Want natural-looking highlights without the salon price tag? You can achieve subtle, sun-kissed highlights using lemon juice and sunshine. This guide will show you how to lighten your hair naturally and safely at home.
How Lemon Juice Lightens Hair
Lemon juice contains citric acid, which enhances the sun’s natural hair-lightening abilities. When you apply lemon juice to your hair and expose it to sunlight, the citric acid opens the hair cuticles, stripping away a layer of color. This process lightens the hair, creating natural-looking highlights.
Important Considerations
- Subtle Changes: Lemon juice provides subtle highlights, so the results won’t be as dramatic as salon dyes.
- Hair Color: Lemon juice works best on naturally blonde to dark blonde hair. Darker hair may turn slightly orange or red.
- Permanent: The lightening effect is permanent, so treat it like hair dye. The color change is gradual and easy to control.
What You’ll Need
- Lemons
- Warm water
- Spray bottle
- Sunscreen
- Towel
- Conditioner or hair mask
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Mix the Solution: Squeeze the juice from several lemons into a spray bottle. Add about two parts water to one part lemon juice.
- Prepare Your Hair: Wet your hair before applying the lemon juice mixture.
- Apply the Lemon Juice: Spritz the lemon juice mixture over your entire head or just the sections you want to highlight.
- Activate with Sunshine: Sit in the sun for 1 to 2 hours to activate the lemon juice.
- Rinse and Condition: Wash the lemon juice out of your hair and apply a deep conditioner or hair mask to moisturize.
- Repeat: Repeat the process as needed to achieve your desired level of highlights.
- For all-over lightening: Apply the mixture evenly.
- For streaky highlights on parted hair: Drop lemon juice in a zigzag pattern along your part and comb through.
- For streaky highlights on pulled-back hair: Apply short lines of lemon juice away from your hairline, moving from the center to your ears.
- For chunky fringe highlights: Apply lemon juice to the front sections of your hair.
Tips for the Best Results
- Mix it Up: Experiment with different application techniques to achieve various highlight effects.
- Palm Application: For longer hair, try dripping lemon juice on your palms, rubbing your hands together, and running them through your hair, focusing on the ends. Be careful if you have any cuts on your hands, as lemon juice can sting.
- Moisturize: Lemon juice can dry out your hair, so deep conditioning is essential. Use a moisturizing conditioner or hair mask after each treatment.
- Sun Protection: Protect your skin from the sun’s UV rays by applying sunscreen to any exposed skin.
- Timing: Keep in mind that the lightening effect may fade over time.
Precautions
- Dryness: Lemon juice can be drying, so use a deep conditioner or hair mask after each application.
- Skin Irritation: Avoid getting lemon juice in your eyes or on sensitive skin. If irritation occurs, rinse thoroughly with water.
- Dark Hair: If you have dark hair, be aware that lemon juice may cause orange or red tones. Test a small, inconspicuous strand first.
- Damaged Hair: Avoid using lemon juice on already damaged or chemically treated hair, as it can cause further damage.
Other Natural Hair Lightening Options
Besides lemon juice, several other natural ingredients can help lighten your hair:
- Honey: Mix honey with water or conditioner and apply to your hair for a lightening and moisturizing effect.
- Chamomile Tea: Brew strong chamomile tea, let it cool, and use it as a hair rinse after shampooing.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Dilute apple cider vinegar with water and use it as a final rinse after washing your hair.
Enjoy Your Natural Highlights
Highlighting your hair with lemon juice is a natural, affordable way to add subtle, sun-kissed tones to your hair. By following these steps and taking the necessary precautions, you can achieve beautiful highlights at home.