How to Lighten or Brighten Dark Hair With Lemon Juice

Co-authored by Gina Almona

Last Updated: February 24, 2023

If you walk into any hair salon, you can easily find treatments guaranteed to lighten or brighten your dark hair. Unfortunately, most of these treatments come with hefty price tags. Lucky for you, there are cheap, DIY ways to lighten and brighten at home. With some lemon juice and a few other basic ingredients, you can create sprays and treatments that add some sun-kissed streaks to dark hair for a fraction of the salon price.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Making the Basic Mixture

1
Cut and juice your lemons. Slice your lemon in half. If you have a hand juicer, you can use it to speed up this step, otherwise simply squeezing the lemon by hand works fine. Over a cup or other container, squeeze the lemon until all of the juice is thoroughly drained. You may accidentally get a few seeds in your cup, but that’s OK.
2
Dilute your lemon juice with water. Because lemon juice is acidic, you run the risk of damaging your hair if you apply it directly.^{[1]
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Research source} Instead, create a mixture of one part lemon juice three parts water.^{[2]
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Research source} You can add the water directly to the cup, or make it even easier by combining both ingredients in a clean, empty spray bottle. This will make applying it to your hair even easier. Stir or shake the lemon juice and water together.

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3
Apply the mixture to your hair. If you are using a spray bottle, you can spritz it throughout your tresses or focus on the top layer to get sun-kissed highlights. If your lemon juice and water is in a cup, use a pastry brush or hair color brush to apply the mixture wherever you’d like to lighten. You can focus on your ends for a gentle ombre effect, or paint the mixture in streaks for highlights. If you have enough mixture, you can coat your entire head of hair in it!
4
Head out into the sun. Think of sunlight as the lemon juice activator. When your lemon juice-coated hair warms up in the sun, the lemon juice opens the cuticle and fades pigment.^{[3]
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Research source} Apply this treatment to your hair every time you know you’ll be spending a few hours outside, and watch as your hair gradually lightens!

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Creating a Nourishing Spray

1
Make chamomile tea. Boil about one cup (240 mL) of water and then add two bags of chamomile tea. Allow it to steep, becoming a potent tea.^{[4]
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Research source} Chamomile, like lemon juice, has the ability to naturally lighten hair. Because it is not acidic, it is more gradual and less damaging to your hair.^{[5]
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Research source}
2
Cut and squeeze your lemons. For this recipe, you’ll want to juice three large lemons. Slice them into halves and squeeze them over a container. Watch for any seeds that fall into the juice, and remove them.^{[6]
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Research source} If you have a hand juicer, you can use it to make this step a bit easier.
3
Add oil and cinnamon to your lemon juice. By adding one tablespoon (14.79 mL) of coconut oil or almond oil to your lemon juice, you’ll help protect your hair against damage. The oil provides moisture and nourishment, which will help counteract the drying properties of lemon juice. Then, mix in one teaspoon (4.93 mL) of cinnamon. Cinnamon has lightening properties, so it will work with the chamomile and lemon juice to lighten up those strands.^{[7]
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4
Combine your lemon juice mixture and chamomile tea. The best way to do this is to pour everything into a spray bottle and shake. If you do not have an empty spray bottle to use, you can simply mix everything together in a bowl. Stir thoroughly.
5
Apply to your hair before exposing it to sunlight. Only put it on the areas of hair you wish to lighten. You can spray it all over your head, or select strands to highlight. Apply it before you head outdoors, and the sunshine will activate the lighteners, helping to lift pigment and lighten your hair. The oil will help to keep your hair hydrated and healthy.^{[8]
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Community Q&A

Question

How long does it last?

Community Answer

Lightening your hair with lemon juice is a permanent change, because it lifts the pigment from the cuticle of your hair. They will only go away if colored or grown out.
Question

How long does this last in my hair?

Community Answer

Lightening your hair with lemon juice is permanent (at least until your hair grows out). Think of it as a natural bleach. The lemon juice lifts the pigments from the cuticle of your hair. The only way to get rid of it is to cut it, dye it, or let it grow out.
Question

What should I do during the fall/winter when there's rarely any sun? Can I use a hair dryer?

Community Answer

No, it only works with UV rays and not heat. I think you don't need sun for the chamomile method, though.

Warnings

These sprays will lighten dark hair, but not magically make hair platinum blonde. Very dark hair will become a lighter brown or even red color.

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