Allergy: test cosmetic products yourself at home (ROAT)

Do you suspect you have an allergy or do you occasionally suffer from skin irritations and are you wondering whether your care products play a role in this? There is a reliable trick you can try to find this out, namely the ROAT test.

What is ROAT?

It stands for Repeated open Application Test (ROAT), it is used to investigate whether you have an allergy to a certain (skin care) product. The advantage of the ROAT is that you can easily perform it at home, without having to visit a dermatologist. However, if a skin reaction develops, make an appointment with a doctor or your dermatologist.

How do you do the ROAT allergy test at home?

Apply a thin layer of one product in one elbow fold twice a day for 14 consecutive days.

No skin reaction = no allergy

Redness, itching and/or scaling = allergy

Wash your hands to prevent any spread of the product to other skin areas e.g. the face. You can test a second or more products at the same time in the same way in the other elbow folds, back of the knees or the skin area behind the ears. This test can only be used for products that may remain on the skin and therefore do not need to be rinsed off. So no shower gel, shampoos, soap, toothpaste or aggressive substances. When in doubt, contact your dermatologist first.

What do you notice doing ROAT ?

If itching, redness, or eczema develops, stop and report the reaction to your dermatologist. Or take pictures to show to your dermatologist later.

When an allergy to the product has been demonstrated with the ROAT, it is not yet known which raw material of that product is responsible for the allergy. To find out, an additional adhesive test must be carried out with the individual ingredients of the product. Once the ingredient is known, you can use the cosmetic packaging test to find an alternative.

Read more about: the sensitive skin

Does ROAT also have side effects?

Apart from the aforementioned possible skin reactions, the ROAT has no unpleasant side effects.

Can I just shower during the test?

Yes, you can, during the test period you can just take a shower.

How can Iconic Elements help you?

Iconic Elements Calming Cream with Ectoine, Avena Sativa and Marshmallow Root for calm, irritated skin. Or try our triple action Natural Body Moisturizer Cream, enriched with natural balm, ceramide, squalane and glycerin, perfect for dry skin.

Now that you’re here:

There are so many different skin care products and which product is suitable for my skin! We also get these questions and to help you with that, we have made an IP infographic. Read more: Which Iconic Elements products suit me?