Household Items
Sea Salt Scrub
Sea salt is known to be a natural exfoliant. When mixed with warm water, it can gently help the marks to come off (1). Be careful not to rub it too harshly as it could irritate or scrape the skin. Using this sea salt scrub twice a day would help remove the top layers of ink while exfoliating the skin. While this may not erase the complete ink immediately, it would certainly help fade it out enough to not be noticeable.
Olive Oil Or Coconut Oil
Olive oil and coconut oil being easily found in most households can come in handy in “body paint” emergencies. Oil not only acts as a moisturizer, but it also helps maintain your skin barrier. These natural plant oils also help ease any skin irritation or inflammation (2). If you use olive oil or coconut oil as a body massage oil or moisturizer regularly, then chances are the permanent marks aren’t that permanent yet. The oil coats your skin’s upper layer forming a barrier between your skin pores and the permanent ink (3). Further, when applied to remove the stains, it can attach itself to the pigments in the permanent ink and help lift those out gently. As with most natural methods, this might not remove the complete stain immediately but can significantly reduce the pigmentation and intensity. Some people have also found using almond oil effective in removing the marker stains. Though you should be careful about using oils like tea tree oil which could be harsh and irritating for delicate skin (4).
Baby Oil
The idea behind using baby oil is the same as the above oils. It can attach with the excess oil on the skin and the marker ink to help remove the ink pigments. Baby oils have the added advantage of being exclusively tested and approved for babies skin. Being very gentle, it can be your first choice in removing permanent marker stains from your child’s body. Like other natural home remedies, you might need to repeat this a couple of times a day to get rid of the marker stains completely. While using it on your baby’s face or hands, be careful to avoid any contact with the eyes, nose, or mouth.
Banana Peel
As per anecdotal evidence, some people have also found banana peels useful in removing permanent markers off skin.
Butter
When you don’t have any other oil or lotion at home, you can use butter for its similar properties.
Toothpaste And Mouthwash
The toothpaste that helps lighten the stains on your teeth might also come in handy in potentially lightening the permanent marker spots on your skin. Follow it up with your alcohol-based mouthwash to erase it further. Mouthwash works like any other alcohol-based product in removing the stains, albeit safely. In case you don’t have any of the above in hand or can’t wait for these natural oils to work, you can use any of the lotions and creams commonly found at home mentioned below.
Creams And Lotions
Sunscreen
Sunscreens, especially the spray-on and quick-drying kinds contain alcohol. This helps dissolve the ink pigments of the permanent marker. Alternatively, you can also spray some sunscreen on the paper towel and use it to wipe off the marker stain.
Shaving Cream
Shaving cream usually contains a blend of oil and soap. Both these components can be helpful in lifting off the ink from the skin.
Chemical-based Removers
Household chemical-based cleansing products and removers usually contain some amount of alcohol that can help remove permanent marker pigments in urgency.
Rubbing Alcohol
Applying rubbing alcohol is probably one of the quickest ways of removing permanent marker from skin. It is usually available in pharmacies or drugstores. You would need a strength of 90% or higher to make it work faster.
Nail Polish Remover
Nail polish removers with their acetone and alcohol content are usually effective in removing markers from skin.
Hand Sanitizer
Another alcohol-based product usually found in our homes and travel bags these days, is hand sanitizer.
Makeup Remover
Makeup removers, especially the ones for waterproof eye makeup, can help remove the marks of Sharpie on skin as well. Since it is safe for the eyes and works on waterproof makeup, it would also work well on Sharpie ink pigments.
Baking Soda And Water
Another common multitasking cleansing chemical found in our homes is baking soda. It is known to work on any kind of stubborn stain, so might as well work for those Sharpie marks. Alternatively, baking soda mixed with toothpaste will be doubly as effective and help you get rid of the marker stains faster. Other than the above, your hair spray, perfume or dishwashing liquid might come in handy as well in removing the stubborn Sharpie stains. Going further, we have a few tips and precautions to help you assist in removing the permanent marker ink safely and effectively.
Tips And Precautions To Get Sharpie Off Skin
Choose Skin-safe Ink
While Sharpie stains can be occasional and accidental, they should only be used on their intended surfaces. You should not use permanent markers on your skin to make any sort of face painting or tattoo as it is not meant for use on skin. If you are interested in making tattoos or body art, you can get skin-safe markers specifically designed for that. Those are also waterproof but free of any harmful chemicals.
Keep Child-appropriate Markers
Try to keep permanent markers out of reach of small children. Keep child-friendly markers and paints at easily accessible spots around the house. There are many kinds of erasable and washable markers available for kids that can be used for face and body painting. Similarly, keeping canvases and drawing boards handy for kids would encourage them to use it more often than scribbling markers on their skin.
Always Do A Patch Test
Whenever you are applying any non-skin product to your skin for the first time, make sure to do a patch test first. Apply a little bit onto a hidden spot on your body and wait for sometime to check for any irritation or allergy. Once you are assured of its safety, then only go ahead and use it to remove the Sharpie marks off your skin.
Avoid Eye And Mouth Contact
While using any cream or lotion on kids’ skin, be careful to avoid any contact with eyes, mouth or hands. Even if it is baby oil or lotion, you should avoid it near the eye and mouth area.
Alcohol Is Flammable
While using household items like nail polish remover, hand sanitizer or any spray that contains alcohol, be careful that the kids are under adult supervision. Alcohol easily evaporates in the air and is highly flammable (5), (6). Also, undiluted use of products like vinegar, alcohol, and spirit may cause allergies or burns in some people. In case of any irritation, wash it off immediately.
Risk Of Friction Burn
Do not manually rub the area in an attempt to remove the pigment. It can cause friction burns and make your skin more sensitive. You can use concealer to hide any remaining pigment. Wondering how long it takes to get Sharpie off your skin? Find out in the next section.
How Long Does It Take To Get Sharpie Off Skin?
With the natural oil secretion of our body, and regular bathing and washing, Sharpie marks can come off on their own in a few days. With rubbing alcohol or any other chemical-based removers, you can get the Sharpie off your skin the fastest. Usually, with all other natural oils and household items, it might take repeated use for 1-2 days to remove the Sharpie marks completely. Can you get ink poisoning from drawing on yourself with a Sharpie? No. You cannot get ink poisoning from drawing on the skin with a Sharpie. Does hydrogen peroxide remove Sharpie? Yes. You can use hydrogen peroxide to remove Sharpie from your skin. Pour it on a paper towel or washcloth and gently rub the stain to lighten it. Does bleach remove Sharpie? Yes. Bleach can help remove Sharpie. However, you should use diluted bleach (1/7 parts with water) to dissolve the ink.
