Hair Color

How To Go Lighter Without Bleaching At-Home

Start with the right colour

In order to lighten your dark hair it’s important to select the right shade. If you go too light at the beginning, you will most likely be disappointed with the results. Identify your natural shade and select a shade that is 2-3 levels above it for your first at-home colouring session. With many shades to choose from, we suggest first trying them on virtually with our Hair Colour Genius try-on tool. Check out your shades now in Superior Preference or Excellence Crème. It is also possible to go up to 4 levels with some shades of Feria where we recommend that you choose a shade that has some Ashy undertones to prevent your hair from showing brassiness.

Quick tip: For optimal results, always check the back or side of the box to find your current shade. When in doubt, go for the lighter shade.

Colour does not Lighten Colour

Remember that if you already have coloured hair, applying a lighter colour over it will only lighten your new regrowth but not your coloured lengths. If you are a natural dark brown level 4 and you moved to a level 6 light brown, you can still get to a level 8 medium blonde. You have two options either you wait until your colour fades out or use Colorista Colour Remover to expedite the process. Once you are back to your natural colour you can undertake a 4 level lightening colouring to go medium blonde.

Try an at-home balayage

If you’re lightening your hair for the first time, it can be intimidating to start with an all-over transformation. Instead, try a balayage technique to give your hair dimension and movement. Simply apply a lighter hair dye on your lengths by avoiding your ends and roots so your natural colour blends in slowly to give that overall sun-kissed effect. Please refer to the previous tips and do not skip more than 2-3 levels.

Neutralize brassy tones

When you have dark hair and you transition to a lighter colour, hair can start to look a little brassy overtime, especially when you have natural red undertones. To prevent this to happen, we encourage you to use a toner like Age Perfect Beautifying Colour Care or a Purple shampoo or conditioner like Color Radiance Purple to neutralize brassiness and enhance your natural blond tones.

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