How To Remove Beard Dye From Skin – Damage Control

Beard dye is increasing in popularity. More and more men can say they’ve experienced its dazzling benefits. But as with hair dye, beard dye does tend to stain the skin. So, how do you remove beard dye from your skin?

There are several different techniques you could try. These include rubbing a cotton ball soaked in toothpaste, rubbing alcohol or dish soap over the stained area. There are other DIY products you could use, some of which might be suitable for the hands but not the face. Overall, the sooner you try to remove the stain, the better the chances you’ll be able to do so successfully. 

What I want to do in this article is talk through some of the options available to you in more detail. I’ve made a step-by-step routine you can follow. 

Afterward, I’ll talk through what you could do to try and prevent beard dye from getting on to your skin in the first place. This is a lot easier and much less stressful than trying to reverse the damage once it’s already been done. 

After that, I’ll answer a few frequently asked questions about beard dye and its unfortunate staining abilities. 

By the way, if you’d like to know my most recommended beard trimming and grooming products of the year, check this article out.

How To Remove Beard Dye From Your Skin 

This routine should work well in most situations, with the only step you may need to vary or alternate being the ingredient selection. 

Bear in mind that the techniques I’m about to show you are what you might call DIY. There are some commercially-available wipes designed to remove hair dye stains from the skin.

For example, Colortrak make wipes that are infused with aloe and have good reviews. Check them out on Amazon by clicking here.

But if you aren’t keen to dish out the dollars, or if you just prefer good ole’ fashioned DIY treatment, read on. 

It’s worth pointing out that using a beard dye that’s pretty mess-free like Simpler Hair Color will reduce the risk of getting stains in the first place. If you’re interested, take a look at it here.

Let’s get to that step-by-step routine.

1. Choose your removal product

This is an important first step. There are several different options available to you, and the beauty of it is that you’ll probably have some of them lying around your house. 

It’s unlikely that all of them will work for you, but there’s a good chance that one of them will. My advice would be to try a different one if the first one doesn’t quite work for you. 

These are the products you can choose from: 

• Rubbing alcohol. Isopropyl alcohol is a colorless cleaning agent which is great for removing stains from skin and fabric. If you have particularly sensitive skin, I’d advise against using it. It can be harsh. 
• Regular soap. This most likely won’t be enough but is worth a shot. Especially if the beard dye stain is very fresh on the skin, there’s a chance it may do the trick.
• Dishwashing soap. It’s a bit stronger than regular hand soap, for instance. It can be drying, so moisturize well after using it.
• Toothpaste. It has a reputation for its surprising ability to remove stains from some fabrics. But it also may just be enough to remove those skin stains. 
• Baking soda. Mix some into your dish soap to make a paste you can apply over the stain. It may be too strong to use over your face but if used with caution it may be fine for your hands. 

2. Perform a home “patch test” the day before

There is a small but important risk that you may be intolerant or allergic to the product you’ve chosen. 

Because of this, apply a small amount of the product to your elbow or thigh (or a different, easy to hide part of your skin) the day before. 

Review the area in 24 hours. If you notice any surrounding irritation or rash around the area, don’t use the product again. Chances are, you don’t get on with it. 

This step may add a bit of extra time to the process, but it could save you an unsightly rash on your face. 

3. Soak a cotton ball in your removal product

I prefer to use cotton to remove these skin stains because they aren’t too abrasive. Facial skin, in particular, is sensitive and needs to be treated with care. 

Using an item that’s more abrasive like a physical scrub may be a little bit more effective but is harsher on the skin.

Applying a product such as dish soap onto freshly scrubbed skin is a recipe for irritation and discomfort. 

Once you’ve chosen your removal product and you’re sure you aren’t allergic to it, prepare your cotton balls. I’d prepare two or three to be ultra-efficient. 

Soak your cotton balls in your product, or simply apply the product onto them. 

