When we count nature’s gifts for our skin and hair care, honey invariably features in the top ten! A natural humectant and emollient, honey is deemed a super ingredient used in various DIY hair and face masks. However, while many use it in hair packs, there is one thing that’s making people have second thoughts, and that is honey’s lightening property. Does honey make hair white? This is one of those worries that can become a myth or a fact, depending on how people understand it. So, if you’ve been using honey for hair and are now apprehensive that it might make your hair white, then let us help you. Let’s answer this question once and for all: does honey make hair white?
- Does Honey Actually Make the Hair White?
- How Does Honey Lighten Hair?
- How to Use Honey for Hair Lightening?
- What Are The Other Benefits of Honey for Hair?
- 1) Softens and Conditions The Hair
- 2) Promotes Hair Growth
- 3) Gives Your Hair a Shine
- 4) Acts as a Natural Cleanser
Does Honey Actually Make the Hair White?
The short answer is no.
The longer version of the answer is, apart from containing some very beneficial nutrients such as niacin, riboflavin, zinc, iron, and lots more, honey also has hydrogen peroxide, a compound that lightens your hair colour. So, the application of honey regularly can lighten your natural hair colour, but no, honey does not make hair white. In this regard, honey and lemon are similar. Both of them are naturally occurring lightening agents that suffer the misapprehension of being seen as ingredients that turn your hair white.
How Does Honey Lighten Hair?
Now that we are clear that the myth ‘does honey make hair white?’ is just legend and not a fact, let us take a look at its lightening properties.
As mentioned above, honey contains a chemical compound known as hydrogen peroxide. This compound is famous in the cosmetics industry for its hair-lightening effect. It is present in hair-lightening products available in the market at varying levels. However, in honey, hydrogen peroxide is available in a small amount; thus, it can give you a very subtle-looking hair lightening effect.
How hydrogen peroxide works is that it makes its way into your hair shaft, dissolving the natural pigment of your tresses. When natural pigments of the hair are dissolved, your mane changes colour. Moreover, lightening hair with honey works only for those with naturally light-coloured hair. For those with dark hair, there is barely any colour change that happens.
How to Use Honey for Hair Lightening?
If your hair is a lighter colour and you want to try hair lightening, you can surely do so without worrying if honey makes the hair white. The amount of lightening of colour you’ll be able to achieve will depend on how well your hair absorbs the honey.
Here is a DIY hair conditioner you can prepare using honey to lighten your hair colour.
- Pour 1/3rd cup of honey into a bowl, and to it, add 1/4th cup of the hair conditioner you use.
- Combine the two until you get a mixture with a pasty consistency.
- Wet your hair and apply the mixture evenly on your hair strands. Cover it with a shower cap and leave it on overnight.
- After 8 hours, wash it off thoroughly.
Here is another honey lightening method you can try.
- Combine honey and distilled water in the ratio of 1:4.
- Apply it evenly on your hair and scalp.
- Cover it with a shower cap and let it stay for one hour. After an hour, rinse it thoroughly, shampoo it, and condition your hair as you usually do.
Apart from lightening your hair a little bit, this will also make your locks feel shiny and silky. Also, remember, this method takes some time. If you are using honey just for lightening your hair, you will have to try this multiple times to achieve the outcome you desire.
Tips to follow when using these methods:
- When there is honey in your hair, do not apply any heat to it.
- You cannot apply the honey conditioner or the mixture to oiled hair. Hair has to be completely dry before you apply this mixture.
- For boosting your hair colour, you could add either of these four ingredients to the mixture: ground cinnamon, olive oil, coconut oil, or ground cardamom.
What Are The Other Benefits of Honey for Hair?
To keep your mane looking flawless, honey is one of the best ingredients you could use! It has several benefits for hair that you will want to keep using it. Here are some benefits of honey for hair that you must know about:
1) Softens and Conditions The Hair
If your hair feels dry and limp, then use honey the next time you wash your hair. Being a natural softener and humectant, honey prevents hair from drying up. Since it is an emollient, it locks in moisture in the hair, thus softening it and conditioning it.
How to use it?
Heat up a mixture of extra virgin olive oil and honey until warm. Apply this mixture to damp hair. Cover your hair with a shower cap and let the concoction soak for 30 minutes. Rinse it off thoroughly.
2) Promotes Hair Growth
Being a natural antioxidant, using honey directly on the scalp can stimulate dormant hair follicles, thus helping hair to grow.
How to use it?
Combine 2 tablespoons of honey with 2 tablespoons of jojoba oil and the yolk from one egg. Mix them well to attain a creamy consistency and apply to the hair, covering roots and strands properly. Cover hair with a shower cap and let it sit for half an hour, and then wash off with cold water.
3) Gives Your Hair a Shine
If you’ve been dealing with lifeless hair strands, honey will restore life in them and give them a beautiful shine! By sealing moisture in the hair, clarifying and conditioning your hair, honey will add sheen to your dull hair.
How to use it?
Mix 5 tablespoons of honey with 2 cups of water and apply this to clean hair. Put on a shower cap and let the concoction work its magic for 30 minutes. Wash thoroughly.
4) Acts as a Natural Cleanser
The antibacterial properties of honey kill infection-causing bacteria and prevent scalp infections. It also soothes and cleanses the scalp, keeping it healthy.
How to use it?
Dilute honey in boiled water and apply it to the scalp and hair uniformly. Let the mixture sit in the hair for 2-3 hours and rinse off thoroughly.
In conclusion, honey is one of nature’s wonder cures and can be used to lighten your hair colour as well. However, the effect varies from person to person depending on the hair type. The simple answer to your lingering question ‘does honey make hair white’, is ‘no’. Use honey without worrying. It will benefit
Privacy Notice
Written by Nisha Shah on 24th Jan 2022
Writer, avid reader and a lover of all things creative is the best way to describe Nisha Shah! Equipped with a degree in Journalism and a certification in Digital Marketing, she brings a distinct perspective to her writing. With experience in content covering a range of topics from health to travel and beauty to food, she manages to bring something interesting and yet easy-to-read for her readers. When she's not writing, you can find her curled up with a book and coffee, bingeing on movies and TV shows, experimenting with photography and lots more!