How to Test New Skin Care Products

Having sensitive skin is a bummer, especially if you love putting on skin care products. Nobody wants to have a huge break out when all they want to do is to keep their skin as healthy and looking as great as they can. Fortunately for everyone, there are ways you can check if a new skin care product will irritate your skin. The best way to do this is by doing a skin patch test.

What is Patch Testing?

A patch test is a way to test whether you’re allergic to a particular skin care product or not. As the name implies, it is done by applying a small amount of product on a patch of your skin and waiting for a reaction. If your skin ever turns red on that particular patch or starts breaking out with acne, then the skin care product in question probably isn’t for you.

Patch testing every skin care product is important, especially if you’re not familiar with the ingredients used in it. It’s also important to test one product at a time, waiting at least one week in between tests. You wouldn’t want to overwhelm your immune system.

How to Do a Patch Test

Now that you’re familiar with what a patch test is and what it can do for you, it’s time to learn how to do it yourself. First thing you’ll need to do is to choose a good portion of your skin to apply the product on. Be aware that the skin on your face is more sensitive than the rest of your body, and most importantly, it’s very visible. Unless you’re okay with covering your face for the next couple of days, the initial testing of skin care products is better done on less visible areas, like behind a knee or inside the crook of your elbow.

Make sure that you apply a big enough area where it’s easy to notice a problem if there is any. If you don’t see or feel any reaction on the area within the next 24 hours, you can move on to testing the item on your face. Again, unless you like hiding huge portions of your face, it’s best to apply the product on less visible areas, like the corner of your forehead or the area under your jaw. If there’s no reaction in the next 24 hours, then the skin care product is considered safe.

What to Look Out For

Generally, there are three things you need to keep an eye on while you’re testing skin care products:

Allergic Reactions – If the skin you tested on starts to swell, turn red or is developing a rash, it’s safe to assume it’s not for you.

Irritation – Sometimes, the effects of skin care products are not easily visible, though you will feel discomfort in the area, like too much itching or uncharacteristic pain.

Acne Cosmetica – Basically acne that develops on your skin after a skin care product is applied to it. This generally happens because the product in question is clogging your pores.