the underside of your arm or the bend of your elbow. Use the normal amount and thickness you would use if you were applying the product as intended.
Leave it on your skin for as long as you would normally. If you’re testing something that you would usually wash off, like a cleanser, keep it on your skin for five minutes or as long as the instructions say.
If you have no reaction in a week, go ahead and use the product, the academy advises.
Some ingredients, including retinol and glycolic acid, can irritate your skin, but that is normal and temporary.
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What to do if you develop a skin reaction
If you develop a skin reaction, wash the product off your skin and stop using it. You can relieve your skin with a cool compress or petroleum jelly. If that doesn’t help, you may need to see a dermatologist.
“Sometimes, discovering the cause of skin irritation is easier said than done,” Brod said in an academy news release.
“If it is difficult to pinpoint the exact ingredient causing your skin to react, talk to a board-certified dermatologist, who can help. You may need a medical test called patch testing to help find out what is causing your irritation.”
Once you know what irritates your skin, don’t use it. For example, if fragrances bother you, use unscented products. Use caution with “unscented” plant-based botanical products, which may still contain ingredients that have a fragrance, the academy suggests.