Lemon Juice In Hair: Does It Work? We Investigate The All-Natural Dye Job

But does it even work? We admit the old-time trick isn't so far-fetched—but it's also not, um, great for your hair. So is there is a way to do it safely, and if so, how? Here's what hairstylists have to say about the all-natural dye job.    

And just as how you should stick to shades of your natural color when opting for a toner, perhaps ditch the lemons unless your hair is already fairly light. Again, lemons can only provide a subtle lightening effect, so if your hair is super-dark, all that effort might not even show up (or, worse, tinge your strands a bit orange). Lemons also won't work if you already have salon highlights: "This is best done on virgin hair," McCard explains. "There would be little to no reaction on color-treated hair." 

But the biggest concern to look for? Lemon juice is drying and can create extreme photosensitivity on the skin. As it's a citric acid and an AHA, it will increase the chance of scalp burns and sun damage. Using the straight-up lemon juice can also be pretty drying on your strands—you might want to proceed with caution here, especially if your hair is already prone to dryness and breakage. Be sure to hydrate your hair before and after the lemon juice hack.

But as we've noted, just be very, very careful you don't get any lemon juice on your scalp, and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate before and after. Or, you can always create a brightening DIY hair mask to supply your hair with a bit more moisture. You'll still have the lightening effect with the lemons, but it won't dry your hair as brittle: 

Here's the thing: Lemons can work on certain people (typically those with lighter hair already), but it only provides a subtle hit of brightness. If you're looking for a whole new 'do, there's not much you can do on the all-natural route—you may have to look into at-home hair color or wait with bated breath to see a colorist (we recommend waiting it out if you can). But for very subtle highlights, lemons are a quick hit, so long as you do it safely for your hair and scalp.