It's ok to be a little Sensitive...
Buy brand new miracle moisturiser. Check.
Rip open box in excited frenzy. Check
Slather all over face and wait for skin miracle. Check
Break out in a bumpy red rash. Huh?
In the excitement of getting a new product from the jar to your face in less than a millisecond (yep, we totally get it!) you’ll miss an important step.
BEFORE TAKING A NEW PRODUCT FOR SPIN, IT’S CRUCIAL TO TRY A PATCH TEST.
Patch testing is applying a small amount of a new product, before dousing yourself in it, to see how your skin reacts. It’s a simple step that can save you a lot of discomfort and help you pinpoint what products may be causing your skin dilemmas. It’s especially important if you have sensitive skin! Here’s how you patch test and what to look out for.
HOW DO I DO A PATCH TEST?
If you’re patch testing a product intended for your face, like a moisturiser or cleanser, dab a small amount of the product onto the side of your neck. If you're testing an all over body product, like a scrub, test on your inner arm or stomach. If you do happen to have a reaction, these places are less obvious!
Make sure your skin is free of any other products when you do the test, it's important to trial just one product at a time.
As a side note, layering too many products on your skin, in general, can cause skin irritability too. We love taking a minimalist, simple approach to skincare to avoid suffocating your skin and stressing it with product overload.
HOW LONG SHOULD I WAIT?
Reactions are usually noticeable within 24 hours but can take up to 72 hours, so you’ll need to hold tight a little longer before diving into your brand new jar of goodness.
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF AN ALLERGIC REACTION?
It’s going to be pretty easy to tell if you’ve had a bad reaction to the product. Your skin is likely to get red, blotchy and itchy in the area you’ve tested. You should absolutely not continue using any product that gives you this type of reaction.
Keep an eye out for breakouts of the pimply kind too, also an indication the product isn’t compatible with your skin type. In very rare cases the reaction could be more severe, you might experience a shortness of breath or tightening of the throat.
If you do experience a reaction, cleanse the area with water and soothe with a cool compress if needed. Take note of the ingredients on the label, products contain multiple ingredients and it can take some trial and error to pinpoint exactly which one is causing a nasty reaction.
If you’re skin shows no signs of an adverse reaction, you’ve got the green light to go!
IS THIS REACTION NORMAL?
There may be times when the product causes a reaction that disturbs the skin, because that’s its job. Products containing acids - lactic, salicylic and and glycolic acids - designed for exfoliation may cause a reaction. If the reaction is normal, it should disappear fairly rapidly. If it doesn’t or gets worse, this product isn’t for you.
IT’S A NATURAL PRODUCT, DO I STILL NEED TO PATCH TEST?
Absolutely. Although natural skincare is free from chemical nasties, that’s not to say it can’t cause an allergic reaction. Our products contain beautiful, premium botanicals not commonly used in mainstream skincare.
We know it’s difficult to tell if you’re allergic to something if you’ve never used it before, so if your skin isn’t agreeing with a Herbs and Heart Product, we’ll happily refund the full amount within 30 days. Better still, grab one of our trial packsto give patch testing a go first!
