TikTok causes bridal bad-hair days

Ever heard of lightening your hair with lemon juice? The County Wedding Magazines team haven't either! And, it goes to show, you shouldn't always follow TikTok as there appears to be strong evidence to suggest you don't try this at home! 

Lemon juice hair lightening counts more than 124.6 million videos on TikTok and sees creators use lemon juice as a natural bleach which, when mixed with UV sun exposure, highlights the hair. However Ian Turner, a hair stylist working with Ripe Hair & Beauty, has warned that the practice could be doing a lot more harm than good in the lead-up to your wedding day.

He says: “The lemon juice trick is nothing new but has been gaining popularity again on TikTok in recent months as we come into the summer season. Despite claims that it offers quick and natural highlights, I strongly advise against using lemon juice to lighten hair at all costs. 

“This is because it has an extremely high acidity with a pH of around 2. The natural pH of the scalp and hair typically ranges between 4.5 and 5.5. This highly acidic nature can disrupt the natural pH balance of your scalp and hair, and can strip away the protective layer of hair strands, leading to dry, brittle, and damaged hair. This makes the hair more susceptible to breakage.

“The citric acid present in lemon juice depletes your hair of its natural oils and moisturising factors, leaving it frizzy, dry, and with a dull appearance. This is especially true during the warmer months when your hair will already be prone to dryness and frizz.

“In addition, if the juice gets on your scalp, it could cause irritation, redness, and flakiness. In severe cases, it could even lead to small wounds or abrasions that may take up to a month to fully heal.

“What’s more, lemon juice will typically only make a noticeable difference to already naturally blonde hair. For anyone with a darker tone, you’re unlikely to see the desired result – but will be left to deal with the damaging after-effects of the treatment.

“Ultimately, most of these DIY lightening methods are simply too harsh and risky. Avoid them and instead consider visiting a professional colourist to get natural-looking highlights where things are more controlled and performed using standard procedures.”