How to Prevent Hair Dye from Staining Skin

Purple hair is a great look, but a purple forehead is not! When you’re coloring your hair at home, you can end up with stains on your fingers and hairline for days if you do not take the proper precautions. Though these dye stains are not permanent, it’s easier to prevent them than it is to remove them. By making use of common household items, from towels to petroleum jelly, you can easily prevent hair dye from staining your skin.

Avoiding Hair Dye Stains on Skin

Prevent dye from staining your skin by wearing gloves when you color your hair. Protect your hairline with petroleum jelly or moisturizer, or use masking tape along your hairline. Drape an old towel over your shoulders and chest to protect your torso.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Protecting Your Hairline

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The oils from your scalp and pores are natural protectants. They repel water, and since dyes are water-based, they are your first defense against stained skin. Try to wait at least one day after your last shampoo to dye your hair. Bonus: hair dye adheres better to dirty hair than it does to slippery, clean hair. ^{[1]
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2
Protect the perimeter of your hairline. Using petroleum jelly, moisturizing cream, or a thick lotion to create a protective wall just outside of your hairline, around the entirety of your head. You should apply this layer thickly, but there’s no need to make it extend too far down your head. Half an inch to an inch of moisturizer should be plenty.
- Be careful not to get your protectant of choice in your hair, and don't forget the tops and undersides of your ears.
- Don’t use a moisturizer that breaks you out, or you could get acne around your hairline.
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3
Reinforce the perimeter with cotton. For extra protection, press teased-out cotton balls, or cotton coil, into the moisturizer you applied. This way, if any hair dye manages to seep out of the hairline, the cotton will soak it up. ^{[2]
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- If the moisturizer isn’t sticky enough to hold the cotton, don’t panic--just apply more moisturizer over it, and forget about the cotton.
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In a pinch, try masking tape. If you don’t have any moisturizer thick enough to get the job done, don’t despair. Instead, you can use a lightly adhesive painter’s, masking, or gaffer’s tape applied to the edge of your hairline. Be careful not to catch your hair in the tape, and definitely don’t use another type of tape (like masking or duct) instead! ^{[3]
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- Be careful when pulling tape off. Masking tape can potentially pull out or irritate the soft, fine hair known as vellus hair that covers your body, including your face.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Protecting Your Neck, Shoulders, and Hands

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1
Wear plastic gloves. People often concentrate on keeping their hairlines stain-free, but forget about their hands. It’s easy to avoid blue fingers and nails if you wear simple disposable gloves. Wear gloves the whole time you apply the dye, and even the first few times you wash your newly colored hair.
- Many hair dye kits come with gloves to make the process easier.
- Don’t wear latex gloves if you’re allergic! There are plenty of latex-free alternatives available.
Ideally, you should wear a long-sleeved, high-necked shirt when you dye your hair. Cover as much skin as you can, to protect against drips that can cause stained skin. Once you’ve been doing this for a while, you’ll probably have a designated dye shirt that you wear every time you color.
To offer your neck some extra protection, swaddle it in a hand towel that no one will get mad at you for staining. Pull it tightly, and secure with a duckbill or binder clip. This will prevent hair dye from dripping down onto your neck and staining it.
4
Wipe away any errant dye. No matter how carefully you cover your skin, accidents can happen. If dye does land on your face or neck, wipe it off as soon as you notice, using a rubbing alcohol-soaked cotton ball. ^{[4]
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- It’s best to keep rubbing alcohol and cotton balls handy as you color your hair. Most people have a small mess-up or two.
- If you get a giant blob on your neck, remove the bulk of it with a paper towel or toilet paper, then use the cotton ball and rubbing alcohol to get the last of it off.
If you’re working out, going out in the rain, or in any other circumstance where your freshly-dyed hair could get damp, put it up in a ponytail or bun. Otherwise, residual dye could sneak out and stain your neck or even your shirt. Once you’ve washed your hair a few times, you can relax this rule. ^{[5]
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How do I get hair dye stains off my face?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

Try shampoo or vinegar first. You can use nail polish remover to get rid of stubborn stains, just be gentle and moisturize after.

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What is the best way to get hair dye off your skin?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

Before you get it wet, rub shampoo into the stain on the skin, then rinse. Water sets the stain making it harder to remove.

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How do you take off dye from skin?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

You can use a specially made stain remover. They are available at drug stores and beauty supply stores.

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If you do end up getting stains, there are many products available that can remove stains caused by hair-coloring mishaps. Apply them to the stain, and wipe away the dye with a cotton ball.

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If you had your hair colored at a salon, your stylist should have access to a stain remover. Just ask!

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Warnings

Even the best protection won't prevent at least a little staining from black hair dye, so be prepared to do some dye removal or to wait for the stains to fade if you plan on coloring your hair black.

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Do not use hair conditioner to make a perimeter around your hairline, especially if you have sensitive skin. Prolonged exposure of hair conditioner to facial skin can cause major acne breakouts.

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If you must use a hair color stain remover on your skin, be sure to completely avoid your hair with it, so as to avoid stripping its new color.

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Know that semi-permanent hair colors sometimes bleed after the first wash, causing stained skin after the fact. In this case, you will have to use a stain remover.

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