Editor’s tip: Wait a few days between uses to ensure you don’t damage your hair.
Development Time: A few hours to overnight | Variations: Light hair, dark hair | Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, Vitamin C, lemon peel extract, pineapple extract
Frequently Asked Questions
How do hair lighteners work?
Querisma explains, “Bleach-free hair lighteners work by using hydrogen peroxide and/or vitamin C as the active ingredient. When exposed to heat, the product breaks down the melanin pigments in the hair, exposing light brown, copper, or gold tones.” Lemons are rich in vitamin C, which is why many hair lightening products have this as a key ingredient.
How do you use hair lighteners?
Most products can be applied to dry or damp hair. Querisma recommends applying hair lighteners to clean, damp hair since water causes the hair follicle to swell slightly, which can help the lightener work better. She also notes it’s easier to distribute the product evenly in damp hair.
The majority of hair lighteners are heat-activated, meaning they start working when you use a blow dryer on your hair or spend time in the sun. Others are UV activated. While the majority of hair lighteners are designed to be left in your hair, some—like the dpHue Blonding Brush–are meant to be rinsed out.
What effect can someone realistically expect from a hair lightener?
Maria McCool, hairstylist, salon owner, and founder and CEO of Calista, said that people can expect their hair to get two to three shades lighter when using a hair lightener. “The time it takes to lighten your hair will depend on how dark your natural shade is,” she explains.
When is it better to go to a salon?
Querisma says that it’s better to go to a salon if you’re seeking a precise and intentional highlighted look. “You aren’t going to be able to achieve ‘Pinterest hair’ with these types of lighteners, unfortunately. If they want hair that is lighter all-over, from roots to ends, that would be best achieved at the salon as well.”
McCool also notes that it’s very easy to damage your hair using these types of products if you aren’t using them properly. It’s also hard to know whether these products will give you the precise color you’re looking for. “If you do it on your own and get a color that doesn’t look good in your hair or with your skin tone, you now have to pay double for a color correction. It’s so worth it to have it done right!” she notes.
That said, hair lighteners are certainly more affordable than a salon appointment. If you already have blonde hair or blonde highlights, hair lighteners can boost your blonde and help you keep that sunkissed look for longer stretches of time between appointments.
Meet the experts
- Quia Querisma, a curly hair artist, colorist, and texture educator in Dallas
- Maria McCool, hairstylist, salon owner, and founder and CEO of Calista
How we test and review products
We always enlist a range of testers for our makeup vertical, but hair-care products and tools are another story. While there are certainly products that can be used across different hair textures, lengths, curl patterns, thicknesses, colors (natural and unnatural), and needs, hair products are often created with specific consumers in mind. Many are created in order to address a concern (dandruff, breakage, brittleness) or to work most effectively for a specific hair type (4C curls, wavy hair, gray hair). You wouldn’t want to pick up a purple shampoo that’s only been reviewed by someone with, say, auburn hair, or a diffuser that’s never been tested by anyone with curls—right?
