How exactly lemon juice lightens hair?

[Heidi_234]

Sorry, it just bugs me so much!
I'm currently looking all over the internet for ways to lighten hair. Using lemon juice is by far the most suggested method to do it. I always thought it was because it's very acidic, that's why I was so surprise to find out ACV rinses are so popular on LHC.
Explain me why lemon juice would lighten one's hair? Does it even do that, or is it another a myth (like the chamomile)?

[ktani]

It is not a myth. It is called a redox reaction.

"Ultraviolet light from the sun is the most common hair-bleaching agent. Lemon juice is sometimes added to speed up the process of reducing the double bonds in hair pigments to single bonds ....
.... most famous hair bleach is hydrogen peroxide (http://sci-toys.com/ingredients/hydrogen_peroxide.html) of peroxide blonde fame. Unlike sunlight and lemon juice, peroxide is an oxidizing bleach, and its effects are less easily undone."
http://sci-toys.com/ingredients/bleach.html

Redox
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redox

[Fluke]

I think this is a question best left for Ktani, but as far as I remember, or remember to have heard, part of the lemon juice lightening method is to sit it with in your hair in strong sun (eg. summer) and that it is terribly drying and damaging to your hair.. shudder:

[ktani]

I think this is a question best left for Ktani,

I am far from a chemistry expert but I do understand concepts. I got a great deal of help with this particular one.

When it comes to henna, lemon juice causes the pigment to appear less visable or invisible but oxidation makes it reappear.

So, lemon juice can lighten henna but most (not all) of the lawsone reoxidizes and the colour redarkens.

[Aisha25]

I am far from a chemistry expert but I do understand concepts. I got a great deal of help with this particular one.

When it comes to henna, lemon juice causes the pigment to appear less visable or invisible but oxidation makes it reappear.

So, lemon juice can lighten henna but most (not all) of the lawsone reoxidizes and the colour redarkens.
Wait. So when I use lemon in my henna mix it lightens my hairs?:(

[Heidi_234]

Does any acidic liquid would speed up the redox reaction, or just lemon juice?

[ktani]

Wait. So when I use lemon in my henna mix it lightens my hairs?:(

No. There need to be enough of it to make that kind of difference.

[ktani]

Does any acidic liquid would speed up the redox reaction, or just lemon juice?

Only certain acids. Ascorbic acid in particular or Vitamin C.

[Aisha25]

No. There need to be enough of it to make that kind of difference.
Oh ok, thanks for clearing that up for me:flowers:

[ktani]

Oh ok, thanks for clearing that up for me:flowers:

You are most welcome.

[Katze]

Since my hair went darker as a teenager, I tried everything to lighten it. Chamomile, lemon, you name it. Lemon never did anything to lighten my hair, but going out in the sun with lemon on my scalp gave me nasty chemical burns!

There is no "safe" way to lighten hair. Anything that is harsh enough to remove the pigment from hair strands is also damaging the structure of your hair.

However, you can try spending as much time in the sun as possible. That seems to be giving me nice golden streaks. Alternatively, you can go to a salon, where you will (hopefully) get the mildest amount of bleach possible in order to get the color you desire.

As a former bleach head who has tried everything, I am happy to answer any questions you have - feel free to PM me!

[Heidi_234]

Since my hair went darker as a teenager, I tried everything to lighten it. Chamomile, lemon, you name it. Lemon never did anything to lighten my hair, but going out in the sun with lemon on my scalp gave me nasty chemical burns!

There is no "safe" way to lighten hair. Anything that is harsh enough to remove the pigment from hair strands is also damaging the structure of your hair.

However, you can try spending as much time in the sun as possible. That seems to be giving me nice golden streaks. Alternatively, you can go to a salon, where you will (hopefully) get the mildest amount of bleach possible in order to get the color you desire.

