts may affect your hair colour. They have been reported to alter hair colour for some people. I do not know what to suggest to you at this point. There are shampoo bars, mild natural shampoos, and cleansing herbs. Some plants can darken hair colour. None of the stains though should be permanent. Good luck.

[Katze]

Alternatively, your hair may be looking darker because it's winter and because you are not using shampoo.

My hair color changes DRASTICALLY in different lighting and with different washing methods. If you look in my album you can see my hair looking everything from medium blonde to medium brown. Generally, the drier it is after washing (shampoo without conditioning, for example) the lighter in color it looks. This was hard to get used to when I first came to LHC, as all the moisture treatments were making my hair look much different (darker) than I was used to.

Perhaps something like this is going on and your hair just has more sebum, so it looks darker?

That said I have never put molasses on my hair, as we don't have it here, but honey has proven to be a nice moisturizing treatment that does NOT change my hair color (nor BF's, he has a similar hair color) when I use it, and I use it a lot.

[ktani]

I will switch to honey tomorrow.

Washing with honey is not going to lighten your hair, just so you know. Honey slowly releases peroxide when diluted with water or a liquid that contains water. Honey rinses will not lighten either. The honey in dilution needs to be left on the hair for at least an hour to lighten, if the honey you use, produces enough peroxide. There are other variables as well. See my signature link, the top one.

[wadawas]

Thank you so much for the help, ktani. I appreciate your knowledge & experience. And i have yet more questions... LOL...

How do soapnuts change hair colour? Darker? Duller?
Which other plants are known to change / darken the hair?
I don't want to make this mistake again.

I've been trying to figure out a soapless shampoo method for a few months. But learning now that the things i've been trying darkens the hair - i feel totally screwed & back at square one.

Soaps don't work for my hair - even with the needed acid rinse, the high alkalinity still messes up my cuticles & makes my hair straw-like & brutally knotty. Even the most mild commercial "shampoo" is still a detergent - even the stuff at the health food store (well, detergent or soap: one isn't natural & the other it too alkaline).

So i have to try to come up with a 100% natural plant based shampoo that won't darken my hair.
For now, I will start using honey to lighten.

But any help to figure out a cleansing herb that won't alter my hair colour would be fabulous!



Katze - nah, my hair will go maybe one shade darker, like to a medium honey colour in winter. This winter - after 4 months of using molasses & herbs, I look like a brunette.

[ktani]

Thank you so much for the help, ktani. I appreciate your knowledge & experience. And i have yet more questions... LOL...

How do soapnuts change hair colour? Darker? Duller?
Which other plants are known to change / darken the hair?
I don't want to make this mistake again.

I've been trying to figure out a soapless shampoo method for a few months. But learning now that the things i've been trying darkens the hair - i feel totally screwed & back at square one.

Soaps don't work for my hair - even with the needed acid rinse, the high alkalinity still messes up my cuticles & makes my hair straw-like & brutally knotty. Even the most mild commercial "shampoo" is still a detergent - even the stuff at the health food store (well, detergent or soap: one isn't natural & the other it too alkaline).

So i have to try to come up with a 100% natural plant based shampoo that won't darken my hair.
For now, I will start using honey to lighten.

But any help to figure out a cleansing herb that won't alter my hair colour would be fabulous!

You are most welcome! I do not wash with herbs/plants after researching them and finding out that a few of them can darken hair colour and others can coat the hair (I use catnip to stain my grey/white hair light blonde and catnip does not do well over coatings). I use shampoo. Some people have washed their hair with catnip tea (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=118). I have not used it exclusively for that.

Soapnuts have been reported to bring out red tones for some people and they have or it has (aritha) been reported to stain light blonde hair and make it darker. Soapnuts contain a light brown dye that does not show up on most hair colours, unless they are light and it depends on whether it is used on its own or in a herb wash recipe.

This thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=10900) may help you. It has a few alternative washing suggestions, all natural.

This thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=21003l) should be very helpful too.

Shikakai can stain light hair colours as well. None of these kinds of stains are permanent and may not show up when used in recipes, where the plants are not used on their own (they would be diluted).

If you go the plant/herb route, research the plant in question for toxicity and adverse effects. A plant used in small quantities infrequently may be fine to use, and not fine to use in large quantities, all of the time.

Here (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=177877&postcount=4) is a post that may help you as well.

Here is a clarifying herbal mix post. (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=129312&postcount=94)

Read the first post of the Honey thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=148) or the top link in my signature for information on honey lightening. If you have any questions on that, please post in the Honey thread, and I will be happy to reply.

[wadawas]

Thanks Ktani :)

I read the clarifying soapnut recipe. But it's not clear what in the mix is combating the staning.

Shooting in the dark: do you think that maybe adding a bit of lemon juice to the soapnut liquid wold help combat the stain?

No worries on the toxicity research part - i always do that.

There is so much info on Eastern Indian herbal hair care. But what about herbs from the west? On the list you provided was stinging nettle & beetroot which was nice to see.
Does anyone know what the Native Indians from Canadian & the US used to wash there hair?

[Ursula]

I'd probably start by doing a clarifying wash. Pull out an ALS based shampoo, wash twice, then follow with a moisturizing deep treatment. That should remove any residue from the molasses, and let you know what is going on with your hair color underneath any buildup from the molasses.

I wouldn't start with any lightening treatments (even honey) until after you've clarified, as if the darkness is only buildup, you might wind up lightening the hair underneath when you don't really want to.

[ktani]

Thanks Ktani :)

I read the clarifying soapnut recipe. But it's not clear what in the mix is combating the staning.

Shooting in the dark: do you think that maybe adding a bit of lemon juice to the soapnut liquid wold help combat the stain?

No worries on the toxicity research part - i always do that.

There is so much info on Eastern Indian herbal hair care. But what about herbs from the west? On the list you provided was stinging nettle & beetroot which was nice to see.
Does anyone know what the Native Indians from Canadian & the US used to wash there hair?

You are most welcome! I think that the staining in the clairifying recipe was was partly because the staining herbs were in less quantity and were well diluted.

I do not know if lemon juice will help the soapnuts and staining. Strand testing is best, IMO.

There is a Native American Hair Care thread. (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=7256)

Good luck!

[ktani]

I'd probably start by doing a clarifying wash. Pull out an ALS based shampoo, wash twice, then follow with a moisturizing deep treatment. That should remove any residue from the molasses, and let you know what is going on with your hair color underneath any buildup from the molasses.

I wouldn't start with any lightening treatments (even honey) until after you've clarified, as if the darkness is only buildup, you might wind up lightening the hair underneath when you don't really want to.

I agree. I think that the stain will wash out. The question is though with what? Shampoo is not an option here.

A very diluted completely dissolved baking soda (baking soda completely dissolves in warm and hot water) wash, may help and although alkaline (pH 8 ), would not be not too harsh IMO, if followed by a well diluted lemon juice rinse. Most soaps and shampoo bars have a higher pH than that. Some people here love washing their hair with baking soda, others not. I would not use it often. Some members here have said that their tap water has a pH of about 8. I prefer shampoo. I do not use anything alkaline on my hair but that is just my preference.