Home » How to Remove Beard Dye: 7 Proven and Actionable Tips!

How to Remove Beard Dye: 7 Proven and Actionable Tips!

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You just wanted to cover some gray hair. You have done your online research, picked the right beard dye, followed all the steps on the dye package, and after you rinse the dye from your beard, you see the color and… It is awful.

And now you start thinking. How am I going to work tomorrow? What is my partner going to say about it? And start sweating… 

Relax and keep reading this article if you want to know how to remove beard dye; we got your back. You are not the first guy that gets a bad beard color, especially if it is the first time you dye your facial hair. In fact, it is really difficult to get the color you like the first time. You need some trial and error to find the right color and timing.

I wanted a darker shade, and my beard is really light; what should I do?

The fix is easy if the beard color is lighter than the desired outcome. All you have to do is to re-dye your beard. The tricky part is when your facial hair is darker than desired or you totally hate the color and want to get rid of it. 

How to remove dye from beard?

In this section, I am going to share 7 ways to naturally remove the dye from your beard.

Before we start talking about the different methods of removing the beard dye, we should note that all these methods are for permanent and semi-permanent beard colors and not for a homemade beard dye. If you use a temporary beard dye to color your facial hair, all you have to do is wash your facial hair with a beard shampoo, and you are going to be fine. 

How to remove permanent and semi-permanent beard dyes ?

How to remove permanent and semi-permanent beard dyes?

1. Dandruff Shampoo and Baking Soda Mix

  • Mix an equal amount of dandruff shampoo, like head and shoulders, and baking soda (not baking powder). 
  • Wash your beard with it and let it sit on it for 5 minutes.
  • Rinse it out; you are going to see the color running from your beard. 
  • Repeat the process for the next few days.
  • Always after doing this process apply some beard oil to your facial hair as dandruff shampoo will strip off the natural sebum oil from your beard hair.

Why does this mix work?
Dandruff shampoo is stronger than ordinary shampoos, and we strongly advise you not to use it on your beard on any other occasion. People with dandruff have excess sebum oil, and dandruff shampoo helps to strip it off. This is really bad for facial hair but necessary if you want to get rid of the beard dye. 

Baking soda is a natural cleansing agent and, together with dandruff shampoo, helps to get rid of the dye.


2. Beard Shampoo and Dish Soap

beard shampooand dish soap
  • Take the amount of beard shampoo you regularly use to wash your beard and add 4-5 drops of dish soap.
  • Wash your beard thoroughly with the beard shampoo dish soap mix.
  • Rinse your facial hair well with warm water till it runs clear.
  • Apply beard oil

Why does this mix work?
Dish soap is designed to clean the grease and dirt from dishes and, like dandruff shampoo, will strip off the color and sebum oil from your beard. We suggest mixing it with beard shampoo as it will be really bad for your beard if you only use dish soap. It is not a very effective method, and you will need to repeat the process several times for good results.

Pro Tip: Choose a gentle dish soap.


3. Toothpaste

  • Take the toothpaste out of the cabinet and an old toothbrush and start rubbing your beard in a circular motion with it (You should not use gel toothpaste it will not work).
  • Let it sit for 10 minutes.
  • Rinse with warm water.

Why does this mix work?
Toothpaste contains baking soda and other chemical ingredients like hydrogen peroxide to clean your teeth. As we mentioned before, baking soda is a natural cleansing agent, and along with the other ingredients toothpaste contains, it can help get rid of beard dye.


4. Rubbing alcohol

You should use this method soon after you dyed your beard, not days or weeks later. But before trying this method, remember that rubbing alcohol can irritate your skin if you have sensitive skin.

  • Take a cotton ball and add a small amount of rubbing alcohol to it.
  • Rub the dyed beard with the cotton pad.
  • Rub your whole beard.
  • Wash your beard with a beard shampoo, and you will see the color coming out.
  • Add beard butter or beard balm as alcohol will irritate your skin.

