Lightening hair with cinnamon
Fashion trends and women's desire for transformation have led to the emergence of many options for changing the shade and color of hair, in particular, lightening the original tone. In addition to the use of chemical dye formulations, there are methods for a more gentle effect on the hair shafts, in which it is possible to change the shade of the hair to a lighter one. Among them, it is worth highlighting the method of clarification with cinnamon, which is actively used at home.
Advantages and disadvantages
For every woman, hair is pride, but almost every woman has a desire to change not only her hairstyle, but also the color of her curls. In addition to staining, curls are often discolored, so today there are quite a few techniques that allow you to make the main tone light without using aggressive chemical compounds. It will be possible to achieve such a result without visiting a beauty salon - at home.
Among the effective means for discoloration, cinnamon is especially popular, which was used to change color in ancient times.
Moreover, not only a cultured powder, but also an essential oil is suitable for working with hair.
This method has its positive and negative sides. First of all, it is worth considering all the pros.
- Cinnamon stands out not only for its wonderful aroma, but also for its unique composition, therefore it is very often added to products for the improvement of the skin and hair shafts. The spice includes a whole complex of vitamins, micro- and macroelements.In addition to changing the shade of the hair, cinnamon has a beneficial effect on blood microcirculation, as a result of which colored hair will become not only lighter, but also healthier, which will have a positive effect on the appearance of the hairstyle.
- The color after lightening will be more natural than after using chemical dyes.
- Among the list of remedies that can be used to lighten hair at home, cinnamon-based masks are very easy to prepare yourself. As a rule, a minimum of auxiliary ingredients is used in combination with a spice.
But despite a number of positive aspects, cinnamon lightening has some negative characteristics.
- The main disadvantage of the folk method is the impossibility of lightening previously painted curls. However, using cinnamon will help to make the original color less saturated, so you can still achieve a minimal lightening effect.
- The spice is not able to discolor to a large extent the hair the first time. A tangible result will be visible only after 5 or 6 treatments. As a result, it will turn out to lighten the strands by 2-3 tones.
- The use of cinnamon is contraindicated in women with sensitive skin, since a lightening mask based on it will cause burning and tingling, and later - irritation.
- Since the spice is a natural product, it can cause an allergic reaction, so it is not suitable for everyone who wants to lighten their hair with gentle products.
- The composition bleaches the hair gradually, penetrating deep into the hair shaft, so the product will have to be kept on the hair for several hours in a row. This nuance may not suit every woman.
- For blondes, this option will not be suitable, since recipes for formulations with cinnamon will not discolor, but will give the hair a reddish tint.
Hair preparation
Despite the fact that a natural component will be used in the lightening process, it is recommended to prepare the hair for lightening in advance.
First of all, it is necessary to conduct an allergy test to exclude the possibility of irritation and redness on the scalp. The composition is tested on the area of the skin behind the ear or at the bend of the elbow. If there are no negative changes or sensations on the skin 20-30 minutes after contact, the prepared composition can be used for painting.
Before bleaching, it is also recommended to wash your hair, dry it a little in a natural way (without using a hair dryer), after which the curls should be well combed with a comb with rare teeth.
Subtleties of application
In order to get a beautiful result at home after lightening hair with cinnamon, experts recommend adhering to some nuances.
- First of all, you should worry about safety, so it will be more correct to work with cinnamon with gloves to avoid burns and irritations on the skin of your hands.
- The effect after contact of cinnamon with hair will be better if the colored strands are wrapped in food foil after applying the selected product.
- If you plan to add honey to the mask, then it is better to take a liquid, non-sugar bee product.
- The spice itself is best purchased in sticks, and then grind into powder yourself.
- Cinnamon should not be rubbed into the scalp. Contact with the skin should be minimal to avoid discomfort.
- Hair should be clean but damp.
- It is recommended to use a wooden comb to distribute the composition along the entire length of the strands.
- The spice can dry out the hair shafts somewhat, so the stage-by-stage lightening should be carried out at intervals of a week and a half. To further moisturize the curls and reduce the overdrying effect, chicken yolk can be added to the lightening compositions.
