How to lighten dark hair professionally?

Author: Dr. Alivia Spencer  |  Last update: Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Professional stylists often use techniques to "bleed" the excess color from hair. This involves using clarifying or dandruff shampoos that help strip away the unwanted dye. This method is less damaging compared to bleaching and is often the first step a professional will take to correct overly dark hair dye.

How do salons lighten dark hair?

Much more aggressive than a color treatment, bleaching totally eliminates the hair's natural pigments (or the pigments from a previous color treatment). Although it is brutal on hair, it is often the only way to lighten your natural shade to a maximum or to obtain a bleached base that can be used to recolor hair.

How do you lighten hair if it's too dark?

Color remover or a bleach bath/rinse with 10vol and clarifying shampoo. You mix one part bleach powder with two parts developer, then add your shampoo in the mix. Apply it on wet hair and check every 3-4 minutes, leave the solution max 30 mins.

How much does it cost to lighten dark hair?

Professional hair bleaching can cost between $150 to $400.

What is the healthiest way to lighten dark hair?

Natural bleaching agents like apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, chamomile tea, or cinnamon and honey can lighten hair gently and naturally with minimal damage.

Hairdressers Guide To Coloring Your Own Hair And Not Ruining It

How can I lighten my dark brown hair without damaging it?

The easiest way to lighten hair is to use a clarifying shampoo or a mixture of baking soda and lemon juice. These methods are gentle and can gradually lighten the hair over a few washes. For more immediate results, a professional toner or hair lightener can be used.

Is it more damaging to lighten or darken hair?

The formulas used to lighten or bleach strands can cause the most damage as the process is incredibly complex and changes your hair the most. That's not to say going dark doesn't have its cons.

How do hairdressers lighten black hair?

Often when bleaching black or very dark hair, the hair will lift to a brassy tone, which is completely normal and is to be expected. To fix this, we use a toner to change the shade and counteract any orange. Toner doesn't make the hair any lighter, it just ensures that you can have a cooler, natural blonde shade.

How do you get caramel highlights on dark brown hair?

Caramel highlights on dark brown hair can be achieved through hand-painted balayage or foils to lighten the base subtly. When the color is evenly distributed and placed in the right areas, it should mimic what the sun does naturally: give the hair a more dimensional look.

What is the best hair lightener for dark hair?

What is the best bleach for dark hair?
  • Best high lifting bleach - Schwarzkopf BLONDME Bond Enforcing Premium Lightener 9+
  • Best salon value bleach - Lotus Low Dust (Blue) Bleach.
  • Best anti-yellow bleach - Wella Blondor Multi Blonde Powder.
  • Best bleach with colouring system - Goldwell Oxycur Platin Dust Free Blue Bleach.

Will Dawn dish soap lighten dyed hair?

Dish Soap

Fortunately, if you go through the effort of using this drying soap on your dyed hair, it can help remove unwanted color. You'll need to do many washes to fade it out, but it is a step in the right direction if you want to remove a color.

Can you put lighter hair color over dark hair color?

- Using a lighter color over your last hair color will not work and will create unnecessary stress to your hair. - You cannot inflict hair color over hair color on your hair or it may just break. Wait at least one month before dyeing your hair again.

Is there a gentle way to lighten hair?

Add Apple Cider Vinegar

All around, it's a hair care winner. "Mix one part apple cider vinegar and six parts water to take off build-up (for example, chlorine)," Bodt explains. "This is a gentle way to lighten strands—but you may have to do it a few times to get results."

How can I lighten my dark hair that is too dark?

Use Hair Lightener or Toner

Hair lighteners or toners are great for lifting darker shades and achieving a lighter shade. Apply the toner or hair lightener to your hair according to the product's instructions. Rinse it out once you've reached your desired color.

How many sessions does it take to lighten dark hair?

How Many Sessions Does It Take To Lighten Hair? Depending on the level of your hair, it usually takes between two to five hair sessions to lighten very dark hair. If you're interested in lightening dark hair, we recommend speaking to a trained hair colorist who can provide you with further information.

How many levels does high lift color lift?

Characteristics of oxidative permanent and high-lift colour products: Ability to lift up to 4 levels. Lift and deposit tone in one process. One formula will produce an even result throughout the hair.

What is the best highlight color for dark brown hair?

Chocolate brown highlights

If you have dark brown or black hair and want to subtly transform your look, opt for rich chocolate brown highlights. This deep, inviting tone blends seamlessly with dark brown hair, adding richness and dimension without an overtly “light” effect.

What happens if you highlight over dark brown hair without bleach?

In general, those looking to dye dark hair without bleach will fare best with colors as dark as or darker than your existing hue—think moody burgundies, deep browns, or inky blacks. If you want to go lighter, you'll typically need some form of bleach. Without bleach, you can only deposit color, not lift it.

Are caramel highlights damaging?

Highlights, while a popular hair coloring technique, can indeed cause damage to your hair over time if not properly cared for. The damage can range from dryness and brittleness to breakage and split ends. It's important to note that the level of damage can vary based on individual factors and hair care practices.

How do I lighten my black hair without bleaching?

You can make this treatment by mixing one part honey with four parts distilled water in a bottle. Allow the honey and water to sit at room temperature for an hour. You can also add one to two teaspoons of cardamom, which also has bleaching properties, to your natural lightener.

How to go from dark to light brown?

Going from black to brown hair typically requires bleaching your hair, finding the correct color for your needs, and applying your dye. Note that this isn't a one-day process: At a minimum, you'll want to wait a few days between lightening your hair and coloring it to avoid unnecessary damage.

How do hairdressers remove box dye?

Hydrogen peroxide

Often used in professional settings for dyeing your hair, this chemical can also strip away color when used correctly.

What happens if you put light brown dye on dark brown hair?

Colour doesn't lift colour…so, if you've previously coloured your hair to that dark brown, using a light brown won't do much, if anything at all. You may need to use a bleach or a very light blonde shade in order to lift it any and risk that orangey look.

Does darker hair age you?

Hair that's too dark doesn't reflect light. It can look opaque and age you, zapping life and color from your face. Very dark, one-dimensional hair will put a spotlight on your grays and regrowth. Ask your colorist for a single process with highlights to bring your natural hair color a shade or two lighter.

What is the least damaging hair color for dark hair?

Golden Light Brown

Cataanda James, a color expert and multicultural hair specialist, recommends trying golden brown and blonde tones. “Brunettes on the darker side of the spectrum [can achieve] beautiful shades of caramel and warm, golden light browns—without the damage.”

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