How do I do a patch test at home?

For anyone who is new to dying their hair we wanted to take a moment to explain why we always encourage a patch test before putting it on your hair, even when you’re using the super gentle hair colouring products that we promote. Here’s what you need to know…

A patch test is where you test a product on a patch of skin before applying it across large areas, in order to make sure you don’t have an adverse reaction. Typically, you’re encouraged to apply products to sensitive areas like the inside of your wrist, your inner elbow or areas where you can’t easily see the patch, like the crook of the elbow.

You should do a patch test whenever you use hair dye, even if it’s one you have used before, to make sure you don’t have an allergy to the product before you apply it to large areas of the hair or body. Patch tests are particularly important when you are using a product like hair dye, as they often contain strong ingredients that may cause a reaction.

Typically, reactions are caused by the ingredient paraphenylenediamine (PPD), which our hair dyes do not contain. Our hair dyes very rarely cause a reaction because they are much more gentle than standard types. However, there’s always a small risk so it’s better to limit the chances of a reaction and do a patch test before applying.

Each hair colouring product will be a little different, so it’s important to read the specific instructions on the hair dye that you’re using. However, in general terms, you do a patch test as follows:

• Dabbing a small amount of product in the crook of your elbow and leaving the product on.
• Monitor the patch test for a minimum of 48 hours or as recommended on the instructions in your product.
• Shower as normal but try to leave the patch test area dry.
• If it starts to cause irritation or you begin to feel unwell, rinse with clean water and do not use the product. If irritation persists, consult your doctor. This is highly unlikely with the use of gentle hair dyes.
• If you have no reaction after 48-hours you should be fine to use the product. However, you should still follow the instructions for use and wear gloves to apply the product.

We also encourage you to do a patch test each and every time you use hair dye, even if you have used the product before, because our bodies change over time and can react differently. This can be because of lots of reasons, including hormonal changes or medication.