As a former bleach head who has tried everything, I am happy to answer any questions you have - feel free to PM me!
Thank you Katze :flowers:
I'm actually currently experimenting with bleach on shed hair. I don't see myself going to a hair salon for this, they ruined my hair one time too many (yes, really really ruined!). Bleach seemed to damage my hair at longer exposure (50 min) and do too little of a color change at shorter exposures (20/30 min). I'm not sure bleach is the answer for me anymore.
I was just looking over the internet, and wherever I went there's the lemon juice lightening thing. I remember dipping my hair in lemon juice and sitting in the sun long long time ago, I can't remember results. In any case, "sun lightening" damages your hair just the same as lemon and sun lightening, it just occurs more slowly.

[Katze]

Thank you Katze :flowers:
In any case, "sun lightening" damages your hair just the same as lemon and sun lightening, it just occurs more slowly.

Yes, true. Just like "sun darkening" damages skin. :D Still, I think it's probably the safest way to lighten hair, if you are going to be out in the sun anyway.

I tested honey as well as chamomile on shed hairs, and came to the conclusion that neither lightens hair - tried it on samples of both my and BF's hair, with control samples. At that point I was already liking my natural color, so I decided to just let it be, and maybe hope that a week or so in the sun would help it get a bit lighter.

What's cool is that I do get more compliments on my hair color now - before it just looked fake.

[Jeni]

I use to do the lemon juice thing, it did lighten my hair but not much. I sprayed it on evenly but only noticed it giving me highlights like I normally got int he sun only slightly lighter. I never noticed any damage to my hair or scalp from it but then I have done ALOT of really horrible stuff to my hair and its in decent condition so ymmv

I've tried the honey lightening too, it seems to have lightened me as much as the lemon juice but more evenly (no highlights). I have no idea why since I apply the same way....

My hair was light blond when I tried the lemon juice and a light reddish blond (strawberry blond?) when I tried honey so you might have a different experience.

Your hair is gorgeous, I saw it in one of the henna threads, I think the dark color looks good!

[Heidi_234]

Yes, true. Just like "sun darkening" damages skin. :D Still, I think it's probably the safest way to lighten hair, if you are going to be out in the sun anyway.

I tested honey as well as chamomile on shed hairs, and came to the conclusion that neither lightens hair - tried it on samples of both my and BF's hair, with control samples. At that point I was already liking my natural color, so I decided to just let it be, and maybe hope that a week or so in the sun would help it get a bit lighter.

What's cool is that I do get more compliments on my hair color now - before it just looked fake.
Chamomile doesn't lighten hair, it only gives the illusion of by casting a blond hue. Of course, there might be (yet another) something I don't know, as far as I know it's just a myth. But it's the second most common 'method' suggested to lighten hair, over the net.
Did you try ktani's delusion from the honey thread? I think you could have much more success, and it might be less harming than sun lightening, because the honey chelates the damaging particles.


I use to do the lemon juice thing, it did lighten my hair but not much. I sprayed it on evenly but only noticed it giving me highlights like I normally got int he sun only slightly lighter. I never noticed any damage to my hair or scalp from it but then I have done ALOT of really horrible stuff to my hair and its in decent condition so ymmv

I've tried the honey lightening too, it seems to have lightened me as much as the lemon juice but more evenly (no highlights). I have no idea why since I apply the same way....

My hair was light blond when I tried the lemon juice and a light reddish blond (strawberry blond?) when I tried honey so you might have a different experience.

Your hair is gorgeous, I saw it in one of the henna threads, I think the dark color looks good!
Thank you :flowers:
I'm trying to lighten my hair before hennaing to bring out the red colors.
Honey lightens hair in a different way than lemon juice does. Honey produces hydrogen peroxide and that's how it lightens, whereas lemon juice speeds up (apparently) redox reaction caused by UV light. So the strands that were already halfway through the process (with natural everyday sun exposure) lightened faster whereas other strands just started their disbonding and didn't lighten as much. It just my theory, but I think that's why you've got highlights with LJ, and more even lightening with honey.

[Katze]

Chamomile doesn't lighten hair, it only gives the illusion of by casting a blond hue. Of course, there might be (yet another) something I don't know, as far as I know it's just a myth. But it's the second most common 'method' suggested to lighten hair, over the net.
Did you try ktani's delusion from the honey thread? I think you could have much more success, and it might be less harming than sun lightening, because the honey chelates the damaging particles.

