Showing off golden skin and hair with subtle bright reflections that involve multiple sunbaths is synonymous with summer. But it is not necessary to go on vacation to the coast for a week to achieve it because TikTok, the social network that sets beauty trends, has an arsenal of homemade tricks to achieve the perfect sunny ombre without the beach or hairdresser. The phenomenon is not new and, long before networks existed, teenagers were already resorting to hydrogen peroxide, chamomile, beer or lemon to lighten their hair. Now everything is multiplied and the hastags #LemonJuiceHairLightening and #NaturalHighlightswithLemon They have more than 120 million views. This explosion of tutorials with citrus as the protagonist demonstrates the power of attraction of any homemade, cheap and simple recipe on social networks. But is this method really safe and effective? Expert colorists analyze the effects on the hair.
What are the tutorials with lemon juice step by step?
New videos appear every day on TikTok that explain in a few seconds how to apply lemon on the hair to achieve sunny highlights naturally. The formula is simple: squeeze a lemon, pour the juice into a spray bottle, spray it through your hair and stand in the sun for at least 30 minutes. We also find versions that add a cold chamomile or a little water to the lemon juice. And others that innovate with a much more abrupt way of doing it: they cut the lemon in two, rub it on the wet scalp and dry in the sun or apply hot air with a dryer. Everything is simple, fast and free, like most of the tutorials that manage to stand out on networks. “It is important to note that you have to repeat this operation several times to achieve visible results, but it all depends on what you want to achieve. If the base is a dark blonde it will lighten one or two tones and if the base is light there will only be some lighter reflections left, but be careful, the resulting color is uncontrollable. It is neither natural nor pretty and, furthermore, it is not a harmless method because the combination of sun and lemon dries out the hair a lot with disastrous consequences,” he tells S Fashion Raquel Aguilera, stylist Tacha Beauty and head of hairdressing at their salons.
Does lemon juice really lighten hair?
“One of the most common myths that we must banish is that lemon changes hair color. It is not the lemon, but the exposure to the sun that transforms the color and, although the citrus accelerates the process, you have to do it several times to see any difference. It is true that the combination of sun and lemon lightens the tone a little, but the hair fiber remains very sensitive due to the fusion of the two,” he explains. S Fashion Joao Soares, stylist and colorist at Maison Eduardo Sánchez. Conchi Arias, founder of Curlyhair fields and Creator of the CCH line agrees “lemon juice contains citric acid, a bleaching agent that lightens the hair if we then expose it to the sun. If we only add lemon, the color is not altered, but adding heat from a dryer or the sun causes a chemical reaction that lightens the hair between one and two tones, and can go up to three. This effect is more noticeable on dark blonde or light brown hair.”
Juanjo Gabriel, colorist and stylist of the salon Curler He adds “the sun always transforms the tone of the hair, and the effect is magnified by the high level of acidity of the citrus. Lemons have a pH of 2.3 and the natural pH of healthy hair is between 4 and 5. Additionally, the acidity of lemon damages the hair cuticle and reduces its natural pigment; If we add sunlight to this, the discoloration process accelerates.” But not everything is bad in the relationship between lemon and hair. In fact, many brands use it in their hair lines. The properties of lemon, rich in vitamins A, B and C, also make it the perfect active ingredient that enriches products. Garnier uses it in its purifying line for oily hair for its cleansing and refreshing power and its ability to illuminate and give shine to the hair. The John Frieda firm has a lightening line based on the trendy citrus. “Lemon contains 5% citric acid, a very weak oxidizing agent that is absorbed into the hair cortex. Being a fruit with a high content of vitamin C helps to give more strength and vitality,” comments Maria Eugenia Artigas Brand Manager of John Frieda.
Is it safe to lighten hair with lemon?
The experts consulted clarify that all of these homemade lemon-based formulas have more disadvantages than benefits. “On the scalp I never recommend extending it because the combination of lemon and sun can burn it; And not at the ends either because they dry out very much and look terrible. Furthermore, applying anything to your hair and then exposing yourself to the sun is an outrage that damages your hair and, in the end, there is no treatment that will fix it. People come to salons with homemade hair disasters that can only be solved with scissors. We must raise awareness that these tricks with lemon or chamomile, no matter how natural they may be, harm the hair more than a salon bleach,” says Raquel Aguilera from Tacha Beauty.
If we add to this that it has to be done continuously and several times to achieve any lightening effect, the consequences worsen. “The cuticle is altered and the hair becomes dehydrated, fragile, matte and brittle,” adds Conchi Arias. And is there a way to apply it safely? “The only way to do it is to spread the lemon juice and then apply a specific sunscreen before exposing ourselves to the sun to protect the hair,” says Joao Soares. “To minimize damage after exposing yourself to the sun with lemon juice, I recommend washing, rinsing with plenty of water and spraying a leave-in conditioner that helps compensate for the damaging effects,” says Juanjo Gabriel. And one more recommendation: “if you have applied lemon juice to your hair, avoid bathing in a pool if you don’t want to end up with greenish reflections. It is also not advisable to mix citrus with chamomile because lemon loses many of its properties and ends up modifying the substances in the hair pigment and its proteins. It leaves it very fragile and breaks easily. Therefore, the safest way to use lemon on your hair is in shampoos, conditioners, masks, oils or sprays that include it in their formulation. In addition to providing an energizing aroma, they add a lot of shine and light to the hair,” says colorist Joao Soares.
Oranges, coppers, yellows… how are the reflections?
Wearing a beachy mane with sunny, luminous and shiny lemon-based locks is difficult because the result depends on chance. “The combination of lemon and heat produces uncontrolled oxidation and the side effects are unpredictable: from an irregular or patchy coloration, to orange or yellow turns with the risk of an open cuticle and greater frizz. What is known as burnt hair,” says Miguel Bling, hairdresser and director of You Glow Salon in Madrid. And controlling the color result at home with these home remedies is an impossible mission. “The most common thing is that unflattering orange tones remain and then they come to the salon so we can fix it. It is difficult for us to solve these disasters because it also poses a risk of applying other color products on top of them that further alter the pigmentation with unflattering results. In the living room we avoid orange tones with ash pigments, and we add beige to prevent yellowish reflections. But at home you can’t do this with a lemon,” says Raquel Aguilera. Another myth surrounding these homemade colorations is that their effect is fleeting. “It depends on how many times you have repeated it. If it is only done a couple of times, perhaps the hair can recover its color, but if it has been lightened enough the result will remain until the hair is cut or, in the best of cases, when a color is applied on top in a hair salon.” , concludes Aguilera.
#Homemade #highlights #lemon #juice #consequences #hair #hair #phenomenon #moment