News

Putting The Spotlight On Lightening Sprays

Sam Robinson
On May 6, 2026

Jo Haywood shares her thoughts.

What do you think of lightening sprays? You know what I’m talking about, Sun In style, at home, DIY blonde sprays.

I’ve always been wary of them, having heard horror stories of orange, patchy results. But recently I had a new client come to me for a haircut, she asked if I would apply the spray before we began, and I said absolutely not! She proceeded to do it herself, and I was worried that it would look awful and didn’t want to be involved with this product as a Professional.

As I was doing her hair it was clear to see that her colour was beautiful! It was a blended natural looking warm blonde balayage. Throughout the appointment we were discussing the product and she asked what my reasons were for being so against the spray, given how amazing her hair looked. And to be honest, I had no firm answer for her. I was taught to think they’re bad, but are they? Let’s dig a little deeper and find out the truth.

So firstly, how does it even work? There are many lightening sprays on the market so I won’t single any one of them out to talk about specifically. Most of these sprays contain a combination of hydrogen peroxide and lemon (to cause the hair to lift) with aloe or other herbal ingredients to nourish the hair, mixed with water. You spray this on your hair when it’s freshly washed and damp, repeat a few times a week until you’re happy with the lightness.

So now we know how it technically works, let’s find out if it delivers the beautiful look it advertises. Whether I’ve spoken to people in person about their own experiences or have researched online, the results are truly mixed. There are reports of uneven, brassy results along with poor condition. Equally there are reports of easy, cheap, pretty and natural sun kissed results. Of course, there are so many factors that play a part in the success of using the sprays. For example, how dark the natural base you’re starting with is, if it’s being used over virgin hair, how much sun or heat is applied, how much is sprayed and how many times it’s used.

In this particular case with my clients beautiful colour I think she was lucky and had the perfect combination of all the factors. She was a natural level 8, with no artificial colour in her hair (apart from Sun In), she applied it consistently throughout the last few years giving a more solid look on the ends and a balayage feel with warm golden tones that suit her.

The trouble comes when working on a darker base, some of the spray’s websites do stress that it will be a journey and it can lead to orange, brassy results the first few times- which as hairdressers we would expect. We are taught precision, sections, foil placements, bespoke toners etc etc. so to spray something in (hopefully evenly!) and leaving it to work its magic feels alien and frankly gives me anxiety! It can also have adverse reactions to professional colour. This can lead to a more complicated process of fixing the colour if it turns out, darker, warmer or not as even as expected. Resulting in longer and more costly appointments than if the person had booked in with a professional to start with.

So after digging a little deeper, what would I say to my client if she asked me what I think of lightening sprays? Well, I’d say, your colour looks beautiful and that’s great! However, I’d never want to use it on your hair myself as I cannot guarantee the results, lightness, tone or how even it will be. As a professional I like to provide the best quality I possibly can. I’d tell her that her hair has changed my mind, that it can work and look amazing, but that I remain firm recommending people to proceed only at their own risk as it depends on so many different factors.

Have you had any experiences with these sprays? Are you for or against them? Let me know in the comments.