100% natural alternatives to honey for really lightening hair?

[NaturalVegan]

Really anxious to lighten my virgin hair! Been patiently growing out its dye for like a year or longer, and I don't like how dark my natural color is or how it has some gray strands.

I've been very excited to learn all about honey lightening here at TLHC.

However, I'm a strict vegan, so that would be me "breaking" my veganism. Not using chemicals is just about equally important to me as being vegan though, and I would just really feel prettier with lighter hair. So I'm strongly considering letting honey hair lightening (from as ethical a source as I can find) be my one vegan exception.

Before I decide for sure, wanna ask you all (since this board is so helpful and responsive!!!):

Are there any VEGAN, 100% natural alternatives for lightening (not tinting or darkening or reddening, but LIGHTENING as in making more blonde) hair - that work AS WELL as honey?

And yes, I've read about how these lighten (ordered from most to least lightening): cardamom, cinnamon, evoo, coconut oil. And about how things like chamomile, marigold and vinegar can add some gold tones.

But those sound like they'd be super subtle, right? Or no?

Could I try one of those vegan choices (like cardamom) first, then if they're too subtle, use honey over them? Or does honey work best on hair untreated by herbs/oils?

[sarelis]

Lemon juice will lighten hair, especially if you apply it then sit in the sun! Be careful though, just because something is natural doesn't mean it isn't damaging :)

[lolot]

i dont think honey light virgin hair, at least for me it hasnt, maybe in blond hair, but if its dark i didnt see any diference in months of use, however on dyed hair it did lighten
sorry i cant tell you what could be used natural and effective to light hair, i wish i knew too :D

[lolot]

the lemon and beer thing in the sun do lighten but it also dries hair a lot, i think is better to use a dye

[MagicalMystery]

Cinnamon oil worked pretty well on me.

[NaturalVegan]

i dont think honey light virgin hair, at least for me it hasnt, maybe in blond hair, but if its dark i didnt see any diference in months of use, however on dyed hair it did lighten
sorry i cant tell you what could be used natural and effective to light hair, i wish i knew too :D

Did you carefully follow these directions though? http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=148

[NaturalVegan]

Sorry - should've added this extra info:

I don't want to use cinnamon because I'm too sensitive and pretty sure it'd irritate me.

And I don't wanna use anything drying like lemon cause my hair already leans towards too-dry.

Thank you for sharing your experiences with those though cause someone else reading this thread might find that helpful.

[Amber_Maiden]

I'm vegan and use honey... But then again, I'm one of those vegans who thinks it is ok.

I don't think there is anything out there that works as well as honey for lightening... expect maybe lemon juice and sun- but that is drying. Besides that all I know of is cinnamon.

[earthnut]

And I don't wanna use anything drying like lemon cause my hair already leans towards too-dry.
If you oil your hair before and after the lemon juice, you'd minimize any dryness.

[sarelis]

I'm not sure whether coconut oil applied beforehand might negate some of the drying effects form lemon juice? It's supposed to help with bleach :confused:

[Ninika]

Rhubarb can be used for bleaching hair, but I have not tried it myself. Apparently both roots and stalks can be used for hair, though the root gives a rather yellow colour.

Here (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=38887) is an old thread from the LHC archive.
And here (http://www.ehow.com/how_2139520_use-rhubarb-root-lightening-hair.html) are some instructions I found online.

[NaturalVegan]

Hmm... lemon juice + sun, but with some evoo or coconut oil (both of which lighten) before and after....

...or rhubarb...

Thanks for the ideas so far, ladies :)

[florenonite]

I'm not sure whether coconut oil applied beforehand might negate some of the drying effects form lemon juice? It's supposed to help with bleach :confused:

That's what I'd suggest. Wet hair, apply oil, spray with lemon juice, go outside. When your hair's dry, or you've been outside for an hour, come in, rinse hair, and either condition or oil (or both).

[NaturalVegan]

Before I try any of these vegan alternatives to honey though...

(like: cardamom, cinnamon [cinnamon sounds irritating though], evoo, coconut oil, chamomile, marigold, white vinegar, rhubarb [rhubarb sounds like a strange yellow shade though], lemon+oil, etc.)...

can honey lightening be done just as effectively over hair treated with these herbs/oils/vinegar/plants as it is on hair not treated by those things? (In case I tried those other treatments and the effects weren't dramatic enough, in which case I'd try honey lightening.)

