There are many benefits to DIY hair coloring at home. However, one of the challenges of coloring your hair is that the color can stain your forehead, neck or hands if you’re not careful. It is also difficult to remove these marks from the skin.
We’ll explain how to safely remove hair dye stains from your skin, and give you tips on how to avoid skin stains the next time you dye your hair at home.
How to Remove Hair Dye from Your Face
Let’s start by wiping the hair dye off the face, including the forehead, hairline, nape, back of the head, and ears. Remember, the skin on your face is sensitive. Do not use harsh chemicals or rub vigorously, as this can irritate the skin. If soap and water don’t completely remove stains from your skin, check out these tips.
Olive or baby oil
Olive oil and baby oil are great cleansers. Cleansing oils do not irritate or dry out the skin compared to regular cleansers. Baby oil is gentle on the skin, while olive oil has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and moisturizing properties. Therefore, it is safe to use olive oil and baby oil to remove hair dye stains.
Apply olive oil or baby oil to a cotton ball or pad. Apply to stained areas in gentle circular motions. Do this twice a day for 1-2 minutes each time. Soothe skin with chilled aloe vera gel.
Soap and water
If you notice hair dye on your skin, your first line of defense should be to try and remove it with soap and warm water.
Starting to wipe the paint before it dries or shortly after it has been applied may be sufficient to remove it. If not, or it has stained your skin, you may want to try one of these other methods.
Exfoliating facial cleanser
Cleansers help to remove dirt, oil and excess oil to improve overall skin health. Gentle, non-comedogenic, moisturizing facial cleanser with exfoliating particles helps remove dead and dry skin without irritating it.
Use a toner with exfoliating particles that is appropriate for your skin type. Sprinkle water on face, take a dime-sized amount of tonic and massage into dirty areas for at least two minutes. Rinse with water and apply chilled aloe vera gel or soothing moisturizer. Repeat twice a day.
Rubbing alcohol
Rubbing alcohol can also work to remove hair color. However, if you have dry and sensitive skin, avoid using it on your face. If you have oily or normal skin, dab a little rubbing alcohol on a cotton pad and massage the stained area in circular motions. Wash your face with a mild cleanser and warm water. Apply moisturizer to prevent dryness.
Toothpaste
Toothpaste can help remove stains from teeth, but it can also help remove hair dye stains from skin.
Use non-gel toothpaste and apply a small amount of toothpaste to a cotton swab or finger. Gently massage the color into the skin. Leave on for 5 to 10 minutes, then wipe off with a washcloth soaked in warm water.
How to Keep Hair Dye from Smudging
To prevent hair dye from staining your skin the next time you dye your hair, try one of the following:
- Wear gloves to protect your hands.
- Apply barrier between your hairline and hair. Try applying a thick layer of moisturizer, petroleum jelly, or lip balm around your hairline before applying color.
- Wipe up spills as you go. You can use a damp cotton swab or pad, or a washcloth. Immediate stain removal helps prevent stains.
If you don’t have any home remedies for removing the dye from your skin, consider making a salon appointment.
Hairstylists and hair color experts have products specially formulated to remove stains. They’ll charge you a small fee for this service, but it should be enough to remove the stain from your skin.
This keeps your skin from getting smudged with hair dye
- Petroleum jelly/olive oil: Petroleum jelly or olive oil is an effective stain remover. Apply petroleum jelly or olive oil to your hairline, neck, ears, back of your head, and hands before coloring your hair to prevent staining your skin.Gloves: Always wear gloves on your hands when coloring your hair to protect fingers, nails and hands.
- Paper towels: Keep a few paper towels handy to soak up hair dye if it drips from your face or neck.
- Hairpins: Sometimes body heat can cause hair color to run down the back and back of the skull. To avoid this, flip your hair up and secure with bobby pins.
- Towel: Wrap a towel loosely around your neck to protect your chest, back, and clothing from stains. It also helps to wipe away drips of hair dye.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when removing hair dye stains from your skin.
