How to Lighten Red Hair

Co-authored by April Ferri and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: August 30, 2021 References

Whether you naturally have red hair or you’ve dyed your hair a red color, if you think the color looks too dark, your red hair might not be right for you anymore. Lightening your hair is the first step to achieving your desired look, but what's the best way to do it? You actually have multiple options, including using bleach, hydrogen peroxide, or lemon juice. We've broken down each method below to help you lighten your red hair and achieve a color that you love.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Doing a Bleach Wash on Dyed Hair

1
Mix a 1:1 ratio of 10 volume developer and bleach powder. Start with 4 tablespoons (59 mL) of developer and 4 tablespoon (59.1 ml) (56 g) of bleach powder in a plastic bowl. Mix them together with a hair dye brush until they form a smooth paste.^{[1]
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- You can find bleach powder and developer at most beauty supply stores.
- Use a different strength developer based on how dark your hair is and how light you want it. For example, if you are starting from deep red and want to move to super light red, choose a 30 or 40 volume developer. If you are wanting to only move 1 to 2 shades lighter, stick with a 10 volume developer.
2
Add the bleach to 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of clarifying shampoo. Pick a harsh shampoo that strips your hair of its natural oils to remove the color better, like a clarifying or dandruff shampoo.^{[2]
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Expert Source

April Ferri
Professional Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 8 December 2020.} Pour in some of the shampoo and mix it in with the bleach and developer mixture.^{[3]
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- Adding shampoo makes the bleach mixture easier to put on your hair.
- Test the bleach on a strand of your hair before applying it to your whole head.^{[4]
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  Expert Source
  
  April Ferri
  Professional Hair Stylist
  Expert Interview. 8 December 2020.}
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3
Wet your hair in the shower or sink. Make sure your whole head is fully damp and your hair is wet from roots to ends. Use cold water to protect the health of your hair and close up the cuticles as much as possible.^{[5]
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4
Put on gloves to protect your hands. Even though the bleach is diluted, it can still irritate your skin. Use rubber or latex gloves to protect your hands and keep your skin safe.^{[6]
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- You can pick up gloves at the beauty supply store when you buy your bleach and developer, or look for them at any home goods store.
5
Rub the mixture into your hair, starting with the ends. Keep the bowl of your bleach mix near you as you work. Put on gloves to protect your hands and rub the mixture into your hair from the ends up to the roots. Make sure you cover your entire head as best as possible.^{[7]
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- Bleach can cause skin irritation if you touch it with your bare hands.^{[8]
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  Expert Source
  
  April Ferri
  Professional Hair Stylist
  Expert Interview. 8 December 2020.}
- The roots of your hair get hot from the heat of your scalp, so if you put bleach on them first, they will get lighter than the rest of your hair.
6
Let the mixture sit for 10 to 30 minutes. You may be able to see your hair lighten as you watch it sit. Keep your hair uncovered so that it doesn’t get too hot and check on it after 10 minutes. If it still isn't light enough, leave it on for another 20 minutes.^{[9]
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- Using a bleach wash may lighten your hair 1 to 2 shades, depending on how dark it is.
7
Rinse your hair with cool water to get the bleach out. Cold water is less damaging for your hair and will close up your cuticles to keep the red color in. Make sure all of the bleach is out, but don’t use any shampoo as you rinse.^{[10]
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- Use conditioner on your hair after you rinse it to add some moisture back in after drying it out with bleach.
Tip: If you want to get your hair even lighter, wait at least 2 days to do another bleach wash to give your hair a chance to rest.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Mixing Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide for Dyed Hair

1
Mix baking soda and hydrogen peroxide in a plastic bowl. Put 1 cup (128 g) of baking soda and 3 tablespoons (44 mL) of hydrogen peroxide into a bowl mix them together with a spoon until they form a paste. The mixture may fizz up as you start mixing it, but that’s okay.^{[11]
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- Hydrogen peroxide is a natural lightener. Mixing it with baking soda forms a paste that can sit on your hair to lighten it.
- Keep hydrogen peroxide away from your eyes to avoid irritation.
2
Brush the mixture onto your hair with a hair dye brush. Start with the ends of your hair and use a hair dye brush to work up to the roots. Cover your hair as evenly as possible so that it lightens without any patches.^{[12]
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- You can also use gloves to protect your hands and put their mixture on with your fingers.
3
Let the mixture sit for 30 to 60 minutes. Do not let the mixture sit on your hair for longer than 1 hour, or it could damage your hair. Check on your hair after 30 minutes to see if it’s light enough. If not, leave it on longer and keep checking it every 10 minutes.^{[13]
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Tip: Leave your hair uncovered so that you can keep an eye on it.
4
Rinse your hair out with cold water. Make sure you remove every bit of the baking soda mixture from your hair so that it stops lightening. Use cold water to close your hair cuticles and protect the lighter red color.^{[14]
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- Depending on how dark your hair is, this method could lighten it 1 to 2 shades.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Applying Lemon Juice on Natural Red Hair

1
Mix 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of lemon juice with 3 US tbsp (44 mL) of conditioner. Use a plastic bowl that you can take into the bathroom with you. Mix your ingredients together until the lemon juice is fully incorporated with the conditioner.^{[15]
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- Lemon juice is acidic so it is a natural lightener. Mixing it with conditioner helps to protect your hair and add moisture back in.
- You can use store-bought lemon juice or squeeze juice from a lemon for a fresh option.
- You can also use coconut oil instead of conditioner.
2
Wet your hair in the sink or the shower. Make sure your entire head gets fully soaked and that your hair is wet from the ends to the roots. You can wash your hair with your normal shampoo if you’d like to.^{[16]
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Apply the mixture with your hands from the ends to the roots. Pick up globs of the conditioner and start rubbing them into your hair from the bottom up. Make sure your entire head gets covered, including the back and your roots.^{[17]
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- Sit outside with the lemon juice in your hair if it’s sunny out. The UV rays will make the lemon juice work faster.
Tip: You don’t need to protect your hands since lemon juice is so mild.
4
Rinse out your hair with cold water after 10 minutes. Lemon juice is fairly acidic, so it doesn’t need a long time to work. Use cold water to protect your hair health and smooth down your cuticles.^{[18]
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- Make sure you rinse out all of the lemon juice so that the acidity doesn’t damage your hair.
5
Keep applying the lemon juice for about 2 weeks every day. Try not to use the lemon juice for longer than 2 weeks to prevent damage to your hair. Once your red hair is light enough, you can stop using the lemon juice mixture.^{[19]
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- Lemon juice can lighten your hair 1 to 2 shades over time.

Things You’ll Need

Doing a Bleach Wash on Dyed Hair

10 volume developer
Bleach powder
Plastic bowl
Hair dye brush
Gloves
Clarifying shampoo

Mixing Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide for Dyed Hair

Baking soda
Hydrogen peroxide
Plastic bowl
Hair dye brush
Gloves

Applying Lemon Juice on Natural Red Hair

Lemon juice
Conditioner

Warnings

Keep hydrogen peroxide away from your eyes to avoid irritation.

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Always use gloves when handling bleach to avoid skin irritation.

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