Can You Use Toothpaste To Lighten Your Hair?

Coloring your hair at home can be a dangerous game and over the past few years, we’ve debunked some of the craziest DIY hair coloring methods on the internet (including soaking your hair in coffee and fruit juice). We thought we’d seen it all until discovering another household item that’s rumored to take your current hue a shade or two lighter: toothpaste. After a bit of internet research, we found that many people believe the minty fresh product can effectively lighten hair. But can it really give you ash blonde hair?

Can you use toothpaste to lighten your hair? Here’s what we know.

Can toothpaste lighten hair?

Before we delve into the fact or fiction of this coloring method, it’s important to know where the idea came from. Many popular toothpaste brands contain hydrogen peroxide, also known as the lightening agent in bleach. Hydrogen peroxide is also one of the ingredients in salon bleach formulas.

Since it’s impossible to lift color from hair without the help of bleach, some believe that whitening toothpaste can be used as an at-home alternative to a lightening service at the salon.

Is there any truth behind using toothpaste to lighten your name? Despite the presence of hydrogen peroxide, dousing your strands in toothpaste isn’t a proven method of lightening hair. Plus, there’s no way of knowing what the end result will be since toothpaste isn’t specifically formulated for hair.

What is the safest way to lighten hair?

As with all things hair color related, we always recommend visiting a professional colorist—especially when it comes to lightening your hue. Bleach can cause serious hair damage and a professional colorist can help to restore the look and feel of your strands before you leave the salon. Whether you’re looking to achieve a lighter shade of blonde or a whimsical hair trend, your colorist will be able to give you a precise, even color. Depending on the hue you’re going for, you also might need to return to the salon several times to safely lighten your hair.

If you’ve opted for a lightening service at the salon, there are a few things you can do to keep your strands looking and feeling as healthy as possible. Step number one: Switch up your hair care products. Swap your regular shampoo and conditioner with a system specifically for color-treated strands like the Biolage R.A.W Color Care Shampoo and Conditioner. Formulated with coconut milk and meadowfoam, the system helps protect color-treated hair, leaving it soft and shiny with lasting color vibrancy.

Even with the help of a colorist, your strands will still inevitably look and feel a bit damaged after sitting through one (or multiple) lightening sessions. That’s why it’s essential to add a weekly hair treatment to your routine. For color-treated hair, we love the Biolage ColorLast Deep Treatment Multi-Use Pack.

Interested in professional hair color advice? Use our salon locator to book an appointment at a salon near you.

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