I ask because honey lightening alone already sounds like it'll be more subtle than the chemical dyes I'm used to. I wouldn't want to use any of those other treatments that'd then make honey lightening even more subtle.

Hopefully this made sense how I worded it, haha. Basically I'm trying hard to use other effective options before resorting to honey lightening, cause of my vegan beliefs. Thanks!

ETA: Also: Is there a thread on cardamom somewhere? Can't find one.

[spidermom]

What lightens with honey is peroxide, and peroxide is peroxide; why not go directly to that?
Natural doesn't mean "harmless". Poison ivy is natural.

[florenonite]

What lightens with honey is peroxide, and peroxide is peroxide; why not go directly to that?
Natural doesn't mean "harmless". Poison ivy is natural.

Yes, good point. Some people have reported damage from honey lightening.

It depends on why you want to use natural methods, though. It's not necessarily gentler on the hair, but it might be better for the environment.

[NaturalVegan]

Ooh, looks like catnip is another vegan hair lightener!

Ktani's article on it (http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.com/2009/11/part-3-of-4-on-innovative-approaches-to.html)

[pepperminttea]

Ooh, looks like catnip is another vegan hair lightener!

Ktani's article on it (http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.com/2009/11/part-3-of-4-on-innovative-approaches-to.html)

I think catnip just leaves a yellow tone rather than actually doing any lightening? I don't think it'd show particularly on dark hair.


catnip will cover grey/white hair with a light yellow stain, that is between warm and ash and contains no red or brown (it is not gold). Catnip stain or dye, is not permanent and will wash out.

[NaturalVegan]

I think catnip just leaves a yellow tone rather than actually doing any lightening? I don't think it'd show particularly on dark hair.

Ah, thanks for this info.

[earthnut]

Any oxidizer can lighten hair. Most acids are oxidizers. Lemon juice, lime juice, vinegar, soda, citric acid, ascorbic acid (vitamin c). http://foodnhealth.tumblr.com/post/5732159271/why-lemon-juice-bleaches-your-hair-and-vinegar-does

[Katze]

Lemon juice will lighten hair, especially if you apply it then sit in the sun! Be careful though, just because something is natural doesn't mean it isn't damaging :)

And citrus is a photosensitiser, so if you are at all prone to sunburn, don't do it!

I never got my hair lighter all the times I tried lemon.


i dont think honey light virgin hair, at least for me it hasnt, maybe in blond hair, but if its dark i didnt see any diference in months of use, however on dyed hair it did lighten
sorry i cant tell you what could be used natural and effective to light hair, i wish i knew too :D

Honey did strip dye off my hair the last time I used it. However, in my many years now of using SMTs (and applying them to DH) and using honey as a face mask, it never bleached my hair, skin, or eyebrows; neither did it leave spots from the many drips on my dark-colored towels and clothing.

I really am skeptical that the amount of peroxide present in honey is able to dye hair. IMO, something else is happening -stripping dye, perhaps other things- that are being interpreted as lightening hair. All the pictures I have seen show radically different lightening, and as someone whose hair changes color dramatically in different light and with different washings, I just cannot interpret the pics as having lightened hair.

To each their own...but there is, IMO, nothing natural that will lighten hair, besides the sun itself, which also is damaging. My hair went dark at 12, and I started bleaching since I could not find anything that got me my blonde back. Now I have accepted my adult hair color (mostly) and have given up the almost-30-years-quest to have my childhood hair color.

[MonaMayfair]

I think catnip just leaves a yellow tone rather than actually doing any lightening? I don't think it'd show particularly on dark hair.

Ktani uses the catnip to put blonde tones into her gray hair. It's temporary, washes out with the next wash (I've read through the whole catnip thread!)

[MonaMayfair]

And citrus is a photosensitiser, so if you are at all prone to sunburn, don't do it!

I never got my hair lighter all the times I tried lemon.



Honey did strip dye off my hair the last time I used it. However, in my many years now of using SMTs (and applying them to DH) and using honey as a face mask, it never bleached my hair, skin, or eyebrows; neither did it leave spots from the many drips on my dark-colored towels and clothing.

