Lemon Juice

[UP Lisa]

Has anyone here ever used lemon juice to lighten their hair? Did it work?

[ArienEllariel]

I've been wondering this myself. I don't want to try it just yet as I've heard it can be drying and I'm still growing out old damage.

[Copasetic]

I remember my friend doing this when we were in high school. It definitely didn't work for her.

[sibiryachka]

OW OW OW Yes, I've done it, looong ago - and it makes my hair hurt just to remember it!

[UP Lisa]

Supposedly, if you mix 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice with a gallon of water, it won't be so drying to the hair. It takes time, and you have to rinse your hair with it every day till you get to the desired color.

[funnyface]

There is an alternative that is much better but for the life of me I can't think of it!!

xxx

[Jorchet]

I don't know if you've seen it, but there's this awesome Honey thread for lightening treatments (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=237414&postcount=1964) with loads of tips, photos and different recipes. On the first post (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?p=1661#post1661) you have many useful links with info as well.

The good thing about it is that it's not damaging to your hair. I've tried it before without sucess, I live in Argentina, and none of the recommended honeys are available here, and the local ones I've tried haven't been sucessful. It's worked for loads of people, though.

[funnyface]

Honey!! That was it!

xxx

[Katze]

tried lemon juice. Tried honey. neither lightened my hair, though lemon, combined with hot sun, gave me horrible burns on my forehead and temples.

Citrus oils are photosynthesizers so if you are light skinned you should be very, very careful.

[Sara_1987]

Same as above, I've tried lemon and honey and neither made any noticeable difference.

The only thing that truly lightens my hair is a beach/pool vacation (sea water or chlorine + sunlight lightens my hair dramatically and if I take good care of it it doesn't feel dry either). I wish I could afford a vacation!

[clairenewcastle]

During my teenage years I fried my hair every summer by applying the juice of half a lemon to my hair's canopy on hot sunny days in an attempt to lighten my hair - it worked. :sun:

At the expense of the texture of my hair though. :headache:
The resulting damage led me to using camomile tea instead which had equally good lightening effects with or without sun, although I found camomile to be quite drying as well.

Would I recommend lemon juice to lighten hair?
Definately not. It's far too drying on to be used on hair without causing damage. :tmi:

[countryhopper]

I use baking soda to wash my hair (dilluted in water). On many no-poo forums, many people say that the baking soda lightens their hair with time. Now, I haven't noticed a color difference with me, so who knows if this is true.

I always follow up the baking soda wash with an acidic wash (usually tea), but many people have good results using lemon or another citrus juice dilluted in water.

The moral of the story: maybe a long term use of baking soda washes (not daily, but maybe once or twice a week) and lemon rinse could work??

[UP Lisa]

Well, I wasn't thinking of using straight lemon juice. I was thinking of a Tablespoon of juice combined with a gallon of water.

[justgreen]

This brightens up you own hair naturally, provided by Elyce.

H=Honey 2 tablespoons
A=Clear Aloe Vera Jel 1 tablespoon
L=Lemon juice/citric acid 1 tablespoon
O=Oil:i prefer jojoba oil 4-5 drops

Mix all this in a gallon milk jug full of distilled water. Shake well before using. I use around 12 ounces . This is used as a final no-rinse out.

[UP Lisa]

Is that lemon juice OR citric acid?

[lilravendark]

I tried the lemon when I was young and trolling the internet for natural bleaching techniques lol didn't work but I tell you one thing that does and thats being in the sun for 8 hours a day all week my dark hair has been developing blonde tinges as of late because I work outside all the time, not something I recommend though -_-

[LoveMyMutt]

My grandmother was a natural blond who went silvery/white in her forties...my mother recalls that when she was growing up, she and her sisters (all brunettes) washed their hair with soap and rinsed with apple cider vinegar to make it soft and give red highlights. Her oldest sister (also blond) and her mother used lemon juice to rinse to brighten their blond hair.

I actually just mixed water, conditioner, and a tablespoon of lemon juice together and sprayed my hair down with it before going out in the sun. And I now have noticeable blonder highlights -- but my hair is pretty light to begin with, and lightens quickly in the sun anyway. It would probably not work on hair much darker than dark blond.

[Charlotte:)]

I use straight lemon juice on my hair and sit in the sun. It only lightens a little bit at a time, but it does work and doesn't dry out my hair. I wash it out after I go inside because lemon juice is sticky and looks gross. It seems to only work for people who already have blonde hair, though, and just speeds up the natural bleaching that happens in the sun

[Charlotte:)]

I use straight lemon juice on my hair and sit in the sun. It only lightens a little bit at a time, but it does work and doesn't dry out my hair. I wash it out after I go inside because lemon juice is sticky and looks gross. It seems to only work for people who already have blonde hair, though, and just speeds up the natural bleaching that happens in the sun.

[jessie58]

I can't speak for lemon juice. I knew a lot of blondes who used it to lighten in high school and their hair was certainly blonde.
However I do know from personal experience that chamomile works for certain.
I used to buy a bag of chamomile with the buds, leaves, stalks and brew a handful of it to get about 6 cups of "tea" after pouring it through a strainer. I would then pour it as a final rinse over my hair after washing and conditioning. It was summer time and I spent a lot of time outdoors in those days. My hair got lighter and lighter with each passing week and my once or twice a week chamomile rinses. People kept asking if I had dyed my hair and I was so insulted because "I don't dye my hair" lol. I had bought the chamomile on the advice of a hairdresser to condition my hair but did know that it would lighten my hair so much with repeated use.
Also my DD18 tried this 2 summers ago and it also lightened her hair as well. It works.

[Capybara]

I've done this. Although, my hair is a dark blonde/light honey brownish colour, so it lightens in the sun easily. I used straight lemon juice, but only a few times. I didn't have any damage.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that lemon juice/citric acid is an ingredient in Sun-in?

Also, it's possible to lighten your hair with cinnamon, if you want to give it a try: Cinnamon Hair Lightening (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=2125)

[Holly9192]

I' ve used it in the sun and it did lighten my hair and give me highlights. However, it damaged my hair quite a bit.

[UP Lisa]

Pure lemon juice should not be used. It must be diluted with water.

[ktani]

Has anyone here ever used lemon juice to lighten their hair? Did it work?

I kept the link for this because lemon juice as a hair lightener keeps popping up.
http://archive.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=40946

I kept the research on this too, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=1119619&postcount=5

[Charlotte:)]

I kept the link for this because lemon juice as a hair lightener keeps popping up.
http://archive.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=40946

I kept the research on this too, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=1119619&postcount=5

I read the first link about the conditioner and lemon juice, but it didn't specify whether it should be applied to wet or dry hair. I'm guessing wet would be easier, but do you know?

[ktani]

I read the first link about the conditioner and lemon juice, but it didn't specify whether it should be applied to wet or dry hair. I'm guessing wet would be easier, but do you know?

I do not know. You could try it both ways.