If you want shampoos to lighten dark hair, you should check out these reviews. They include shampoos that lighten dark brown and brunette hair to a considerable degree without bleach.
I often used to dye my dark brown hair in order to lighten it, until someone told me about hair lightening shampoos.
I was quite intrigued with the idea of shampoos that can actually lighten hair and decided to test them out myself!
So that’s exactly what I did and how I got down to testing these hair lightening shampoos and I must say that I am pretty impressed with the results and how well it worked to lighten my hair.
I have reviewed some of the top best hair lightening shampoos that I tried out, so check out my review below.
| Best Shampoos to Lighten Dark Hair | Best For | Top Ingredients |
| Noughty Blondie Locks Blonde Enhancing and Lightening Shampoo | All hair types including color-treated hair | Cassia Lemon, Bisalobol |
| Manzanilla Grisi Gold Extra Lightening Shampoo with Chamomile Extract | All hair types | Chamomile Extract, Benzyl Salicylate |
| Klorane Shampoo with Chamomile for Blonde Hair | All hair types | Chamomile Extract |
| John Frieda Sheer Blonde Go Blonde Gradual Lightening Shampoo | Color-treated hair | Chamomile Extract, Citrus |
| Tio Nacho Natural Lightening and Volumizing Shampoo | Thin hair | Chamomile Extract, Royal Jelly, Rosemary, Aloe Vera, Jojoba Oil, Vitamin E |
Top Shampoos To Lighten Dark Hair 2024
Noughty Blondie Locks Blonde Enhancing and Lightening Shampoo
Best for: All hair types including color-treated hair
This was the very first shampoo I tried out, because it was specifically designed for color-treated hair. So since I had previously dyed my hair to a dark blonde shade, I decided to use this brand.
Well, to begin with, this shampoo promises both hair lightening and enhancing.
But I have to say that I only experienced the enhanced look of my locs, but it didn’t particularly lighten my hair per say. So that is something I was quite disappointed about.
What I liked about this product is that it was gentle on my hair and did a good job at cleansing my hair as well. It contained no sulfates, parabens or silicones, so it was definitely a plus for me.
The scent of this shampoo is subtle, so I liked the smell of it. Also, it was reasonably priced.
Pros:
- Gentle on the hair, as it contains no silicones, sulfates or parabens.
- Enhances the color of blonde hair.
- Has a strong cleansing power.
- Safe to use on hair that has been color-treated.
- Has a very pleasant fragrance.
- It is reasonably priced.
Cons:
- Doesn’t lighten the hair, only enhances its look.
My Ratings:
- Lightening effect: 3.8/5
- Ingredients: 5/5
- Gentleness on the hair: 4.6/5
Manzanilla Grisi Gold Extra Lightening Shampoo with Chamomile Extract
Best for: All hair types
After my first experience at trying a hair lightening shampoo wasn’t great, I was hoping that this time it’d be better with this product. Well, it definitely was.
I have to say that even though the results weren’t immediate and took almost a month to show a comparable difference in my lightened hair color (from dark blonde to a lighter shade), it did show.
So I was definitely satisfied with the lightening aspect of this product.
This shampoo had a good cleansing effect on my hair, leaving my hair shiny and smooth, even though it did contain sulfates.
I also loved that this shampoo smelt so lovely. It was definitely worth a buy!
So guys this is a great shampoo if you have oily, dark hair and want to lighten it. But if you have dry hair, give it a miss. It can strip moisture if used often.
Pros:
- Cleanses the hair well and leaves the hair soft, shiny and smooth.
- Contained chamomile extract along with benzyl salicylate that promoted considerable hair lightening.
- Has a subtle fragrance.
- The product is relatively reasonably priced.
Cons:
- Contains sulfates, but was not too damaging for the hair.
My Ratings:
- Lightening effect: 4.4/5
- Ingredients: 3.8/5
- Gentleness on the hair: 4.2/5
Klorane Shampoo with Chamomile for Blonde Hair
Best for: All hair types
This shampoo contained chamomile extract, just the ingredient I was looking for, so I decided to buy it. Chamomile is known to be a natural hair lightening agent. (Srivastava, Janmejai K et al. “Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with bright future.” Molecular medicine reports vol. 3,6 (2010): 895-901. doi:10.3892/mmr.2010.377)
Well, it did lighten my dark blonde hair a little, but I would say that more than the lightening, I felt that this shampoo enhanced my locs to a considerable extent.
This shampoo also has its own conditioner, so I bought it as a set and I liked the way it worked on my hair.
This product is free from parabens and silicones, so it was gentle on my color-treated hair and it made my hair feel smooth and shiny. So I would definitely recommend this for safe use on color-treated hair.
The only two things that I didn’t like was that the fragrance was quite strong and that this product was very expensive compared to other hair lightening shampoos.
Pros:
- The chamomile extract enhances the hair color to a considerable extent.
- Gentle on the hair, as the product contains no parabens and silicones.
- Using the Klorane conditioner along with this shampoo made the hair feel soft and shiny.
- Can be used on hair that is color-treated.
Cons:
- Hair lightening power of this product is very minimal.
- Has a strong fragrance.
- This product was very expensive compared to other hair lightening shampoos.
My Ratings:
- Lightening effect: 4.1/5
- Ingredients: 4.2/5
- Gentleness on the hair: 4.4/5
John Frieda Sheer Blonde Go Blonde Gradual Lightening Shampoo
Best for: Color-treated hair
This shampoo is one that I was waiting to try out and finally found it in stock, so I immediately bought it.
