How To Remove Hair Dye From Your Skin Naturally?

Do you end up staining the skin around your hair every time you dye your tresses? Is that why you are spending thousands on salon bills after every dyeing session?

Don’t worry! Simple precautionary measures and natural stain-removing hacks can make hair dyeing an effortless affair. Read on to prepare yourself to be a pro in hair dyeing.

Our Ayurvedic Doctor Speaks

“Oiling the skin around your hair just before applying the hair dye can minimize the dye’s potential of staining the skin.”

-Dr. Zeel Gandhi (Bachelor of Ayurveda, Medicine & Surgery), Chief Ayurvedic Doctor, Vedix

Highlights:

• Does Hair Dye Stick To Skin?
• How To Remove Hair Dye From Your Skin?
• How To Prevent Hair Dye From Staining Your Skin?
• How Long Does Hair Dye Take To Get Out Of Skin?

Does Hair Dye Stick To Skin?

Hair dyes have a complex chemical formula as they are made up of different chemical compounds. The main components amongst these are ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, 2, 5-diaminotoluene, or p-phenylenediamine [1], intermediates, and coupling agents.

These compounds serve the purposes of bleaching (breaking down melanin pigment) your hair, opening the hair shaft for color penetration, and sealing the dye into the shaft for a long-lasting effect. Similarly, these chemicals can also enter and stick to your skin, making dye removal difficult.

How To Remove Hair Dye From Your Skin?

A. How To Remove Hair Dye Stains From Your Face?

1. Oil Cleansing

Most of you already know that oil cleansing is a better method to remove make-up from your face. The same can also be applied to the hair dye stains on your face.

Apply cleansing oils or carrier oil of your choice on your hairline, or wherever the hair dye has left a stain. Leave it on for a couple of minutes. Gently massage the area in a circular motion and wipe off the oil with a damp cloth.

Dr. Zeel Gandhi, Chief Ayurvedic Doctor at Vedix, says, “Oiling the skin around your hair just before applying the hair dye can minimize the dye’s potential of staining the skin.”

2. Apple Cider Vinegar

Warm water and apple cider vinegar may do the trick if your dye is a semi-permanent one. The acidic nature of apple cider vinegar helps dissolve the hair dye stains on your skin.

Mix apple cider vinegar and warm water in equal parts. Apply it over your hairline and neck areas using a cotton pad. Leave it on for 10 minutes before washing it off.

Important Note:

Be careful while using apple cider vinegar, as it may irritate sensitive skin or those who are allergic to it. Preferably, do a patch test.

3. Exfoliating Gels

Exfoliating or peeling gels contain mild concentrations of AHAs (alpha-hydroxy acids) and BHAs (beta hydroxy acids). These compounds can slough off dead cells on your face. If the hair dye has left a mild stain on your face, then exfoliating the stained layer of dead cells can help remove the dye as well.

4. Make-Up Remover Wipes

Make-up removing wipes are a simple way to remove waterproof make-up. You can also use these to gently rub and remove the hair dye stain off your face.

5. Lemon Juice

Ascorbic acid in lemon juice is a natural bleaching agent. Mild hair dye stains can be removed with a cotton pad dipped in lemon juice. For better results, heat the lemon juice under the sun before applying it to your skin.

6. Vitamin C Tablets

Vitamin C [3] tablets are a common hack used to strip the color off from hair. It may also work to remove hair dye stains from your face. Ascorbic acid present in Vitamin C tablets, bleach your skin to lighten the color.

Crush 10 to 15 vitamin C tablets into a fine powder and add clarifying shampoo to it to make a paste. Apply it over your hairline and leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes before washing off.

7. Hair Dye Developer

The same developer or activator that you used to prepare your hair dye, can also be used as a dye remover. Hair dye developers are usually made of hydrogen peroxide, which is a bleaching agent that lightens your natural hair color.

Take a small quantity of hydrogen peroxide and carefully rub it on dye stains on the skin. Immediately, wipe it off with a damp cloth or makeup remover wipe. Don’t leave peroxide on your face for long as it may cause skin irritations. Also, make sure to keep your freshly colored hair away from these bleaching agents.

B. How To Remove Hair Dye Stains From Your Hands?

1. Nail Polish Remover

Nail polish removers act as color solvents due to the presence of chemicals like acetone, butyl acetate, and ethyl acetate [4]. While it is quite strong for the facial skin, nail polish removers are useful stain removers for other skin areas.

2. Detergent And Baking Soda

According to studies, the alkaline nature of baking soda may be capable of dissolving mild hair dye stains on your skin. When coupled with a detergent or a dishwashing liquid that has strong surfactants, it becomes a powerful solution for hair dye stains on the hands.

Add 1 tablespoon of detergent/ dishwashing liquid to 3 tablespoons of baking soda. Mix the ingredients well, apply to the stains, and clean. However, this can leave your skin dry. So, make sure to apply a moisturizer or hand cream afterward.

3. Toothpaste

Toothpaste is a multipurpose hack that is used to clean several household items, including hair dye stains on your skin. Mix lukewarm water and toothpaste. Gently apply it to the stains. Leave it on for 5 minutes before washing it off.

4. Hand Sanitizer

Thanks to our 2 years-long battle with Covid! All households are now equipped with a hand sanitizer, which is also an effective hair dye stain remover.

Simply pour a small amount of sanitizer onto a cotton pad and gently rub it on your hands and neck. Once the dye starts to come off, wash it with soap and lukewarm water. Moisturize if the skin feels dry afterward.

Vedix Tip: Coconut oil has been used for ages to protect the skin from harsh chemical colors used during Holi (the festival of colors). The same can also be applied on the hairline, face, hands, and neck to prevent hair dye stains on the skin.

How To Prevent Hair Dye From Staining Your Skin?

While removing hair dye stains from the skin is a tedious process, preventing it from getting messy is comparatively simpler. Follow the below-mentioned tips to prevent hair dye from staining your skin.

1. Prep up before you color. Apply oil or petroleum jelly over your hairline to prevent spilled over dye from entering your skin.

2. Dermatologists suggest treating the skin adjacent to your hairline with Vitamin C [5]. This minimizes the harmful effects of chemicals such as p-phenylenediamines that are present in dyes. So, apply a skincare product that contains vitamin C before you dye your hair.

3. Wear a shower cap after applying hair dye to prevent it from bleeding into your skin.

4. Wear gloves (which is usually included in most hair dye packs) and use a dye brush to apply the color to your hair.

5. Wear a high-neck old t-shirt or place a towel over your neck to protect your skin from dye stains.

6. Keep a wipe handy so that you can immediately clean up any spillage before it dries up on your skin.

How Long Does Hair Dye Take To Get Out Of Skin?

Normal soap and water should be able to get hair dye off your skin in 2-3 washes. Though permanent dyes may stay longer, the pigmented upper layer is likely to go off in about a week as your skin sheds off dead cells.

The Last Word

Next time you are planning to dye your hair but want it to be light on the pocket, follow the tips mentioned in this article for a hassle-free coloring experience. However, remember to always be gentle on your skin, and pamper it with a moisturizer after the dye stain removal from your skin.

At Vedix, we understand your skin needs and customize an Ayurvedic skincare regimen for its unique concerns.