You may often come across lemon as one of the ingredients in your skincare and cleaning products. But does it possess any benefits for your hair? YES!
When applied topically, lemons can do wonders to your overall hair health. It can reduce excess oil and dandruff and promote shiny and glossy hair.
To find out more about the irresistible hair benefits of lemon juice, just read on!
Lemon as a hair lightening treatment:
There is a lot of anecdotal research on the internet about the hair-lightening effects of lemon juice. As per these articles, lemon juice can lighten or whiten your hair by chemically reducing your hair’s melanin (color pigment) – thanks to its citric acid! And you can accelerate the lightning process by exposing your hair to the sun.
This natural bleach can effectively lighten light-brown or blonde hair. It may not be as effective in lightening dark-colored hair and sure doesn’t work well on black hair.
Here’s how you can lighten your hair using lemon juice. You can give any of these methods a try:
- Mix a gallon of water with one tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Then, rinse the mixture through your hair.
- You can crush some vitamin C tablets and mix them with your shampoo in a container. Follow up with your usual shampoo routine.
- Mix a few drops of carrier oil with lemon essential oil in a glass of water and massage it onto your scalp and hair.
- For effective results, expose your hair to sunlight for about 30-40 minutes, right after rinsing it with the lemon juice solution.
How to use lemon juice for treating dandruff?
There could be several causes of dandruff. However, one study found that a fungus could also be responsible for dandruff on the scalp. Lemons are known to have anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties that can help keep dandruff at bay.
Besides, if you suffer from a type of scalp condition called Seborrheic Dermatitis (SD), lemon juice can prove beneficial by absorbing the excess oil that usually causes SD. So, make sure to massage some lemon juice into your scalp too.
Note – You must consult with a doctor first before applying any acidic products such as lemon juice.
How to use lemon juice for shinier hair?
The citric acid in lemon juice is known to remove hard water and hair product buildups from your hair. Well, that’s what several beauty and health articles suggest!
Regardless of your hair color, lemon juice can potentially make it appear shinier. If you want to give it a try, follow these steps:
- Mix lemon juice and water with two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar.
- Apply it evenly on your hair and let it sit for a few minutes.
- Then, apply your favorite hair conditioner, and rinse with cold water.
More Potential Benefits of Lemon Juice For Hair
Lemons may encourage new hair growth and strengthen hair follicles due to the presence of other nutrients.
Vitamin C (present in lemons) is essential for collagen production, which further promotes hair growth.
Lemon juice, a naturally acidic solution, can deep cleanse your hair follicles and scalp and restore pH levels.
