Is it okay to use lemon juice from concentrate to lighten hair?
Lida from Tacoma, WA
I thank God for this website giving me the push I needed! I have been through a lot with my hair lately and needed to stop bouncing from stylist to stylist wasting money, so I decided to try it on my own. I used a mix of 3/5 fresh squeezed, strained, lemon juice, 1/3 brewed chamomile tea, and 1/3 olive oil in a spray bottle. I spritzed my 3 days dirty hair to just dampen all over and combed it, re applying every hour or so, and shaking the bottle after every few sprays for a 6 hour stretch. While staying in the sun as much as possible, it turned my recently dyed dark blond hair the perfect shades of blond!
By Kris
After reading all of these comments I wasn't sure what to do. Some people said it works other people said it didn't. I decided to try it. I have dark/dirty blonde hair. I used lemon juice from a bottle. I just soaked my dry hair and went out to sit in the sun for about an hour and a half. I have only done it once so far and the change wasn't that dramatic but it does look more golden and so far it is working great.
By Jessica
I put lemon juice and an egg in a bowl and stirred it until fluffy. Went in the shower, then put it in my hair for 10 minutes (before shampooing), rinsed it out and continued to use my regular shampoo and conditioner. It works so great, repeat as much as you want until you get the desired color.
(my hair is a dark brown) (05/31/2008)
By Leslie
Hey guys. I have black/dark brown hair with natural auburn-like highlights. I just put in the lemon juice (minute maid lemon juice) and sat outside for a couple hours. I already saw some lighter results but I'm concerned if my hair will turn orange. I guess it's tough to say since everyone's hair is different. But right now my hair is hard as if there is hairspray in it. I will post back later with the results! (06/01/2008)
By Julia G.
My lemon juice experiences (all under the florida summer sun, and my hair is naturally honey brunette colored):
- Straight juice
- Half juice, half water
- Half juice, half salt water
- 1/3 juice, 1/3 salt water, 1/3 chamomile tea
Results:
- Straight juice: sticky, didn't dry evenly, irritated my skin. Some lightening seen in the first two uses, though.
- Half juice, half water: still sticky, dried better, didn't irritate my skin. Some lightening, but not as much as full-strength juice.
- Half juice, half salt water: Very similar lightening as with full strength juice. Salt ratted hair by the end of the summer.
- 1/3 juice, 1/3 salt water, 1/3 chamomile tea: best experience thus far, with little stickiness, pretty good lightening effect, and didn't seem to be as hard on my hair. Also smelled nice.
(06/05/2008)
By EMS
Alright, this is the real deal people. I have extremely dark hair. I wanted a little change, maybe a few natural highlights to stand out (even though I have no highlights, I have solid brown hair, but sometimes natural highlights can show up with a lot of sun). I put 1/2 lemon juice in my hair and rubbed it in, it's really sunny outside today, so I went outside, tanned for about forty minutes, absolutely NO resluts. You will have to stay outside for 1-2 hours and use more lemon juice if you want results.
Once again, that's for dark brown hair, 1/2 cup lemon juice, NO results. As for it turning your hair orange, it might make a reddish tint, but as long as you keep checking back to the mirror and don't stay out for too long, your end result will most likely be a few lighter higlights with maybe a reddish tint.
By Raven
Lemon juice does not damage your hair if you do it properly. Your hair is naturally acidic, like the lemons. Make sure you maintain the proper pH by using a mixture of lemons and water.
I have light-ish brown to dark blond hair, and I left the lemons in for about 10 minutes. I was not out in the sun at all and it still got lighter. Make sure that you shampoo and condition your hair like usual. (06/13/2008)
By Paige
I have used lemon juice for years. I buy it in a large plastic bottle from cub and make a 8 ounce glass 3/4 full of lemon juice and 1/4 full of water. I soak my hair in it and lay out in the sun until it dries. Then I make sure to wash my hair after I'm done tanning or whatever outside. And to use conditioner.
