Attention all blondes (sorry brunettes, we owe you one): Is it just us or are the highlights we got at the beginning of summer fading? Trust us, nobody loves the feeling of sporting fresh highlights more than we do, but sometimes spending major dollars on a salon sesh can put a hurting on our bank accounts. Luckily, we’ve discovered a few simple solutions to boost your highlights at home–some, which include the inner happenings of your pantry. Simple and affordable–it just doesn’t get better than that.
Got highlights?
Lemon Juice + Almond Oil
If you’re heading outside for some fun in the sun, squeeze the juice of 1 whole lemon and combine with equal parts almond oil. Slather on the parts you want to lighten (or your entire head) and let it soak up some rays. The acid in lemon removes the pigment in your hair, which causes lightening. Since it can also be drying, the addition of almond oil keeps your strands soft and shiny.
Sun Spray + Hair Mask
For those of us who aren't ones to fuss in the kitchen, this hair lightening spray gradually brightens up existing highlights. Spray moderately all over towel dried hair before going in the sun–warning: too much will result in brassy strands. A good shampoo and an after-sun recovery mask will revive your sun-kissed locks.
Honey + Coconut Oil
We bet you didn't know honey contained natural traces of hydrogen peroxide, which acts as a lightening agent on hair. Create a paste by dissolving 2 tablespoons of honey into warm water and apply evenly on damp hair before bed–we recommend tucking hair into a shower cap to prevent waking up to a sticky mess. In the morning, rinse out the honey mixture with your regular shampoo and add some coconut oil to your favorite conditioner.
