Using home hair dyes can be tricky, and it’s easy to end up with dye stains on your skin. The same properties that make hair dye long-lasting can also make it tough to remove from your face, forehead, and hands.
Knowing how to safely remove these stains can help you enjoy your new hair color without any mishaps.
This article explains how to quickly and safely remove hair dye from your skin, as well as tips to prevent staining your skin in the future.
Natural Ways to Remove Hair Dye from Your Skin
1. Hair Dye Remover
Look for products specifically made to remove hair dye stains from your skin. You can find them as wipes or liquid solutions that you apply with cotton rounds.
2. Baby Wipes
Baby wipes are gentle and safe for skin, including your face. They’re designed to clean without irritation, so they can often remove hair dye stains.
3. Soap and Water
Regular soap and warm water can also help remove hair dye, but it might take a few washes. Using micellar water or an oil-based cleanser before washing with soap can make the process easier.
4. Petroleum Jelly
Petroleum jelly is a gentle makeup remover that also moisturizes your skin. Leave it on for a few minutes before wiping off to help remove tough stains like hair dye.
5. White Vinegar
Most hair dyes resist regular soaps and shampoos because they’re alkaline, but vinegar is acidic. This acidity helps break down some stains. White vinegar is safe to use on your skin.
6. Dandruff Shampoo
Removing hair dye from your scalp without affecting your hair color is tricky. Use a dandruff shampoo with gentle exfoliating ingredients like salicylic acid or glycolic acid.
These ingredients help remove stained skin cells and promote new ones to the surface.
7. Exfoliating Facial Wash
These washes and gels contain mild acids like AHAs and BHAs that help remove dead skin cells. While there’s no direct evidence they remove hair dye, they might help by sloughing off dyed skin cells during exfoliation.
Stubborn Stains on Hands and Other Areas
When it comes to getting rid of tough stains from hair dye on your skin, like on your hands, you can be a bit tougher with your approach.
Unlike your face, your hands and similar areas can handle more powerful cleaning methods. Here are a couple of options:
Dish soap and baking soda
A mix of baking soda and liquid dish soap can do the trick. Baking soda has a slightly rough texture that helps scrub away stains, and combined with dish soap, it becomes a potent cleaner.
Apply this mixture onto the stained area using a makeup remover pad, gently rubbing it in circles, then rinse off with warm water.
Liquid laundry detergent
Laundry detergent isn’t just for clothes. It contains powerful cleaning agents that can tackle stains on your skin too.
Make a solution with liquid laundry detergent and water, and use it to wash your hands. Rinse thoroughly once the stain is gone.
Nail polish remover
While nail polish remover, which often contains acetone, can be harsh and drying on your skin, it can still be used in small amounts to remove hair dye stains from your fingertips and nails safely.
Here’s how to use it: Dab a small amount of nail polish remover onto a cotton ball and gently rub it over the stained area for a few seconds. Once the hair dye is lifted, make sure to wash your hands thoroughly to remove any residue.
Ammonia
Similarly, ammonia can be effective for removing hair dye stains from thicker skin, but it should be used sparingly and only when gentler options aren’t doing the job. Be cautious and use it in well-ventilated areas to avoid irritation.
Here’s the drill: Apply a tiny amount of ammonia to the stained area and ensure you wash it off completely afterward to prevent any skin irritation.
Is It Easier to Remove Wet Hair Dye Than Dried Hair Dye?
Absolutely! The sooner you tackle the hair dye stain, the better. Removing wet hair dye prevents it from seeping into your skin, making it much easier to clean up. Plus, it reduces the risk of irritating your skin by avoiding excessive rubbing or using too much product.
How Long Does It Take for Hair Dye to Come Off Your Skin?
The speed at which hair dye fades from your skin depends on factors like whether it’s permanent or semi-permanent and how much dye is there.
Usually, trying one of the home remedies mentioned earlier should do the trick for most hair dye stains right away.
If you leave it untreated, permanent hair dye will gradually fade over time as your skin naturally sheds and renews itself. This process typically takes about 30 to 50 days, varying a bit depending on your age.
So, even without any treatment, those stains should disappear within that time frame.
How to Remove Beard Dye from Skin
Beard dye is a bit different from regular hair dye since it’s designed to cling to coarse facial hair. To get rid of beard dye stains on your skin, start with the same methods you’d use for removing dried hair dye from your face.
Just be cautious with strong chemicals like alcohol and detergents, which are better suited for tougher skin areas.
Tips to Prevent Hair Dye Stains on Your Skin
To minimize the chance of getting hair dye on your skin while coloring your hair at home, try these handy tips recommended by hair dye manufacturers:
1. Apply a barrier cream
Using products like Vaseline, Aquaphor, or thick oils such as olive or coconut oil can act as effective barriers. You can even use clear lip balm for tricky areas like around your ears. Just be careful not to get it on your hair, as it might affect the dye’s absorption.
2. Protect your shoulders and neck
Wrap an old towel around your shoulders and secure it with a clip to shield your skin from dye stains and catch any drips.
3. Wear disposable gloves
Most DIY hair dye kits come with disposable rubber gloves. Put them on before handling the dye, during mixing, application, and rinsing. Keep a spare pair handy in case you need to change gloves during the process.
4. Use a vinyl cape or old clothing
Cover exposed areas like arms and back with a vinyl cape or an old T-shirt to prevent drips from staining your skin.
5. Use a bowl and brush
Opt for a bowl and brush to mix and apply the dye for cleaner, more precise application. This method reduces the chance of messy spills compared to squeezing dye straight from the bottle.
6. Wear a disposable shower cap
Once you’ve applied the dye, cover your hair with a disposable shower cap to prevent drips and stains on your skin and surroundings.
7. Wipe away spills promptly
Keep a damp towel handy to wipe off any dye spills on your skin as soon as they happen to prevent stains from setting in.
Summary
Dyeing your hair at home is convenient, but it can be tricky to get salon-quality results. One major issue many face is staining the skin with hair dye.
Hair dye stains aren’t permanent or harmful to your skin, but they’re definitely not a fashion statement. Luckily, there are ways to minimize them. By fine-tuning your dyeing process, you can avoid most skin staining. Plus, treating stains promptly with the right products can prevent them from lingering longer than necessary.