Thank you :flowers:
I'm trying to lighten my hair before hennaing to bring out the red colors.
Honey lightens hair in a different way than lemon juice does. Honey produces hydrogen peroxide and that's how it lightens, whereas lemon juice speeds up (apparently) redox reaction caused by UV light. So the strands that were already halfway through the process (with natural everyday sun exposure) lightened faster whereas other strands just started their disbonding and didn't lighten as much. It just my theory, but I think that's why you've got highlights with LJ, and more even lightening with honey.

Sorry, but I never got honey to lighten my hair. I wanted it to, and tried all of the various suggestions...then gave up. I still SMT my hair regularly, but have stopped hoping that it would lighten my (virgin) hair. I don't think the concentration of peroxide, IF ANY, is anywhere near strong enough to bleach hair. After all, it doesn't even bleach skin or towels or textiles...why would it bleach hair?!?

Furthermore a test I did back in 2007 of my and BF's hair, against control batches, left to soak in diluted honey for three days. The soaked samples were shinier, but that shine faded after a few weeks, and there was absolutely no color difference between the soaked samples and the control samples.

While I do think honey, like other washing/conditioning methods, can fade color, I don't think this is the same as calling it some kind of hair bleach. Personally I find the promotion of this idea somewhat frustrating, since it got my hopes up, but did not work despite all my best tries. But each is entitled to her own opinion, and that's mine!

[Nightshade]

I don't know if this is any help, but it's from the herbal hair dye article :)

The most interesting thing is the link to the source where a chemist explains how it works.

Lemon Rinse- Lemon is also a time-honored hair lightener. Will lighten hair, but may be very drying as the lightening agent is an acid.
2 lemons
1 quart boiling water
Lemon is also a time-honored hair lightener. The juice of two of the citrus fruits, strained into a quart of water, makes an excellent rinse that can be used in the same way as the chamomile preparation. Try to dry your hair in the sun after using a lemon rinse, in order to get the most from the treatment's lightening effect.

The science: Roger Clemens, professor of molecular pharmacology and toxicology at the University of Southern California, said the acid in lemons, combined with oxygen and the sun’s UV rays, causes acid oxidation, which highlights or lightens hair. “It’s not an old wives’ tale or myth. It’s scientific fact,” he said.

Of course, going out in the sun without lemon juice can lighten your hair, too. But the acid in the lemon juice serves as an accelerant, he said. The active ingredient is the limonene in lemons, which is most concentrated in the rind, said Dr. Francesca J. Fusco of Mount Sinai Medical Center. “It acts as a weak bleaching agent when exposed to sunlight,” the dermatologist said. - New York Times Source (http://web.archive.org/web/20070125073021/http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:0xKJxk7H9YsJ:airwolf.lmtonline.com/living/archive/060406/living2.pdf)

[Heidi_234]

Katze, I'm not sure what to tell you, as honey lightening did little to me as well. All I know is that honeys do contain hydrogen peroxide, which they release when diluted with water. This is partly what gives honey its antibacterial properties. Whether it's enough peroxide to lighten hair, I can't say that, and actually I tend to agree with you. But at least it's very safe for the hair.
Nightshade, thanks for that. The link you posted isn't working, but I found the source here (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/01/fashion/thursdaystyles/01sside.html).

[Katze]

Katze, I'm not sure what to tell you, as honey lightening did little to me as well. All I know is that honeys do contain hydrogen peroxide, which they release when diluted with water. This is partly what gives honey its antibacterial properties. Whether it's enough peroxide to lighten hair, I can't say that, and actually I tend to agree with you. But at least it's very safe for the hair.
Nightshade, thanks for that. The link you posted isn't working, but I found the source here (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/01/fashion/thursdaystyles/01sside.html).

Heidi, I do think the amount is very, very minimal, and what people are seeing is color fading, not being bleached. Similar to what happens if you don't use 'for color treated hair' shampoo. :)

If honey bleached hair, I would be platinum blonde by now (sigh...I so want my hair to match my eyebrows again...) but I'm not.

Lemon also caused me to get terrible burns in the sun, but I am very fair and burn easily. Use at your own risk, definitely!