I like to prepare these cotton balls even before I dye the beard. This way, if there is any leakage or spillage onto the skin, I’m able to mop them up quickly before the stain sets in.

4. Apply the removal product onto the beard dye stain

Gently rub the cotton ball containing your ingredient of choice over the skin stain. Be sure to apply it evenly, and then let it sit. 

The amount of time you leave the product sitting on the stain is variable. In general, between 5 and 10 minutes is a safe bet. It allows enough time for the ingredient to start breaking down the stain. 

5. Rinse it off with lukewarm water

Once you’ve allowed enough time, rinse the product off of your skin with lukewarm water. As always, lukewarm water is better than hot or even warm water. 

It’s warm enough to open the pores, but not so hot that it’s excessively drying or irritating. 

If you want, you can soak another cotton ball in lukewarm water to help remove the product from your skin. 

6. Assess the results

There is a good chance the beard dye stain has been successfully removed from your skin. 

If it hasn’t, don’t fret. There’s a good chance a different product will work. If you feel as though your skin is irritated, give it at least 24 hours before trying a different product. 

How To Dye Your Beard Without Staining Your Skin

This is a lot simpler than trying to undo the damage once it’s already been done. 

Beard dye staining the skin on your hands is a common problem. The simplest and most practical solution is to wear a pair of disposable latex gloves while you’re applying your beard dye. 

But what about the face? The areas immediately next to your neckline and cheek line are frequently stained.

The most effective way of preventing this is to create a barrier. 

A heavy moisturizing cream or petroleum jelly usually does the trick. 

It’s able to “contain” the beard dye within the beard borders, minimizing leakage onto the face and neck. Simply apply a line of the product adjacent to the neckline and cheek line before applying the beard dye. 

It’s also important to ensure you’re prepared for staining as you’re applying the beard dye. As I mentioned above, the sooner you wipe it up, the easier it is to remove it. 

So have those cotton balls ready as you’re applying the beard dye. Soak them in regular soap and water – at this stage, this is most likely all that will be necessary. 

If you notice any staining whatsoever, grab one of those cotton balls and wipe up immediately. Don’t wait until you’ve finished dyeing – it’s a time-critical process.

Frequently Asked Questions

These are common questions about beard dye that I wanted to address.

How Do I Remove Beard Dye From My Clothes?

The answer is pretty similar. Many of the ingredients I’ve already mentioned should work for your clothes as well. 

You don’t need to be as worried about the harshness of what you’re using, unlike with facial skin. So feel free to try baking soda mixed with vinegar, or nail polish remover. 

There’s a good chance you’ll have some success.

Are All Beard Dyes Just As Hard To Remove?

Semi-permanent beard dyes are, as you’d expect, easier to remove than permanent beard dyes. 

This is another reason why I advise that beard dyeing beginners should start by using semi-permanent options. Once they’re more confident with their technique, as well as with the color they’ve chosen, they can go for permanent options if they wish to.

Removing beard dye from a beard can be done, but it isn’t exactly easy.

Certain colors are also notoriously difficult to remove. For example, red and orange are especially stubborn. Even with the mightiest of removal efforts, you may notice a little hint of residue leftover. 

What If I Can’t Remove A Beard Dye Stain Completely?

Don’t worry too much about this. There’s a good chance that others won’t be able to notice it anywhere near as much as you can. 

At the end of the day, skin sheds and then regenerates. Those pigmented parts of the skin will be replaced with new skin soon enough. 

Also, over time, with repeated washing, those skin stains will slowly fade away even when you aren’t actively trying to remove them. 

Conclusion

Dyeing a beard can make a man look younger. This is a fact. You may have experienced this for yourself, or at the very least feasted your eyes upon some before and after photos online. 

Although the results can be phenomenal, the application technique isn’t exactly simple. There are pitfalls, and it can get messy. 

Hopefully, this article has given you a better idea of how to tackle one particular aspect of this messiness. Removing beard dye stains from the skin isn’t as hard as you might originally think. 

So, don’t panic!