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You have been contemplating a lighter hair color but just are not willing to damage your hair with bleach. The good news is you do not have to give up on your quest for lighter locks; you can still obtain a substantially lighter color and keep your hair vibrant and healthy at the same time. While you may not be able to turn your brunette locks into blonde tresses in a single step, you can lighten your hair by several shades in just a few easy steps.

Treat your hair with a natural lightener before coloring your hair. Wash your hair as usual and then finish with a lemon juice rinse of 1/2 lemon juice and 1/2 water. Leave the lemon mixture in your hair and spend some time in the sun. Repeat this every time you shampoo for a few days. This process will help to lighten your hair naturally to set the stage for an even lighter result from a hair dye.

Look for a hair dye that compliments your skin tone. Caramel and bronze shades compliment a warm skin tone, while ash compliments a cool skin tone. Stay away from gold and copper colors because it will bring out the ruddiness in a cool skin tone.

Pick up a box of hair color designed for women with dark hair. If you have medium to long hair, you will probably need two boxes to get the job done right.

Mix the hair dye components according to the instructions included in the box. Apply thoroughly to your hair and let the color saturate for the maximum time recommended in the instructions.

Rinse out the hair color and apply a high quality conditioner right away.

Tip

As the hair color begins to fade and your roots start to show, try applying the lemon juice mixture to your roots to delay the need for your next hair color application.