What is a Patch Test?
A patch test is a test that we do before using any kind of new product on our hair. It involves testing the product on a patch of skin to check for any allergy, irritation of the skin, or general negative reaction. This is super important, as it allows us to back out of using harmful products before we’ve applied them to the entire head. Hairstylists will always perform a patch test before applying new colour to your head, so make sure that you do it too.
How to do a Patch Test at home-
-
Tie your hair out of the way, and select a patch of skin out of the way, for example, on the nape of your neck.
-
The patch should be about the size of a 5p coin, no bigger.
-
Make sure that the patch is clean and clear of any products like moisturiser or suncream.
-
Take your desired product (e.g, hair dye) and place a small dollop of it on your patch of skin.
-
Leave the product on your skin for 12-24 hours (unless it is a harsh product like bleach, in which case leave it on for the designated developing time).
-
After this period, make sure to clean all the product off your skin. If the skin is clear and clean, you can go ahead and use your product. If the skin is red, irritated, or inflamed, you should leave the product alone and find an alternative.
What is a Strand Test?
A strand test is similar to a patch test- both are ways to test your product before committing fully. While a patch test tests the product on your skin, a strand test tests it on your hair. This is especially important with hair dye, as it gives you a chance to see what the colour result will look like.
How to do a Strand Test at home-
-
Pick a strand of hair that’s out of the way. We recommend choosing one from the nape of your neck, so that it can be hidden away if you don’t like the colour result.
-
Tie the rest of your hair out of the way. Make sure that the strand is dry and brushed.
-
Paint the product onto the strand, saturating all of the hair.
-
You can wrap the strand in foil, or simply leave it as it is, as long as you’re careful not to get any of the product on your skin.
-
Leave the product for the recommended developing time. For our semi-permanent hair dyes, we usually recommend between 30 and 45 minutes, but make sure to always read the packaging.
-
After the processing time is over, rinse the product out of your hair and dry it.
-
If the hair is healthy, happy, and you like the colour result, then you’re ready to dye! If the hair is dry, brittle, or gummy, you might want to rethink it.
Top Tip: Our semi-permanent hair dyes should never damage your hair, as they contain a conditioning formula, which nourishes your hair while it colours. However, other products like bleach can be extremely damaging to hair, which is why strand tests are so important. If you’re using hair dye for the first time, there’s also a chance that you could be allergic to something in the ingredients, so testing the product first is always a good habit.
Ready to dye? We know that patch and strand tests sound like a lot of work, but we promise that it’s better to be safe than sorry, especially with a bold and vibrant colour transformation. Do yourself the kindness of testing the product first, and then you can go into the dyeing process with much more confidence! If you want to know more about dyeing your hair at home, you can find our other guides and tutorials below. And if you have a question, you can always contact our customer service team, who’ll be happy to help!
