Can You Use Toothpaste To Lighten Your Hair?

Explore how and whether you should make use of paste formulated for your teeth on your hair.

Reviewed by Tiffany Young, Certified Trichology Practitioner Tiffany Young Tiffany YoungCertified Trichology Practitioner facebook_iconlinkedin_iconinsta_icon
Written by Ramona Sinha, MA (English Literature) Ramona Sinha MA (English Literature) linkedin_icon Experience: 11 years
Edited by Eshna Das, BA, MSc Eshna Das BA, MSc linkedin_icon Experience: 3 years
Fact-checked by Swathi E, MA (English Literature) Swathi E MA (English Literature) linkedin_icon Experience: 3 years
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A Women Using Toothpaste To Lighten Her Hair

Image: Shutterstock

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.

protip_icon Did You Know?
The year 1780 saw the production of the first modern toothpaste.

Does Toothpaste Lighten Your Hair?

Toothpaste spilling out of its tube
Image: Shutterstock

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.

protip_icon 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

Woman detangling her hair after washing toothpaste off
Image: Shutterstock
  • 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.

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!

all you need to know about lightening hair with toothpaste (infographic)

Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

The bottom line is that you should not use toothpaste to lighten your hair. Most toothpastes contain hydrogen peroxide, which is the lightening (oxidizing) agent in many hair dyes. But the amount of hydrogen peroxide in toothpastes is much lower than in hair dyes. Also, it is advised not to apply toothpaste to your hair as it contains many ingredients that can leave your hair and scalp dry and lead to breakage. It is important to consult with a professional, especially if you are unsure about the safety of any natural remedies. If you want to lighten your hair, you can try bleaching kits, getting your hair lightened at a salon, or trying some natural lighteners.

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.

Key Takeaways

  • Hydrogen peroxide is present in hair-lightening products and toothpaste for teeth whitening.
  • However, there is no evidence to support the claims that toothpaste can act as a hair-lightening agent.
  • Applying toothpaste to the hair may dry your strands due to baking soda and other ingredients.
  • Shampooing your hair at least twice and detangling it with a wide-toothed comb can remove any applied toothpaste on the hair.

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

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.

Personal Experience: Source

StyleCraze's articles are interwoven with authentic personal narratives that provide depth and resonance to our content. Below are the sources of the personal accounts referenced in this article.

i. Bleaching my hair with toothpaste so you dont have to
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TWI8FTWRKk

References

Articles on StyleCraze are backed by verified information from peer-reviewed and academic research papers, reputed organizations, research institutions, and medical associations to ensure accuracy and relevance. Read our editorial policy to learn more.

  1. Hydrogen Peroxide in Tooth Whitening Products
    https://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/committees/04_sccp/docs/sccp_o_022.pdf
  2. No Sulfates, No Parabens, and the “No-Poo” Method: A New Patient Perspective on Common Shampoo Ingredients
    https://cdn.mdedge.com/files/s3fs-public/Document/January-2018/CT101001022.PDF
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Tiffany Young
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.

Read full bio of Tiffany Young
Ramona Sinha
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.

Read full bio of Ramona Sinha
Eshna Das
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.

Read full bio of Eshna Das
Swathi E
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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