Yahoo Lifestyle 
Popular Euro summer trend Aussies should not follow: 'Worst pain ever'
An expert warns that the age-old hack works, but it comes at a cost.
While it’s winter in Australia (and freezing might I add), those lucky enough to be living north of the equator are experiencing the joys of a mid-year summer — including the many Aussies who’ve escaped for a Euro summer vacay.
This also means those of us shivering under blankets and hot water bottles Down Under are being served a myriad of summer content over on social media apps like TikTok — from beauty tips and tricks, style inspo and more.
One summer beauty hack that’s been around for decades and has resurfaced as a recent trend on the app is the use of lemon juice as a ‘natural’ highlight for hair. Gen X and older millennials may remember trying this firsthand in their teenage years, but it would appear Gen Z have only recently discovered the age-old beauty trick.
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The idea is to squeeze a bit of lemon juice into your hair, and after several hours in the sun, it leads to lighter strands and natural highlights (particularly for those with already blonde or lighter coloured hair). But as the trend comes back out of the woodwork, experts have warned of the dangers of the seemingly innocent beauty hack.
A viral video with more than 70 million views by creator Luki Rapp shows him dousing his dark brunette hair with fresh lemon juice while sitting in the sun on a beach. In a follow up video, he shows his lightened hair results after following this routine for one hour a day across three consecutive days.
However viewers were quick to rush to the comment sections of both videos to warn Rapp and others of the dangers of the lemon juice hack.
“Don’t do this,” one concerned citizen wrote. “You will get a bad rash on your skin from the juices and the sun. Always wash lime and lemon juice off skin right away when you’re drinking cocktails in the sun.”
“Just recovering from lemon burn on my hands, the worst pain ever,” another replied
“It works but it absolutely kills your hair, it makes it so extremely dry it’s crazy ,” a third person chimed in.
“The pH of the lemon juice is too acidic for the hair,” another commenter explained. “The hair is made out of proteins and when proteins come in contact with high temperature or acidic pH levels, the structure gets destroyed and the protein is no longer functional.”
Trichologist warns of damage from using lemon juice in hair
To get to the bottom of the issue, Yahoo Lifestyle spoke with trichologist Chelcey Salinger, director of the International Association of Trichologists. Unsurprisingly, Salinger said she was not a fan of the long-lived beauty hack.
“‘Lemon juice’s pH of around 2-3 would leave the cuticle open and the hair vulnerable to damage,” she noted. “It leaves the hair with more positive ions than negative ions, so fewer salt bonds and more swelling.
“The ideal pH for the hair is 5.5. This helps to close the hair’s cuticle, which makes it smooth, gives it more shine and reduces the chances of it becoming damaged. Lemon juice is too acidic for the hair.”
Salinger added that if you wanted to go a few shades lighter, it’s best to see a professional hairdresser. You’d probably end up paying to fix the damage after using lemon juice anyway!
Lookfantastic.com beauty editor Sheeva Fallahi also weighed in on the trend, explaining why she discouraged applying lemon juice to the hair.
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“Lemon juice is known to alter the tone of your hair due to the reaction that occurs with the acidity and sun rays,” she said. “However this can result in an irritated or burnt scalp. Instead, it is recommended to focus on using hydrating and nourishing haircare products, enriched with ingredients like keratin, collagen and hyaluronic acid, that work to strengthen strands and protect against breakage.”
Of course using lemon juice in your hair is not life threatening or dangerous to your physical health. But for the sake of your precious locks, perhaps steer clear of this natural remedy next time you’re enjoying a bit of time in the sun — and maybe make some refreshing lemonade instead.
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