How to Clean Hair Dye Off Skin Right Now

Dying your hair is something that’s easy to do at home and a great way to express your unique personality and style. With so many colors out there, you can deepen or lighten your natural hair color or go all out with pink, purple, blue, or orange hair – or recreate a hair dye trend like mermaid hair or unicorn hair. The possibilities are infinite!

The potentially frustrating part of using hair dye at home is avoiding hair dye staining your skin – and if it does, knowing which products to use to clean it. If you’re a DIY hair dyer, or you’re looking for help to remove hair dye from skin, our Pros have you totally covered. Here’s what we know about what removes hair dye from skin, including our step-by-step guides to using everything from vaseline to vinegar.

Why Does Hair Dye Stain Your Skin?

If hair dye is specifically formulated to color your hair, why does it also stain your skin? The answer, it turns out, is that both hair and skin contain similar components, so what stains them in your hair will also leave a mark on your skin.

Human hair both contains and is made up of a compound called keratin. Both at-home and professional hair dyes are made to penetrate keratin. That’s why your hair changes color when you dye it! 

Keratin isn’t only in your hair. It’s also a key building block of:

• Skin
• Fingernails
• Toenails

If you’re not careful during the application process, hair dye can end up on your scalp, forehead, face, neck, and hands. That’s not something you want, but if it happens, there are some ways you can take care of it.

What Removes Hair Dye from Skin? 

There’s more than one way to get rid of hair dye on your skin, but here are some of the cleaning products and supplies you might want to buy.

The cleaning products we’ve recommended may work in a variety of ways.

• Soap can remove hair dye gently and before it dries on your skin
• Non-acetone nail polish remover is also effective at removing permanent marker stains
• The oil in Vaseline can remove hair dye overnight, but it’s also helpful to prevent hair dye from staining your skin in the first place.

You might not even need to make a special trip to the store for supplies, since you’re likely to have most of these things already on hand. Many of these can also be effective at removing stains from clothing.

How to Get Hair Dye Off Forehead

If you’re wondering what removes permanent hair dye from skin, here are the simple steps that can help you get the job done if you’ve got hair dye on your forehead.

Step 1: Wash the dyed area with soap and water first. Your favorite facial cleanser may get the job done. Rub the soap gently into the stained area and rinse with warm water.

Step 2: If there is still dye on your forehead, put a dab of toothpaste on your finger or on a clean cotton swab. We recommend a toothpaste that lists baking soda as an ingredient. Rubbing gently, apply the toothpaste on the affected area.

Step 3: Let the toothpaste sit for five to ten minutes, then rinse with warm water.

Step 4: Repeat these steps as needed, or for stubborn dye stains, look below to learn the overnight method for removing hair dye.

How to Get Hair Dye Off Hands

Not wearing gloves while coloring your hair usually results in dye stains on your skin and nails. Follow these steps to remove it.

Step 1: Start by washing your hands with soap and water. Dish soap may be an effective choice here and it’s safe to use on your hands.

Step 2: Soak a cotton ball or cotton pad with rubbing alcohol, then swipe it over the dye stains. You should be able to see dye coming off on the cotton. Repeat several times if necessary.

Step 3: Make a paste of baking soda and water in a 2:1 ratio. Using your finger or a cotton swab, spread the mixture over the stained area. Leave it there for at least five minutes, then rinse.

Watch this short and helpful video to see the specific method to use an alcohol pad and toothpaste to remove hair dye from your hands.

How to Clean Hair Dye Off Skin Overnight

Tough hair dye stains may require a bit longer to remove. Our Pros suggest these steps if you want to get rid of hair dye overnight.

Step 1: Wash your skin in the affected area with mild soap and water. Dry it thoroughly using a clean towel.

Step 2: Using a cotton pad or cotton ball, apply a thin layer of olive oil or Vaseline to completely cover the area that’s affected.

Step 3: Cover the area. For your forehead, a shower cap may be helpful, just as gloves will work for your hands. Any other area should be covered with a bandage or plastic wrap to avoid oil staining your sheets.

Step 4: Leave the olive oil in place for at least eight hours while you sleep.

Step 5: In the morning, use a clean towel to wipe away the oil. Then clean your face and hands with soap and water. Dry with a towel or microfiber cloth.

For most people the prolonged application of Vaseline or olive oil will get the job done.

General Tips for Removing Hair Dye from Your Skin

Here are a few general tips and bits of advice, along with some precautions, for removing hair dye from your skin.

• Be careful using harsh products on your hairline, forehead, and facial skin. For example, we don’t recommend using nail polish remover in these areas since it may irritate your skin and cause it to dry out.
• Don’t scrub hard or use harsh or abrasive cleansers. These may damage your skin and hurt far more than they help.
• For particularly stubborn stains, you may want to book a salon appointment, since stylists and hair colorists have access to professional products to eliminate hair dye from skin.

The best way to prevent hair dye from staining your skin is to do the following things before you dye your hair at home.

• Spread a thin layer of Vaseline around your hairline to prevent hair dye from staining your forehead.
• Have a family member or friend help you, since they may be better able to control where the dye goes – and where it doesn’t!
• Wear gloves to prevent hair dye from staining your hands and nails.
• Have all necessary cleaning products on hand.

We also suggest reading the label and checking ingredients to make sure you don’t have any allergies that could impact your health.

What Are the Side Effects of Hair Dye on Your Skin?

Hair dyes can be harsh. After all, they contain chemicals and the process of dying your hair is itself a chemical reaction. As such, you might be wondering if there are any dangerous side effects to getting hair dye on your skin. 

• Skin irritation is probably the most common adverse reaction to hair dye, and it’s also known as contact dermatitis. 
• It’s not common, but there’s at least some risk that you might be allergic to one or more of the ingredients in hair dye. Allergic reactions may cause redness, itching, and even hives.
• Repeated hair coloring may weaken your hair, and ultimately, make it more likely to break.
• According to Healthline, other side effects may include thinning hair, sensitivity to heat treatments, and roughening of the hair follicles.

FAQ About Removing Hair Dye from Skin

Conclusion

Hair dye is fun to use and easy to buy, and it can be very freeing to express yourself by choosing a new hair color. The steps and tips that our Pros have included in this article can help you avoid stains, and remove them quickly and easily if you do end up getting hair dye on your skin.