By Rina
I don't know, I want to, but I'm scared it will turn my hair ugly, and I have a graduation coming up soon, soo what should I do?
Editor's Note: If you are worried, it might be best to wait until after your graduation. (06/18/2008)
By chigemm
It works with out sunlight and I know this because I tried it and it worked. I used all methods, but I found that Chamomile tea worked the best for me. But I didn't wash it out though and it worked. (06/22/2008)
By Anastasia
For all the people with Asian dark brown hair, it does NOT work! I tried it just yesterday and it didn't even lighten my hair. I am thinking of trying sun-in but i don't know if it will work. I want to dye my hair a semi permanent purple. I have purple contacts so I want my hair to match. I don't know where to get it though. I have tried shop rite, it was near my house. Any advice? (06/23/2008)
By Rose
This has already been said many times, but hey, once more can't hurt. The key word to lemon juice highlights is "subtle". You're not going to go from brunette to marilyn monroe. In fact, the trick works best if you're a blond to begin with. Also, it takes time and sun. Not 10 minutes and a blow dryer. If your mom says you're too young to highlight your hair but your mom says lemon juice is okay, that right there should be an indicator that the results aren't going to be as dramatic as you're hoping.
On the plus side, I'm a twenty six year old natural blond, and I've been juicing my hair off and on in the summer since I was sixteen. Thanks to a decade of experience I can tell you:
A. Lemon juice and water will NOT make your hair fall out!
and
B. If you're patient you can get great results. Generally my hair looks like it would after a whole summer of sun exposure ('cause y'know...sun bleaches your hair too) after a day or two.
Good luck, and if you really DO decide you need a drastic color change you should ALWAYS GO TO A SALON! Especially if you're going lighter rather than darker. Novice bleaching is a great way to seriously damage your hair, cause massive breakage, and end up with seriously strangely colored tresses. That's never good. (06/23/2008)
By speedunk
I have dark brown hair and I tried lemon juice plus peroxide and hey it gave me the color I wanted and the perfect color for my job. It made me hair an ash brown. It's kinda strange but I really liked it. it's starting to fade now but it's still cute and I would definitely do it again. (06/25/2008)
By v. gina
I've read like all of these and I'm not sure if I want to try the whole putting lemon juice in my hair.Some have said that it worked for dirty blonde hair (which I have) and some said that it turned and ugly orange color! I didn't know if it was ok to like use that lemon stuff in a bottle shaped like a lemon, or do the half and half (lemon and water). I need advice, because I'm gonna be outside all day tomorrow and I was gonna do it then. I don't know yet! (06/25/2008)
By Bug
My hair color is a reddish, brownish and just lemon juice worked well the first time. But I noticed my hair was very dry afterwards, so I went to my hair salon, and got bedhead vitamin enriched shampoo. The 2nd time I did this I put olive oil, lemon juice,and water mixed together (more lemon juice). I sat in the sun for an hour and a half and then took a shower and washed my hair with the bedhead. It worked so well. Whenever I need to lighten my hair I do this. (07/01/2008)
By :]
I put olive oil and eggs and lemon juice in a bowl and my hair is lighter and not damaged. (07/02/2008)
Never ever use sun-in. I used it to lighten my hair a few times and my hairdresser (who is also a trichologist and therefore really knows hair) said that the problem with the product is that it never stops working. While it disguises itself as a 'natural' product it is metallic -- which means once used on your hair you cannot put any colour over it without an unpleasant chemical reaction. (Incidentally, henna, which is natural, has the same effect when in contact with any other dye). I found that even certain colour conditioners used over my sun in hair turned it green. even after 6 months the sun in would still react with any colour. it is also extremely damaging to the hair shaft and, as it never stops working, will eventually eat through it. I have had to have my hair cut in stages to try and get this stuff out, so unless you are happy for sun in to be the last colour you put on your hair, stay away. (07/04/2008)
I have been using lemon juice,water and chamomile tea all mixed together for two days. My mom forced me to use sun-in today. When she left I wetted it down with water but I'm not sure it worked. Does anyone know if my hair will turn orange or green, if i continue using lemon juice? My mom insists it will work, but she has never tried it before. I really don't want green hair (or orange for that matter).
