It is possible to lighten your hair slightly without using bleach or stripping the colour, but the options available to you depend on your hair colour, its health, condition, and the result you want.

One option to lighten hair without bleach is to use a high-lift hair colour, which contains more ammonia and darkens your hair more than required. This type of colour can lift hair to 4 levels, but it may not be suitable for all hair types and colours. Do consult a professional stylist or colourist to figure out what you should do.

You can also consider using natural lightening methods, such as lemon juice, chamomile tea or honey. These methods may lighten hair a few shades, but the result can be unpredictable and may not be as dramatic as using bleach or high-lift hair colour.

Keep in mind that using a lightening process without care can damage your hair, even if bleach is not used. It’s important to take good care of your hair before and after any colour treatment. Using deep conditioning treatments and minimising heat styling helps maintain hair health and prevent damage.