- It is forbidden to lighten hair with cinnamon if there are abrasions or other damage on the scalp.
- After a perm or dyeing with natural products, at least a week must pass before the hair is lightened with cinnamon.
Lightening methods
There are many options for lightening your hair with cinnamon. The most popular ones can be identified.
Moisturizing & Brightening Mask
To prepare it, you will need the following components:
- cinnamon;
- honey;
- lemon juice;
- olive or almond oil.
The first ingredients are added in equal amounts, which will directly depend on the length of the hair. You will need a couple of tablespoons of citrus juice and oil. The vegetable oil also has some lightening effects.
To prepare the mask, you need to warm up the honey in a water bath, add all the other components to it. It is best to mix the composition in a glass or ceramic container so that the components do not come into contact with metal.
The product should be applied in a specific sequence.
- Wet hair must be combed and divided into small strands, after which, avoiding contact with the scalp, the mask should be distributed over the entire length. It is worth treating the hair as evenly as possible so that the result does not look spotty.
- Further, the curls are collected at the back of the head in a bun, after which they must be covered with a plastic cap, and on top with a towel.
- Keep the mask for at least 4-5 hours. The degree of lightening depends on how long the cinnamon will remain on the hair. It is recommended to wash off the mask with shampoo.
- To fix the result, the hair should be rinsed with a decoction of chamomile flowers. You cannot dry your hair with a hairdryer after lightening.
As a rule, even on dark curls there will be noticeable lightening by a couple of tones.
With yolk
Ingredients:
- ground cinnamon - 3 tablespoons;
- yolk - 1 piece;
- liquid honey - 3 tablespoons;
- lemon juice - 1 spoon;
- olive oil - 1 spoon.
To prepare the mask, you need to slightly warm up the oil and honey, then add cinnamon, add the yolk and juice, mix thoroughly.
Application method:
- wet hair must be combed well, and then divided into zones for easy application of the mask;
- further, the composition is distributed along the entire length of the hair, avoiding contact with the scalp;
- hair can be covered with polyethylene or foil, wrapped on top for 4-5 hours with a towel;
- the composition is washed off with shampoo.
This mask can be done before bed, keeping the composition overnight to achieve a good result.
With kefir
Mask composition:
- kefir - 100 grams;
- ground cinnamon - 2 tablespoons.
This recipe is the easiest to prepare and use. Kefir at room temperature is mixed with spice, after which the mask is distributed through wet hair, leaving it under a film and a towel for 5–8 hours. The mask is washed off with shampoo, after which it is worth additionally applying a balm or conditioner to the curls.
For brittle curls
Ingredients:
- banana puree - 1-2 tablespoons;
- cinnamon - 6 grams;
- coconut oil - 4 tablespoons;
- honey - 1 spoon.
Before applying, the last two ingredients must be heated in a water bath, after which the remaining components must be added to the composition.
It is recommended to walk with a mask for at least one hour, then rinse the curls thoroughly under running water.
Tips and Feedback
There are several helpful tips to help lighten curls more effectively.
- First of all, it is worth choosing the right product. In most cases, the spice is confused with cassia, which can have the opposite effect on the hair. You can distinguish spices by their hardness: cassia will be difficult to break, while cinnamon is easy to grind in a coffee grinder, since it is very fragile.
- It is only necessary to mix the components for the lightening mask in a glass or ceramic container. On contact with metal, the hair may turn green.
- To reduce the burning sensation on the skin, it is better to add oils to the mask.
As for reviews about homemade spice bleaching, the owners of light brown hair get a golden tint on their hair. When carrying out a number of procedures, it is possible to achieve a noticeable brightening effect on dark curls.
In addition, such masks can get rid of many problems, such as dandruff, lack of shine and brittleness.
Of the minuses, some difficulties are noted in rinsing off the composition from the hair, so the cleansing procedure can take much more time than a regular shampoo.
A step-by-step cinnamon hair lightening workshop can be found in the video below.