Do you crave a new lighter look for your locks this summer but don’t want to risk hair damage and dryness? If so, choose a lightening method that can bring out the light tones in your hair while maximizing your mane’s health. Check out this process at Ktani’s Hair Sense blogspot.

Chemical lighteners usually work in a two-step process that’s more likely to damage your strands. What’s more, for many curlies even henna can dry out and damage hair. For an alternative that works well on natural hair, mix up a batch of raw honey, cinnamon, chamomile and olive oil. This concoction will lighten your mane’s color by allowing your hair’s natural base color (usually red or yellow) to shine through. Here’s the DIY recipe:

1 cup of raw uncooked honey, which has low levels of hydrogen peroxide
2 cups of distilled water; steep with chamomile and allow to cool
1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon (or use cardamom for an extra boost)
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
plastic wrap or a shower or bathing cap

Start by mixing all the ingredients in a cup. Let the sweet and spicy mixture sit at room temperature for at least one hour, a process that releases the low levels of peroxide in the honey, making it a more effective lightener. Next, apply the natural lightener to your tresses using a spray bottle, a long-nosed applicator bottle, or a tint or highlight brush. (If you want highlights, apply the mixture only to the strands that you want lightened and isolate the rest of your strands with plastic wrap.) Put on a shower cap or use a loose-fitting elastic band to secure a plastic bag over the hair-covered part of your head. Leave in the mixture for as long as you want—from one hour to all night, depending on how much lighter you want your strands to be. Finally, thoroughly rinse out your mane with warm water and follow with a normal shampoo and conditioning regimen. (Warning: If you experience any itching, a rash or an allergic reaction to the mixture, stop the application and immediately wash out your hair.)

Click here to read about quick fitness-friendly hairstyles for sistas.