Well, it was for sure one of the best hair lightening shampoos I have ever tried. It did a really good job at lightening my hair color from dark blonde to a lighter shade of blonde.
It took my hair around 8 to 10 washes to start showing a considerable change in my lightened hair color, but the fact that it did lighten my hair is something that I loved about this product.
I also liked the smell of this shampoo which was very subtle and fragrant.
It also worked very well on my color-treated hair, so I’d definitely recommend that people with color-treated hair can safely use it.
The only thing that I noticed is that my hair did get a little dry once I started using this shampoo. So I’d suggest using a good conditioner to go along with it.
Pros:
- Shows considerable change in the hair color, as the product contains chamomile extract and citrus.
- Can safely be used on hair that is color-treated.
- Has a subtle and pleasant fragrance.
- Reasonably priced product.
Cons:
- Can dry out the hair a little, so using a good conditioner is recommended.
My Ratings:
- Lightening effect: 4.4/5
- Ingredients: 4.2/5
- Gentleness on the hair: 4.2/5
Tio Nacho Natural Volumizing and Lightening Shampoo
Best for: Thin hair
Since my hair is quite thin, I was quite surprised to see that there was a shampoo specifically designed for thin hair.
I was also quite intrigued with the different types of natural ingredients it contained, so I went ahead and bought it.
Well, it worked really well on my hair and lightened my hair quite well too.
When I used this shampoo my hair was a dark blonde, closer to a lighter shade of brown and after using this shampoo a few times, I began to see my hair lightening. So it was definitely a plus for me.
What I loved was that this product had so many natural ingredients and no parabens, sulfates or silicones.
This made my hair feel so soft, smooth and gave it an enhanced shine as well. It also worked super well on my color-treated hair.
What I also loved about this shampoo is that it smelled amazing, with subtle fragrances of citrus and honey. Also, it was reasonably priced.
Pros:
- Suitable for use on thin hair that is also color-treated.
- This shampoo had no sulfates, parabens or silicones, so it was gentle on the hair.
- It contained many natural ingredients that made my hair feel soft and smooth with an enhanced and shiny looking appearance.
- Has a subtle fragrance of citrus and honey.
- Relatively reasonably priced.
Cons:
- None.
My Ratings:
- Lightening effect: 4.2/5
- Ingredients: 4.8/5
- Gentleness on the hair: 4.4/5
Can Shampoo Actually Lighten Dark Hair?
Of course, a shampoo cannot lighten your hair to the extent using bleach can, but it can make hair a few shades/undertones lighter. It all depends on a) the ingredients of the shampoo b) your original hair shade/undertone.
If you're using a shampoo with ingredients like chamomile oil or vitamin C on a regular basis, you might notice your hair getting lighter.
This is because vitamin C and chamomile oil have very tiny amounts of hydrogen peroxide and are natural bleaching agents.
On the other hand, if you have bleached or even naturally blonde hair and have golden or yellow undertones, using a yellow shampoo can make hair appear lighter by removing the darker undertones, leaving blonde hair a silver/platinum shade.
Summary: Which Is The Best Lightening Shampoo
Looking for shampoos to lighten dark hair without using bleach? Look no further than these top-rated hair lightening shampoos. Tested and reviewed by Leah, Chief Editor at Hair Everyday, these shampoos are perfect for dark brown and brunette hair.
Leah tested each product based on three parameters: lightening effect, ingredients, and gentleness on the hair. The shampoos were rated on a scale of 1-5 for each parameter. Chamomile extract and lemon were the main ingredients used in these shampoos, as they are known to be effective natural lightening agents.
Noughty Blondie Locks Blonde Enhancing and Lightening Shampoo is great for all hair types, including color-treated hair. While it enhances the color of blonde hair, it doesn't lighten the hair considerably. However, it is gentle on the hair and has a pleasant fragrance.
Grisi Gold Extra Lightening Shampoo with Chamomile Extract is perfect for oily, dark hair and lightens hair color from dark blonde to a lighter shade. It contains sulfates but is not too damaging for the hair.
Klorane Shampoo with Chamomile for Blonde Hair contains chamomile extract and enhances hair color to a considerable extent. It is gentle on the hair, free from parabens and silicones, and can be used on color-treated hair. However, it has a very minimal hair lightening power and is quite expensive.
John Frieda Sheer Blonde Go Blonde Gradual Lightening Shampoo is one of the best hair lightening shampoos and contains chamomile extract and citrus. It safely lightens hair color from dark blonde to a lighter shade and has a subtle and pleasant fragrance. However, it can dry out the hair a little, so using a good conditioner is recommended.
Tio Nacho Natural Lightening and Volumizing Shampoo is perfect for thin hair and contains chamomile extract, royal jelly, rosemary, aloe vera, jojoba oil, and vitamin E. It safely lightens hair color and adds volume to the hair. However, it has a strong fragrance that may not be suitable for everyone.
So to conclude, these shampoos are great for anyone looking to lighten their dark hair without using bleach. Choose the one that suits your hair type and needs the best and get ready to rock a lighter hair color!
The Final Takeaway On Shampoos That Lighten Your Hair
Well you guys, I hope this review came in handy for you to pick out the best hair lightening shampoo for yourself.
Whenever you use a hair lightening shampoo, make sure to apply it evenly all over your hair and keep it in your hair for at least 2 to 4 minutes for the best effect.
If you find any brassy tones in your lightened hair, then you could also use a purple shampoo.