Sun bleach alters the level of melanin, a natural pigment in your hair (and skin). The skin comprises living tissues, while hair only consists of dead ones. Hence, any changes in the melanin levels in your hair are permanent. It will not change until the hair grows out. Depending on your preferences, you can sun-bleach your hair to achieve semi-permanent lightened hair. This article outlines the benefits of sun bleaching, the steps to sun bleach your hair, the side effects of the process, and more. Keep reading to learn more. Research has shown that the UV rays of the sun can change the color of hair, especially light-colored hair (1). The most significant advantage of using the sun to bleach your hair is that you don’t need to spend money on expensive creams and serums. A simple lemon or a tea bag lying in your pantry would be of immense help in gaining that lighter shade in your hair. Learn how to sun-bleach your hair below!
How To Do Sun-Bleaching On Your Hair
Given below are ways you can practice sun-bleaching your hair.
1. Lemon Juice
The acidic properties of lemon juice are well-known. The citric acid in it helps in breaking down the melanin in the hair. Lemon juice and UV rays work together to lighten your hair (2). Here are the steps to follow when using lemons to lighten your hair:
2. Chamomile Tea
It is challenging to lighten dark hair naturally. Chamomile tea can help in adding highlights to your dark hair (3):
3. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is another ingredient to opt for when going the natural route for bleaching hair. Other than bleaching your hair, it is also said to add luster and shine to dull and damaged hair. The acetic acid in it is claimed to help in keeping the scalp healthy, though there is no scientific evidence to prove the same. Need more information on sun-bleaching? Read on!
General Know-How For Sun-Bleaching Your Hair
Here are a few tips to remember when sun-bleaching your hair.
The citric acid in lemon helps in stripping the hair of color. However, if too much lemon juice is applied, followed by prolonged exposure to the sun, the cuticles of your hair stay open for longer. This can cause damage to your hair (1).
Lemon juice and apple cider vinegar are acidic in nature and quite potent. Ensure that you dilute them with water to prevent damage to your hair cuticles and scalp.
When washing these ingredients off your hair, use a mild shampoo that will not damage the hair surface. Just like any other kind of bleaching, sun-bleaching too has its own share of side effects. Check them out below.
Adverse Effects Of Sun-Bleaching Your Hair
You can try sun-bleaching your hair if you want to change your hair color to a lighter tone or highlight your hair in sections. But, remember that sometimes sun-bleaching can be too much for your hair to handle. Excessive UV rays lead to the degradation of hair follicles and cause damage to the internal makeup of your hair (4). Sometimes, very healthy virgin hair color will not have any change in color at all because the cuticle shaft is so tightly bound that it doesn’t allow penetration. Moreover, sun-bleaching can harm the luster, softness, and overall health of your hair for a long time (5). Now, let’s check out how you can repair your sun-bleached hair.
How To Repair Sun-Bleached Hair
Sun-bleaching is usually done in summers when most of your outings are to the beach or the swimming pool. Too much salt or chlorine build-up causes damage to your already sun-bleached hair. Here are a couple of ways that you can repair this damage:
Use an apple cider vinegar rinse to remove this buildup from your hair. Even regular shampooing helps in ridding your hair of salt and chlorine.
If sun-bleaching has damaged your hair too much, you can approach a hairstylist about re-coloring your hair to regain the lost color.
Sun-bleached hair is dry and needs moisture. You can use DIY moisturizing hair packs with ingredients like aloe vera, avocado, and coconut oil to restore your locks to their former glory.
Confused about whether or not sun-bleaching is a long process? Read on for clarity.
Is Sun-Bleaching Hair A Very Long Process?
Sun-bleaching has its advantages and disadvantages. You need to first apply lightening ingredients like lemon juice, chamomile tea, or apple cider vinegar to your hair. Then, you go out in the sun and let the UV rays work their magic (6). However, not all natural hair colors bleach at the same time. Blonde hair takes about 20 minutes of intense sunlight to lighten. In contrast, dark hair would need a minimum of 30 minutes before you can see any changes in hair tone. Similarly, fine hair will bleach faster than thick, coarse hair. Does sun lightening damage hair? Check out the infographic below to bust some of the popular myths surrounding the sun bleaching process and learn the facts. You may use simple ingredients like lemon or teabag to help with sun bleaching. Follow the steps and tips mentioned in the article to sun bleach your hair at home easily. Always do a patch test before trying a new ingredient to avoid any adverse effects. If your hair gets damaged due to sun bleaching, you may repair it by visiting a hairstylist or using the homemade remedies discussed above. Yes. Sun lightening can damage hair in the long run. This is because the sun rays constantly break down the proteins in your hair, turning it weak, dry, and brittle. Why does my hair look ginger in the sun? The oxygen in the air and the UV rays from the sun make the underlying warm tones in your hair pop out. Therefore your hair appears ginger or orange under the sun. Is the sun good for your hair? Yes. The sun is a good source of Vitamin D, which boosts follicles and promotes hair growth. So your hair will do good with a bit of the sun each day. However, remember not to overexpose it as too much of the sun can damage your hair. Does salt water lighten hair without sun? No. Salt water works in combination with the sun’s rays to lighten the hair. However, without taking protective measures against them, this combination can ruin the condition of your hair.
