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💙🔎💙🔎💙 PATCH TESTING 💙🔍💙🔍💙
You have a box of shiny new bottles... Hurrah! The rush! The excitement! The questions!?!
You know it's a bad idea to do the thing you really want to do and just start dripping them all over your face... But what should you do instead?
PATCH TEST!
The boring first step of all skincare. The bit you just get out of the way. Pointless. Wasteful. Right?
Ok, so patch testing isn't as glamorous as a Red Peel selfie, but I encourage you to shift your perspective. Instead treating patch testing as a necessary evil think of it as a way to play with your new friends without all the hassle!
💘You don't have to slot it into your routine 💘You don't have see if it conflicts with every other thing you use 💘You don't even have to decide when you are going to introduce it. You can just play!
My patch testing system:
💙Day one - patch test on inner arm or elbow fold. I know, arm skin is not face skin. But testing for adverse reaction isn't the only reason to patch test. It's also to assess the product: texture, colour, consistency etc. And if you do have a reaction won't you be glad it's not on your face?
💙Day two - test under jawline AND test full routine on arm (shout out to Ali K for this idea!) The jawline because it IS face skin but not too visible. And also test your full routine on your arm so you can evaluate how it'll fit in with the rest of your products. It's surprising what you can learn by doing this. I learned that NAAP will make Euk sink straight in IF the NAAP goes first, not after.
I usually go one step further. On day three I go *half face* with the product. I don't know if this is exactly a patch test but it's still interesting. With CAIS there was a clear improvement in hydration on the CAIS side. Unexpected!
And yes, you can patch test multiple products at once but it can be hard to keep track of. Personally I limit myself to one on each arm. But you know me... I'm all about delayed gratification and prolonged anticipation! Once I patch test the daydreaming can truly begin 😊😊😊😊😊
💙💙💙 My Full Week Test for Trialling ANY New Product:
• Day One: Patch test one drop of product on your arm • Day Two: Patch test one drop of product under your jaw AND patch test your routine on your arm. If you use the product AM and PM test one routine today and one on Day Three • Day three: Patch test remaining routine (if applicable) and complete your Routine Planning (develop a specific idea of where you will incorporate this product into your routine) • Day four: add one drop of the product into your moisturiser or face cream, PM only. If you are feeling experimental try using the new active on only half your face. Don’t use any other actives this day • Day five and six: Day off. Do your normal routines AM and PM as usual but don’t use your new product • Day seven: add one drop of the product into your moisturiser or face cream, PM only, and half-face only as well. Don’t use any other actives this day.
You have now completed the first week of your new active. Evaluate your skin and decide on a programme for week two.
So, what's your method? Talk to me about patch testing!
💙💙💙💙💙💙💙 Have a great day everyone 💙💙💙💙💙💙💙