How to Dye Brown Hair Blonde Without Bleach

Do you want to make brown hair lighter without bleach? When bleach removes hair colour it breaks apart hair proteins leaving the hair weaker and prone to frizz and dryness. Fortunately there are ways to lighten dark hair without causing this damage. I will show you how to dye brown hair blonde without bleach but instead using natural ingredients or high lift dyes.

There are two ways to dye brown hair without bleach, either with a natural lightener such as lemon juice or chamomile tea, or by using a high lift dye.

High lift dyes are able to achieve blonde colours without the use of bleach. They don’t strip the hair of its natural pigment but instead deposit pigment and tone onto the hair shaft. With high lift dyes and natural lighteners you also have the advantage of not needing an extra toner.

Bleach can leave unwanted brassy tones in the hair over time, meaning you also need a toner or purple shampoo to keep your colour fresh and remove any ginger. With natural lighteners and hair lift dyes however you are more likely to achieve a natural-looking dusty, ashy, or platinum blonde without making your hair turn orange.

Natural lighteners and high lift dyes work best on brown hair and dark blondes, but the end result will depend on your natural hair colour.

This post is all about how to dye brown hair blonde without bleach

How to Dye Brown Hair Blonde Without Bleach

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What is High Lift Dye?

High lift dye was created for those who don’t want to use bleach on their hair. It contains more ammonia and dye pigment compared with regular dyes. This means it can lighten the hair more effectively than other blonde dyes, and also tone it at the same time.

High lift dyes should only be used on hair that has not been coloured before and is either brown or dark blonde in colour. They won’t work well on dark brown or black hair. Although they are a gentler alternative to bleach, they are not a substitute for bleaching.

Best High Lift Dyes to Lighten Brown Hair

L’Oreal and Schwarzkopf produce some excellent high lift dyes that permanently colour medium brown hair to dark blonde hair. Before trying your blonde dye make sure to do a strand test first to check how your hair responds to the product.

These two hair brands have been recommended by a professional colorist and are excellent for achieving natural looks and maintaining healthy hair.

L’Oreal Majirel High Lift Ash

The L’Oreal Majirel High Lift comes in an array of seven different shades of blonde, from ultra-cool tones to luminous platinum blondes. The formula helps to strengthen and reinforce the hair fibre making the hair appear silky and soft.

The ash tone is perfect for turning brown hair two to three shades lighter. It colours the hair beautifully without leaving any brass or orange hair.

Last update on 2025-03-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Schwarzkopf Royal High Lifts Special Blonde Cendre 

The Schwarzkopf Professional Igora Royal High Lift uses Fibreplex Bond Technology which repairs and strengthens the hair bonds during the colouring process. This means less hair damage, dryness and frizz.

The range has eleven gorgeous blonde hair colours to suit any skin tone, including a new ultra-cool silver white pigment which is their coolest blonde shade.

Last update on 2025-03-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

How to Make a Natural Hair Lightener

Natural ingredients such as chamomile tea, lemon juice, honey and vinegar are known to lighten hair colour. Although they won’t turn dark brown hair to a blonde color, they can still lighten the hair gradually over time.

What you will Need:

• Chamomile flowers which have no artificial colours or flavours
• 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Last update on 2025-03-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

How to Make the DIY Hair Lightener:

Take three heaped teaspoons of the chamomile flowers and three cups of water and put them into a saucepan.

Boil the water on the stove and wait until it’s bubbling before leaving the flowers to brew for a further ten minutes in the boiling water. The water will turn a dark yellow colour.

After ten minutes take the saucepan off the stove and leave it to cool for about twenty minutes. Once the mixture is cool squeeze the lemon and pour the juice into the saucepan. Add 1 teapsoon of honey and 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to the mixture and stir well.

Using a fine sieve or cheese cloth strain the water from the mixture and pour it into a spray bottle using a funnel.

How to Use the Natural Hair Lightener:

Firstly wash your hair thoroughly and squeeze out any excess water. Once your hair is clean spray the hair lightener onto your hair while it is still damp.

If it is easier, divide your hair into sections to ensure all the hair is completely saturated with the mixture. Once your hair is covered put your hair into a shower cap and leave it for an hour, or preferably overnight.

For the best results you should use the natural lightener regularly on the hair as it will gradually start to lighten the hair over time. You can also spray it onto dry hair in between washes.

Can I Buy a Natural Lightener to Dye Brown Hair?

Yes, if you don’t want to make a natural dye at home there are products with natural lightening ingredients to buy online. These are a convenient way to make darker hair a lighter color over time without hair bleach.

Natural Blonde Hair Lightening Spray

The Camomila Intea hair lightening lotion contains chamomile to gradually lighten brunette and dark blonde hair over time. This product is excellent if you want to soften the colour of dark roots in coloured hair, and makes your natural hair color a lighter shade without causing any damage.

The important thing is you have complete control to choose how blonde you want to go. If you have a dark hair color and keep using the product regularly it will eventually lighten to blonde.

You can also use this product to create highlights in the hair by spraying separate strands. It gets good results on brunette hair leaving dark strands contrasted with lighter hair.

Last update on 2025-03-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Klorane Sun Lightening Spray

The Klorane Sun Lightening Spray lightens brown hair with chamomile and honey. The chamomile used is grown under the Mediterranean sun and is rich in apigenin, a yellow pigment which attaches to the hair without penetrating the hair cuticle.

The formula is paraben and silicone free and made without hydrogen peroxide or harsh chemicals. It lightens the hair gradually, so you can apply it slowly until your hair has reached the right shade.

This is an excellent natural spray to turn brown hair blonde without using bleach or a blond hair dye.

Last update on 2025-03-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Does Sun-in Contain Bleach?

Yes. If you want to avoid bleach you should not use sun-in. Sun-in contains hydrogen peroxide which is a bleaching agent that can cause orange and brassy tones in the hair. It can also damage the hair making it frizzy and dry. You also have far less control over what colour your hair will turn. You could spray brown hair hoping to get blonde and end up with orange or red hair!

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This post was all about how to dye brown hair blonde without bleach

Thank you for reading my post about how to dye brown hair blonde without bleach. There are great alternatives and natural methods to achieving blonde hair color with using bleach and stripping your hair of its natural oils. If you have tried any of the products I have recommended then please leave me a comment below and let me know how you got on.