There is no direct command to Brighten layers In Photoshop, you need to add adjustments via the layers or image menu to do this.
Firstly, go to the layers panel to select an entry to be brightened. You can find the panel via the window command. Go to the layer menu and new adjustment category and then select Levels. Add name for the 'levels' and click OK and then go to the properties panel (levels settings) and select the "lighter" preset. Go to the first slider bar / histogram on the right side and select the slider and move to the left to lighten the design
To remove the adjustment, go to the panel and select the levels adjustment and click delete button.
It comes with a mask, if you go to the panel and the levels entry, you will see the first box but there is a second box which can be modified. Select the mask (second box) and then select the gradient tool or the shape tool or rectangle etc (use in pixel mode) and then set the color for the tool such as black and then apply across the object and you will see the result in the thumbnail as well as the underlying design will either brighten or darken depending on the extent of the mask.
You can also add a levels to an image and only apply it to part of the image by using a selection. Go to the toolbar and then select the rectangular marquee tool and create a selection and add a new levels entry. The effect will only be applied to the selected area. You can remove the selection via the select menu and deselect. The levels adjustment will be smaller than the original layer and you can select it and move it and re-size it by using the bounding box of the levels adjustment and you will see more or less of the design changed as you re-size and reposition it.
All the above can be captured in an action, go to the window menu and select the actions and then click the recording button on the panel to capture the creation of the adjustment (select the required image before recording) as well as the setting and then you can set the actions to button mode to playback.