I reccomend:
1/3 lemon juice
1/3 water
1/3 chamomile tea
2 drops of oil(by adding oil it keeps your hair from drying out
Don't use sun in! Do you know what's in there? (07/09/2008)
By Roxie
Ya, you bet. It isn't a chemical, so it is okay that you use lemon juice. I suggest that you lighten one piece underneath the top layers of your hair just to see how it works, if it does then apply to the rest of your hair in a shampoo solution with lemon juice added. (07/12/2008)
I know I'm a boy but I have hair that's long. It reaches the floor. I love putting lemon juice in it because it makes my hair really pretty and soft! Lots of people tease me about it but I don't care, at least I'm not bald! My girlfriend thinks it's totally fab! (07/14/2008)
By Alex
I got out of the shower and I combed out my hair and sprayed the lemon water in my hair and combed it in and it dried and for a while it straightened my hair! But I did go out in the sun and it made my hair a little bit lighter! I am continuing my lemon head for a while before school starts.
BTW my hair is like a dirty blonde. (07/15/2008)
By Angela
Ok, if you want to use lemon juice, I recommend you should put a couple drops of oil and a little bit of water in a spray bottle.
This varies with everyone, because everyone has different hair. If you are unsure that you don't know if lemon juice will damage your hair, then put a small amount on one piece and then if it comes out fine, then spray it all over your hair (or however you desire).
I hope you love the results! (Don't use sun-in because it can damage your hair with all of the chemicals and it turns your hair orange.) (07/20/2008)
By Brittany
I have dark brown hair, and I put one whole lemon in my hair. I was only in the sun for a few minutes, but I now have a much lighter brown color. It's amazing! It does, however, make your hair very straight and dry and sticky. I'll be washing it soon though! (07/21/2008)
By Ellie
I used about 1/2 cup of lemon juice and a teaspoon of oil (any kind), combed it in my hair, and sat in the sun for 2 hours. My hair was a blonde/brown shade, but now it is almost a platinum blonde!
ALWAYS use a little oil in the solution! If you don't, then the lemon juice will dry your hair out. But otherwise, it will work fabulously! ; D (07/21/2008)
By Brenden
I cant recommend it for anyone with hair darker than a light brown/dark blonde because my hair isn't darker than that. My hair is naturally a lightish brown and sun in has worked perfectly fine for me. (07/22/2008)
By Sarah
I wanted to dye the under section of my hair blonde, so I used sun in, so I could control exactly what color it went. I coated my hair in it, and dried it with a hairdryer but I didn't think it was light enough so I straightened it on a low setting. I was straightening it huge chunks of my hair started to fall off and the rest went really frizzy. I know this probably wasn't the smartest thing to do but now I've ended up with flaming ginger hair underneath and light brown on top. Also I had to get it cut really short and now it looks terrible.I wouldn't recommend "sun in" to anyone. I also wouldn't recommend straightening while using it.
hoped this helped (07/23/2008)
By natalie
I have a medium-dark shade of brown hair and I used about half a lemon and spray-in oil on my hair. I didn't extract the juice from the lemon; I just rubbed and squeezed the slices around my hair. I left it in for about 3 hours. It sort of worked although I will try for several days more. My hair hasn't been damaged. BUT the lemon juice and oil are really really hard to get out. I washed my hair 4 times and my hair still smells like lemons. (07/23/2008)
By Anna Kate
I have a deep bloodish red hair and it use to be a bit lighter and pinker cause I used dye for it and now since I got someone to do it for me they have made it darker than I wanted it and I was going to try the whole lemon juice thing and I've read a quite a bit of these and they all say sun and junk but I cant stay in the sun for that long maybe 30 minutes because I get burned real easily, so yeah and I used Sun In about 3 yrs ago and it made it lighter when I had blonde hair and on the bottle it said use a blow dryer or sun, so I blow dried it and I was wondering if you have to be out in the sun. (07/23/2008)
By Heather
I have seen so many of these comments and they all say diff. things, but the main things are