I really am skeptical that the amount of peroxide present in honey is able to dye hair. IMO, something else is happening -stripping dye, perhaps other things- that are being interpreted as lightening hair. All the pictures I have seen show radically different lightening, and as someone whose hair changes color dramatically in different light and with different washings, I just cannot interpret the pics as having lightened hair.

To each their own...but there is, IMO, nothing natural that will lighten hair, besides the sun itself, which also is damaging. My hair went dark at 12, and I started bleaching since I could not find anything that got me my blonde back. Now I have accepted my adult hair color (mostly) and have given up the almost-30-years-quest to have my childhood hair color.

My hair has lightened a LOT with honey (I've done 17 treatments so far)
I'm lightening up henna which had gone too dark.
It's now several shades lighter (NO question about that, everyone has noticed) It's less red and has more golden tones.
I started to see a difference after the second treatment.

[Katze]

sorry, i meant to say that the pics I have seen supposedly showing honey lightening have different LIGHTING, and as the owner of hair that looks very different in different lighting, this makes it hard for me to believe the claims.

Honey did strip dye out of my hair and I believe it can strip henna...BUT...as a henna artist who uses honey in her paste (as many others do) I still don't believe the peroxide thing. DH is a chemist and he is also very skeptical, even back when I believed the theory and was trying to get my hair lighter.

For those who do see their hair getting lightened, I am curious if towels, bathroom rugs, clothes, furniture also get bleached during the process. Mine never do...

[Mommyof4]

I've seen some MAJOR lightening happen with fresh chamomile tea.. in light brown hair. Have you looked up Rainbow Research henna? It's all natural and they have one that brightens..

[NaturalVegan]

sorry, i meant to say that the pics I have seen supposedly showing honey lightening have different LIGHTING, and as the owner of hair that looks very different in different lighting, this makes it hard for me to believe the claims.

Honey did strip dye out of my hair and I believe it can strip henna...BUT...as a henna artist who uses honey in her paste (as many others do) I still don't believe the peroxide thing. DH is a chemist and he is also very skeptical, even back when I believed the theory and was trying to get my hair lighter.

For those who do see their hair getting lightened, I am curious if towels, bathroom rugs, clothes, furniture also get bleached during the process. Mine never do...

Katze, I'm curious though, did you try following the final honey lightening method exactly, as in using recommended honey types with distilled water in the right ratio for at least an hour the way this first post (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=148) describes?

[MonaMayfair]

sorry, i meant to say that the pics I have seen supposedly showing honey lightening have different LIGHTING, and as the owner of hair that looks very different in different lighting, this makes it hard for me to believe the claims.

Honey did strip dye out of my hair and I believe it can strip henna...BUT...as a henna artist who uses honey in her paste (as many others do) I still don't believe the peroxide thing. DH is a chemist and he is also very skeptical, even back when I believed the theory and was trying to get my hair lighter.

For those who do see their hair getting lightened, I am curious if towels, bathroom rugs, clothes, furniture also get bleached during the process. Mine never do...

I use a microfibre towel for my hair, which is white, and the honey treatment's washed out of my hair by the time I use it, so no sign of bleaching on that.
I don't think I've ever dripped the honey mixture onto anything else, I'm pretty good at swiftly wrapping my head in plastic wrap and a swim cap!

The top few inches of my hair have about 50/50 henna and cassia, and they're now very light blondish brown (before the honey a much darker reddish brown)
The lengths have just henna and they're now a much lighter red with a lot of golden tones.

[NaturalVegan]

I use a microfibre towel for my hair, which is white, and the honey treatment's washed out of my hair by the time I use it, so no sign of bleaching on that.
I don't think I've ever dripped the honey mixture onto anything else, I'm pretty good at swiftly wrapping my head in plastic wrap and a swim cap!

The top few inches of my hair have about 50/50 henna and cassia, and they're now very light blondish brown (before the honey a much darker reddish brown)
The lengths have just henna and they're now a much lighter red with a lot of golden tones.

MonaMayfair - thank you for sharing this! It's nice to read about people like you who have had such great honey results, even over henna.

