Can You Use Toothpaste To Lighten Your Hair?

The internet is always buzzing with strange hair hacks. One of them is using toothpaste to lighten your hair. There is no scientific logic behind this hack. However, many beauty vloggers are going wild over it and claiming it works. If you have been thinking of trying this, hold that thought for a while and read this article to find out the truth. Scroll down.

Did You Know?

The year 1780 saw the production of the first modern toothpaste.

Does Toothpaste Lighten Your Hair?

There is no definite answer to this. Toothpaste may (or may not) alter your hair color a bit, depending on the type and formula.

Many toothpaste brands claim to whiten your teeth as they contain hydrogen peroxide. This ingredient is also used as a hair lightening agent in bleaches and dyes (1). In salons, hair colorists use hydrogen peroxide solution to lighten or bleach the hair before coloring.

This is one reason why people put toothpaste on their hair strands to lighten or bleach them. Does that mean using any toothpaste with hydrogen peroxide can lighten the hair? Not necessarily.

First things first, toothpaste is not meant to be applied to the hair. The concentration of hydrogen peroxide required for teeth whitening is way too low than you need for bleaching. Hence, leaving toothpaste on your hair for long may slightly fade the hair color, but the results may not meet your expectations.

Moreover, it is not safe to apply toothpaste to the hair. Most toothpaste formulas contain baking soda and other antibacterial ingredients that may dry out the hair and cause breakage (2).

Ash, a YouTuber, tried bleaching a strand of her hair with toothpaste. She applied toothpaste to it with bare hands, wrapped the strand in a piece of foil paper, and waited for an hour to see the results. She exclaims in her video, “Oh my god! So, this doesn’t work. It just dried out my hair pretty bad (i).”

Note: While home remedies can be a great option for personal care and grooming, it is important to keep in mind that not all DIY hair care solutions are safe and effective.

Trivia

It is believed that ancient Greek women applied a concoction of gold flakes, olive oil, pollen, and lemon juice to lighten their hair.

Applying toothpaste to lighten dark brown hair without bleach is an effective hack, but it can be messy. Also, removing dry toothpaste from the hair is tough. In the next section, we discuss easy ways to remove toothpaste from your hair.

How To Remove Toothpaste From Your Hair

• Separate the hair section with dried toothpaste and clip it away from the rest of the hair.
• Use warm water to soften the dried toothpaste and comb the section gently with a wide-toothed comb to remove the product. 
• Shampoo your hair. Leave it on for a few minutes to dissolve toothpaste residue.
• Wash off the shampoo and repeat 1-2 times if the hair feels sticky.
• Detangle your hair with a wide-toothed comb after washing.

While toothpaste might offer a quick fix, it is not the healthiest option for your hair. You should consider good natural alternatives to achieve a natural and gentle hair-lightening effect. Learn more below.

Alternatives To Toothpaste For Hair Lightening

If you are looking for other effective, natural ways to lighten your hair, here are a few options:

• Lemon juice is a natural bleaching agent that can lighten your hair. Just mix equal parts lemon juice and water and apply the mixture to your hair. Let it sit for 30 minutes before rinsing. Lemon can be harsh on the hair, so do this once a month for gradual hair lightening.
• Honey is another natural ingredient that can help lighten your hair. Mix equal parts honey and water. Apply it to your hair and rinse after 30 mins. You can do this once or twice a week.
• Chamomile tea can also help lighten your hair. Simply brew a strong cup of chamomile tea and let it cool. Apply it to your hair and rinse after 30 mins. Do this once or twice a week.

It is important to note that these natural remedies may not work for everyone, and the results may vary depending on your hair type and color.

Infographic: All You Need To Know About Lightening Hair With Toothpaste

It is no surprise that many are jumping on the hair trend bandwagon and applying toothpaste to their hair. Maybe you know someone who wants to try this trend but is unsure of how safe it is or if it even works. Or maybe they already tried it and now have dried toothpaste residue stuck on their hair and scalp and are wondering how to get it out. Share the infographic below with them that has all the answers they need. Check it out!

Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

Frequently Asked Questions

Can vinegar lighten hair?

Yes. You may use apple cider and distilled white vinegar as diluted hair sprays and leave for around 30 minutes to lighten your hair to some extent.

Can saltwater lighten hair?

Yes. People who swim in the ocean find their hair lighter as the saltwater alters the natural keratin in their strands. So, you may use salt water as a DIY hair bleach at home. However, keep in mind that salt may also dry out your hair.

Can toothpaste and cinnamon lighten hair?

No. Toothpaste and cinnamon do not have any hair-lightening effect.

Can honey lighten hair?

Yes. Raw unpasteurized honey has hydrogen peroxide that may help lighten your hair. However, you should mix honey in water or apple cider vinegar (in a 4:1 ratio) and leave it on for 2-8 hours to achieve noticeable results.

Illustration: Does Toothpaste Lighten Hair? Here Is What You Need To Know

Image: Dall·E/StyleCraze Design Team

Does toothpaste really lighten hair? Find out in this video! Check out the video to explore the science behind it and see if it really works.

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Reviewer Author Editor Fact Checker

Tiffany YoungCertified Trichology Practitioner

     

Tiffany Young is the CEO and founder of ThinHairThick and a certified trichology practitioner with 6 years of experience. She is also a recognized expert in the hair and beauty industry with celebrity clientele. Her own personal struggles with hair loss created an opportunity for her to deep-dive into learning all things related to medical conditions and external factors that contribute to hair loss.

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Ramona SinhaEditor

 

Ramona is an editor at StyleCraze with 11 years of experience in writing and editing. She has authored over 200 articles on skin and hair care. She graduated from the University of Calcutta, West Bengal, and did her post-graduation from the University of Kalyani, West Bengal.

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Eshna DasAssociate Editor

Eshna is an associate editor and a certified skin care coach. She has over three years of experience, a triple main bachelor’s degree in psychology, English, and journalism from Mount Carmel College, Bengaluru, and a master’s degree in psychology from Sampurna Montfort College, Bengaluru.

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Swathi ESenior Beauty & Lifestyle Writer

Swathi has a postgraduate degree in English literature from The English And Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad, and over three years of experience in writing on beauty, health, and lifestyle. She also has a diploma in English journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Kottayam, and is a certified skincare coach.

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