Why does this mix work?
Rubbing Alcohol is widely used to clean dye from surfaces because it is a mild bleaching agent. Rubbing alcohol can irritate and cause allergic reactions when you apply it to your facial skin, so if you decide to use it do it at your own risk.


5. Vitamin C paste

  • Take a bunch of vitamin C tablets and put them in a bowl. 
  • Add enough hot water to cover them slightly.
  • Take a spoon and smash them into a paste.
  • Cover your wet beard with the paste and let it sit for an hour.
  • Wash your beard.

Why does this mix work?
This mix works if you want to lighten your hair and will only work if you do it in the first 48 hours after you have dyed your beard.
Also, apply the paste on a wet beard because vitamin C will penetrate the hair follicle better when wet. 
Vitamin C is a safe option that will not irritate your skin, no matter your skin type. It works because vitamin C loosens the dye from your hair and oxidizes it, thus removing it.


6. Vinegar Mix

vinegar for beards
  • Add the same amount of warm water and white vinegar* to a bowl and mix it. 
  • Pour the mix on your beard while massaging it.
  • After you are done massaging, let it dry on your beard for about 20-30 minutes.
  • Wash your beard.
  • Repeat.

Why does this mix work?
Beard dyes are designed to be resistant to alkaline mixes like shampoos and conditioners. On the other hand, they are not that good with acid mixes like white vinegar that will help remove the dye

* Make sure to apply white vinegar and not some other type like apple vinegar cause it is not that acidic and will not have good results. 


7. Use a hair color removal

redbook

This is the last way of removing dye from your beard. If you plan to use a hair color removal, it is a good idea to buy it when you buy the dye, just in case. We recommend using Redbook hair color removal.

  • Wash your beard.
  • Dry off your beard but not completely it needs to be a bit wet for best results.
  • Apply the product to your beard.
  • Wear a heating cap and let it sit on your beard for 45 minutes or so.
  • Wash your beard thoroughly.

Why does this mix work?
It is a product that was designed for this purpose, and all the chemical ingredients it contains are designed to remove the dye from your beard.

Wash beard dye

remove beard dye FAQ

How Do I Get Hair Dye Off My Beard?

If you have used hair dye instead of beard dye on your beard you can use any of the ways mentioned above to remove it. Beard dye works the exact same way as beard dye.

Can Beard Dye Be Washed Out?

Yes, beard dye can be washed out eventually. Every time you wash your beard it fades a bit and after a couple of weeks, it will be washed out completely.

How Long Do Beard Dyes Last?

We have a whole article dedicated to this matter that you can read and learn exactly how they last. But as a general rule permanent and semi-permanent beard dyes last for a couple of weeks.

Is Removing Beard Dye Safe?

Some of the solutions we mentioned above are completely safe and some of them can cause dry skin and beard. Using these solutions should be used in emergency situations and not every time you dye your beard.

Can I Completely Remove Beard Dye?

To be honest, it is really difficult to completely remove beard dye. Beard dyes work by penetrating your hair and it needs a lot of effort to remove them completely. The sooner your act the bigger the chances to get rid of a good amount of it.

Tip: If you want to avoid hair dye stains around your beard apply petroleum jelly or baby oil to it

What Can You Do If You Dye Your Beard Too Dark?

The first thing you should do is to wash your beard as soon as possible after you applied the dye. Wash it with one of the mixes we mentioned above for better results.

Keep in mind that every time you wash your beard it becomes lighter so it won’t be that dark after a few days.

Can I Use Color Oops?

Of course, you can, in this article we talk about solutions with natural ingredients, and this is why I didn’t mention color oops. To be honest with you I think Redbook hair color removal does a better job, but it is up to you to choose any hair color removal you like.

Conclusion

If you have dyed your beard and it doesn’t look natural, or you hate the color of it, don’t worry. It is something really common, and there are solutions to it. Just ask your girlfriend how often she has dyed her hair and didn’t like the color. We bet the answer is a lot. Anyway, now you know some really good ways to remove beard dye. Peace out!

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