1. Don't use sun in
2. Lemon juice and water will not damage your hair.and
3. It takes time if your hair is light brown etc.
I saw a few comments on where to get semi-perm. hair die like the colors pink, purple, blue, green, etc and I have the tips of my hair hot pink and I got my hair die [manic panic] from Sally's beauty supply! It works great but starts to fade after about 2 weeks. It is really light, but for me no problem just re-dye. It does not damage your hair!
I hoped I helped! (07/24/2008)
By sarah
I have a very dark brown hair and I tried this on holiday and it didn't work at all! :( (07/28/2008)
By Sophie
I just did it. My hair is dark red, but I have to get it really red for a play I'm in. So I thought I would try it. I was out in the sun for about 30 minutes when I noticed the ends of my hair turning blond. I came in and washed my hair, and its a lot lighter! I think I'm going to do this twice more today. Then I think it will be light enough to dye with a temporary red. (07/30/2008)
By Meghan
I looked at all the comments, and after I went to do it myself. I got my hair wet, put in lemon juice and I tanned until my hair was dry. Then I went inside to take a shower because it felt like hairspray. I dried my hair and I just saw my usual hair color. I'm not saying it doesn't work, because a lot of people say it does, but for some reason it doesn't work for me. I tried it twice and it didn't work.
Btw, my hair is brown with blonde highlights. (08/02/2008)
Okay, so you just put about 2 cups of lemon and a teaspoon of oil in your hair, then sit in the sun for an hour or 2 so it will get like a dirty blondish color?
(08/03/2008)
By guest
I have used the 'lemon juice and oil' technique, and it does work. I had dyed brown hair, and then I used the 'Color Oops' stuff, and instead of turning it back to my natural blond, it turned my hair orange. I really wanted my natural shade back, so I decided to try it. I couldn't sit outside, so instead I sat in front of my window; works the same! (08/04/2008)
By Marina
Just used lemon juice to remove the green tint from my hair caused by copper in my swimming pool water. Works great! Looks like we'll be keeping a supply of it around the house. (08/05/2008)
By Tiff
Seriously, I've been reading most of these, and I'm dying my hair with lemons right now. I'm going to go put more on and sit in the sun, DON'T use Sun In, from what I've heard I wouldn't risk it. I just want to know how to get my hair white blonde with lemons. That would be great if someone could help.
My hair right now is purpley-orangey-red and i did a tester strip just before. Pure blonde streak in my darker hair. works a dream. Give it a go. For those people who can't decide whether to do it, ignore the others and give it a go, that's what I did. Hope I helped. (08/05/2008)
By moi
By Me
Oh yeah, and I didn't sit out in the sun :) (08/11/2008)
By Red
I just did it, my hair was dark red and after mixing lemon juice and camomile tea then letting it dry on my hair it turned light red with some of the lighter bits even going blonde. Definately works for me (08/11/2008)
By Red
I used sun in a few years ago on my blonde hair. First it was like strawberry blond but then it turned dark and my hair never went back to blond. So all I can say is don't USE SUN-IN! I really want to try the lemon juice thing though. How long should I sit in the sun? Also how do I do highlights or just my roots?
(08/16/2008)
By tay
Lemon juice only works on hair that is already blondish. Dark hair is not going to have any response. If the lemon juice were that strong it wouldn't be edible. (08/19/2008)
By natural blonde
Girls, no lemon juice please! I've always been a brunette and have used some chamomile tea on my hair, there is also chamomile shampoo, this will not only make your hair lighter in less time but also make it stronger, softer and more beautiful. Use the shampoo and the tea on your hair whenever you're not washing your hair. Believe me, this will work, the results won't be instantly but your hair will appreciate the treatment and days later the new color :) (08/20/2008)
By Lyllhie
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