If you want a lighter hair color, use a method that actually lightens the natural tone of the hair. Dying your hair to a lighter tone isn't the same as lightening your hair color; the former involves "painting over" your hair, the latter involves actually changing the chemical makeup of your hair stands. Lightening your natural hair color takes time, however, it has an advantage over artificial hair coloring, in that it doesn't damage your hair in any way.

Have your hair cut short. If you have any dye or bleach in your hair, cut it short enough so that none remains after the cut. If you don't have dye in your hair, have it cut anyway, to make the lightening process easier.

Go outside when it's sunny. Spend at least two hours outside. Don't wear a hat , this will prevent the sun from lightening your hair. If you live somewhere with low sun visibility, acquire a UV lamp and expose your hair to the light frequently.

Go to beaches and outdoor swimming pools on sunny days. Let your hair dry in the sun. The combination of water and sunlight accelerates the pace of lightening beyond what you can achieve with sunlight alone.

Apply a mixture of lemon juice and water to the hair. Don't use lemonade or any other sweetened lemon concoction. Simply mix pure lemon juice with water, stir the mixture for a minute, then pour the mixture over your hair. Pour the mixture from your bangs to the back of your head, ensure that none of he mixture gets into your eyes. Wash the mixture out of your hair after about a half hour.

Comb your hair with 3 percent hydrogen peroxide. Buy a bottle of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide from your local pharmacy and spray some of the solution on your hair. Brush your hair through with a comb, combing back from your bangs through the back of your crown through to the ends of your hair. Let your hair dry naturally, without the help of a blow dryer, after you've combed it.