Poll posted by BR Natalie
It's probably not a surprise to hear that I come across, and try, a lot of beauty products. And (touch wood) I've never had a serious reaction to a product. You know, one that's resulted in a trip to the doctors, or forced house arrest due to looking all red and bumpy and scary.
When it comes to using a new product for the first time, I do exercise a bit of caution. The sniff test is a definite step, the more fragranced and floral a product, the less likely I am to try it. Highly 'chemical' things like hair dyes, definitely get patch tested. Skincare products I judge based on ingredients and claims. If a serum claims to be 1000 times more powerful than any other, you can guarantee I'm going to try it on my wrist and now beneath my eyes first! Cosmetics I'm probably a bit more relaxed by, but then again the only thing I fully plaster on my face is primer.
Off the top of my head, I can think of two times when products have made my skin feel really uncomfortable. The first happened when I was pregnant with Milky Chops. I showered using a shower gel I'd been using for weeks and when I got out of the shower I could not stop itching. Not minor itching. But I-want-to-claw-my-own-skin-off itching. After a week of this, I chatted to my midwife and switched to a non-SLS shower gel. The itching stopped. And post-pregnancy I completely forgot about SLS, bought a scrummy shower gel containing said ingredient and have never had an issue since!
The second product was a night cream I used for about a week and loved. I was raving about this night cream, until one night I applied it and felt my face burn. I jumped straight into a cold shower and stayed there until the burning stopped. My skin felt irritated but by morning it was fine.
So the only two products I've 'reacted' to were products I'd previously used and been fine with. Which makes me ponder upon patch testing. Should I apply my lotions and potions tentatively every single time I use them, just in case?!
So come on, 'fess up - do you regularly do patch tests of new products? Have you ever had a reaction, but neglected to do the patch test first?
Get chatting below!
Find out more about different patch tests in Head Pixie Kellie's article:
Always on the inside of my wrist.