Medical disclaimer

Everything published on Shamire is general educational information about cosmetics, personal care products and their ingredients. It is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, and reading it does not create a practitioner–patient relationship.

Speak to a professional first if

• You have a diagnosed skin condition — acne, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, melasma, vitiligo, seborrhoeic dermatitis, or any other.
• You are using prescription topicals or oral medication such as tretinoin, isotretinoin, hydroquinone, topical or oral antibiotics, or hormonal treatments.
• You are pregnant, trying to conceive, or breastfeeding. Several common actives, including retinoids and high-dose salicylic acid, are contraindicated.
• You have a known allergy or a history of contact dermatitis.
• You are treating a child's skin.

Patch test everything

Before applying any new product to your face, apply a small amount to the inner forearm or behind the ear once daily for three to five days and watch for redness, itching, burning or bumps. Patch testing does not rule out every reaction, but it catches the common ones cheaply.

Stop and seek care if

You develop swelling of the lips, eyes or throat, difficulty breathing, widespread hives, blistering, weeping or open skin, or severe pain. These require medical attention, not a change of moisturiser.

Individual results vary

Skin differs by genetics, climate, hormonal status, medication, age and a dozen other variables. A product that transformed one person's skin may do nothing for yours, and that is not a failure on your part.

Regulatory note

Cosmetic products are not required to demonstrate efficacy to the same standard as pharmaceuticals in most jurisdictions. Where we describe a product as "clinically tested", we mean a specific published study, which we cite — not a marketing phrase.

Questions: larashaposy@gmail.com