Had a client's skin react badly to a new enzyme peel last month

I was doing a facial in my studio, using a new enzyme peel from a brand I trusted. About five minutes after I applied it, my client's cheeks got really red and she said it was starting to burn. I rinsed it off right away, but her skin was blotchy and warm. I felt awful. I used a cool compress and a simple calming serum I keep on hand for this kind of thing. The redness went down after about twenty minutes, but it was a scary moment. I think maybe her barrier was weaker than she let on. Do you always do a patch test with new actives, even if you've used the brand before?

2 comments

2 Comments

joelsanchez9d ago

I always patch test now after a similar scare with a "gentle" clay mask...

lisa_jones219d ago

My cousin swore by a charcoal scrub until it gave her a rash for a week. I'm with you, @joelsanchez, patch testing seems like a hassle but it saves so much trouble. Now I just test everything behind my ear first.