I'm now toying with the idea of doing either honey lightening treatments then a henna/cassia mix ... or the henna/cassia mix first then honey lightening treatments after. Shooting for changing my light brown hair to warm, golden brown or warm, dark blonde, with some red tones, or sorta a strawberry blonde.

But before resorting to honey I'll try this recipe (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=289520&postcount=2334) (cardamom + distilled water + extra virgin olive oil) and (separately) chamomile (and also separately, maybe lemon) first (cause those are all vegan). Will take pics.

Before that, I gotta figure out if using those things before henna or honey would make the henna or honey not take correctly. Probably not, cause they're all natural? Anyone know?

[MagicalMystery]

I'd suggest vitamin C and shampoo, but if I'm correct, it only removes hair dye.

[MonaMayfair]

MonaMayfair - thank you for sharing this! It's nice to read about people like you who have had such great honey results, even over henna.

I'm now toying with the idea of doing either honey lightening treatments then a henna/cassia mix ... or the henna/cassia mix first then honey lightening treatments after. Shooting for changing my light brown hair to warm, golden brown or warm, dark blonde, with some red tones, or sorta a strawberry blonde.

But before resorting to honey I'll try this recipe (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=289520&postcount=2334) (cardamom + distilled water + extra virgin olive oil) and (separately) chamomile (and also separately, maybe lemon) first (cause those are all vegan). Will take pics.

Before that, I gotta figure out if using those things before henna or honey would make the henna or honey not take correctly. Probably not, cause they're all natural? Anyone know?


With the henna/cassia DO make sure you don't use too much henna as a little goes a long way! Better that it's not quite red enough at first, than go definitely red when you want more of a blonde with red tones!

I think the lemon is potentially more damaging than the honey as I know it often dries the hair out (I'm going by things I've read, I haven't used it myself)

I know some people say chamomile has lightened their hair (and they should know!) but I think this is pretty unusual, as it's generally considered to just give the illusion of lightening by giving temporary golden tones.

I don't know anything about the cardomon. I wonder if it has the potential to irritate the scalp/skin like cinnamon? That's the reason I've avoided cinnamon as I have a sensitive scalp.

I don't see why any of these things would affect the honey if you wanted to try that, and certainly they wouldn't stop the henna/cassia from working.
I'd do the lightening before the henna I think.
And if the henna/cassia turned out too red for you, you could try lightening it as soon as possible afterwards too!

[florenonite]

MonaMayfair - thank you for sharing this! It's nice to read about people like you who have had such great honey results, even over henna.

I'm now toying with the idea of doing either honey lightening treatments then a henna/cassia mix ... or the henna/cassia mix first then honey lightening treatments after. Shooting for changing my light brown hair to warm, golden brown or warm, dark blonde, with some red tones, or sorta a strawberry blonde.

I'd lighten first. henna and cassia won't make your hair lighter, so you need the colour you apply them to to be lighter.

[longhairedleah]

People really seeming to be hating on honey in this thread haha =)

I have very dark brown hair in the winter, that gets lighter brown and reddish in the summer (like my pic). Lemon has never done anything but dry my hair out, but using honey over the winter has given me brown hair like baking in the sun all summer, even just mostly from honey in my almost weekly mayonnaise treatments. And no damage for me.

Honey also has been scientifically proven to produce peroxide. It doesn't just contain it though (maybe that's what the chemist DH someone mentioned was thinking?), it produces it enzymatically (from its own glucose and glucose oxidase enzyme, and it needs water). This is why in the medical field it can be successfully used as wound dressing.

I'm a biomedical engineer with a background in biochemistry, and the research I've come across, along with my personal experience, supports that peroxide is produced.

Whether or not the concentration is enough to lighten certain hair types, and whether it's safe for all hair types, is still up for grabs though ;)

If you have access to journals, I don't know if there is free access to this article, but it's a good example of what exists in the literature:

The Effect of Dilution on the Rate of Hydrogen Peroxide Production in Honey and Its Implications for Wound Healing, 2003, Bang et al.
(This is just a good example. Tons of papers out there affirm that glucose oxidase produces peroxide in honey)

Sorry about the length of this post! And I hope it didn't sound like ranting... I haven't had breakfast yet hahaha (yes. that is an excuse)