You will most likely need to repeat this process several times to see a significant change in your hair color. If you have several hours to mix lemon juice into your hair and sit out in the sun, consider the methods listed in this article: Use Lemon Juice to Lighten Hair. If you are looking for a quicker solution, read on.
You may also use limes, grapefruit, or any other fruit that contains a high concentration of citric acid. [1] X Research source To make your own: Buy or pick four lemons. Slice the lemons in half. Squeeze the lemon juice into a bowl, or use a juicing device. Lemon juice is very acidic. Consider mixing 1/4 cup of water into every cup of lemon juice to avoid damaging your hair.
Be sure to shut your eyes tightly to keep out the lemon juice. The citric acid will burn if it makes contact with your eyes.
It is important that you give the citric acid time to leach into your hair, but you do not want to leave the mixture in for too long–prolonged exposure to citric acid can damage your hair.
Undiluted hydrogen peroxide from the bottle will also bleach your hair, but it is much stronger and thus more likely to damage your roots–which is why many people use honey to gently lighten their hair. Honey also acts as a moisturizer, which counteracts the drying effects of the peroxide within.
Honey is very sticky, and water loosens the consistency so that it is easier to apply to your hair. Apple cider vinegar acts as a natural conditioner. If you want a more drastic color change, consider adding several capfuls of hydrogen peroxide to the mixture. This accentuates the peroxide that is already present in honey, and reacts with your hair to bleach it several shades lighter. Do not add the extra peroxide if your hair is black or very dark brown–it may come out orange. For a reddish-blonde hue, you can add henna powder, cinnamon, or ground coffee to the mixture. Several tablespoons of hibiscus petals will add a strawberry-blonde tint. [2] X Research source
Consider standing on a towel to protect your floor from drips. Honey can be sticky and difficult to clean up.
If you have long hair that’s hard to keep up under the plastic, twist your hair into clips to pin it up while the honey treatment is working, then put the plastic over your clipped up hair. If you can manage to keep the honey in your hair overnight, you’ll get much lighter results. It also acts as a deep-conditioning treatment. Put a towel over your pillow and sleep wearing a shower cap. There’s no need to use a blow dryer to apply heat. The honey works well at room temperature.
Store extra conditioner in an old conditioner bottle for later use. Use the same ratio of honey to conditioner to make a larger batch.
Leave the conditioner in your hair for 5-10 minutes while you finish your shower for a greater lightening effect. If your hair feels sticky after rinsing, decrease the amount of honey you use and increase the amount of conditioner.
Rub your hair together between your hands. This will help spread the cinnamon. Consider using a brush to help spread the cinnamon throughout your hair. If you do, make sure that the brush is wet so that the cinnamon will glide through your hair more smoothly.
The longer that you keep the cinnamon in your hair, the lighter the end result will be. Four hours will make a slight impact, but you may need to continue the treatment for eight hours or more to achieve the shade that you want. Err on the side of caution. Remember: you can always try the treatment again! Cover your cinnamon-hair with a shower cap or a plastic bag so that the cinnamon does not rub off. You may feel a slight heat and tingling on your scalp–but this is normal, and it will pass.
If you have curly hair, use shampoo to get the cinnamon out. If the resulting shade is not light enough for you, remember that you can always try again!
Steep chamomile tea for 30 minutes in a glass or ceramic pot. Let the tea cool to a lukewarm temperature. Wash your hair as you normally would, and use the lukewarm chamomile tea as a final rinse. Catch the used tea liquid in a bowl and rinse again with this. Let your hair dry in the sun. You will need to do this weekly–or even more frequently–to keep your highlights fresh.
