My once-blond hair has been getting darker and darker, especially since I haven't had the time or the money to get it professionally highlighted. I have really thick, long hair, so not only does it take hours at the salon to get it done, but it costs hundreds of dollars too. (It doesn't help that I live in one of the most expensive cities in the whole country, either.)
So in the interest of protecting my pocketbook and hectic schedule, I tried to lighten my hair myself.
My first stop was the hair color section at my local Walgreens, but all the chemicals and the fear of screwing up scared me. And what happened to SunIn? I didn't see that anywhere!
Instead I decided to try something I hadn't done since I was a teen: use lemon juice to give myself some natural highlights. How did I do it, you ask?
Lemon Juice Highlights Are Easy!
Here is our easy step-by-step guide to get natural highlights using lemon juice and the sun!
Step 1: Buy Lemons
Stating the obvious here, but first you'll need to buy lemons. If you have short hair, you'll only need two or three. If you have long hair, go with four or five.
Step 2: Get Juicing
Break out your handy juicer and get as much out of the lemons as you can.
Step 3: Fill a Spray Bottle
Pour the lemon juice in a spray bottle and add water (doubling the amount of juice). And you might want to add a tablespoon of olive oil since lemon juice can dry out your hair.
Step 4: Spray Your Hair
Then generously spray the lemon juice mixture on your hair where you would like the highlights to appear. I made sure to get the hair around my face and the ends too.
Step 5: Comb or Rub the Lemon Juice In
You can also comb the mixture into your hair to get even coverage — or take some of the liquid, put it on a cotton ball, and rub it into your hair in streaks if you want that look. Then sit in the direct sun for an hour or two. Make sure to cover any exposed skin with sunscreen so you won't get burned.
Step 6: Sit in the Sun, Wash Hair & Voila!
After you sit in the direct sunlight, make sure to wash and generously condition your hair. I sat in the sun for about an hour-and-a-half, and I did indeed see a difference. Best of all, it only cost me a couple of dollars to do!
