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. But, sigh, there are a few caveats. First up: While lemons can provide some brightening properties (similar to a natural hair toner, we’d say), you shouldn’t expect a drastic dye job. “Drastic changes in color are usually not possible,” naturopathic doctor Tess Marshall, N.D., previously told mbg. So if you have darker hair, don’t expect to look platinum with the help of mere citrus. 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.” First, McCard says you can simply squeeze out some juice from the lemon and apply it to the areas you wish to lighten—either coat your strands with your fingers, or grab a trusty spray bottle and spritz the citrus throughout. “For better results, I recommend doing this outside,” she says. “The heat of the sun will help accelerate the process.” 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:
