8 Natural Ways to Lighten Dark Hair at Home

While I don't recommend using baking soda on your hair as a shampoo, it can make an excellent, easy at-home natural hair lightener. Mix a teaspoon of baking soda with water, and use it as a rinse once a month (after you shampoo and before you condition your strands) to gradually brighten your color. Baking soda is an alkaline ingredient, and this will lift the cuticle of your hair, the part that protects your hue. This isn't the most hair-healthy technique, because it is similar to how dye works, so you might want to skip this one if you have damaged strands.