Q: How can I make my hair blonder without hair dye or bleaching? I have blondish brown hair and would like a shampoo and /or conditioner that makes my hair much blonder, brighter and lighter. Is that possible?
What shampoo should I use?
A: You cannot make your hair lighter in color without some form of bleaching. Whether you use peroxide, bleaching formulas for hair, or lemon juice and the sun, these products all disperse the color molecules within
the hair and cause it to become lighter.
There are shampoos and conditioner formulas for blonde hair that help to prevent brassiness and make the blonde appear brighter and combat yellowing (look for “Shimmer Lights by
Clairol), but any formula that lifts the color of the hair will contain some sort of bleaching agent.
If you want a gentle process that will lighten the hair slightly without doing a lot of damage, ask your stylist about performing a “soap cap”. In this process, the stylist combines
your favorite shampoo with a peroxide developer and shampoos your hair with the mixture, leaving the lather in place for a short period of time before rinsing. The heat of the water helps the peroxide process more
quickly, while the shampoo helps to keep the process gentler and ensures a clean, quick rinse out. This if followed by a second shampoo and conditioning.
The results are never bold, but may be what you want, and can be repeated more often – safely – than regular bleaching treatments.
