Is body butter safe for sensitive skin?
It can be, but no body butter is safe for every skin, and a fragranced one needs a little care. If you are shopping for body butter, sensitive skin deserves a patch test first, before you apply it anywhere visible.
I make our butter by hand, and I would say the same about any scented product. Here is what to check and how to test. The full routine is in our guide to using the Discovery Set to find your scent.
What should you know about what is in it?
obsessed is a shea and cocoa butter base, fragrance and a pheromone ingredient; the full ingredient list is coming soon. The butter is paraben-free and sulfate-free. It moisturizes and leaves skin soft. That is what we can tell you, and we will not claim more than that.
Because it is fragranced, anyone who reacts to perfume should be careful. Testing on your own skin tells you more than any label.
How do you test a body butter for sensitive skin?
Take a small amount and apply it to a patch of skin that is easy to watch, such as the inner forearm. Leave it on and see what happens over the next day. Redness, itching, stinging or swelling are signs to stop.
Do not test the first time on your neck or chest, since those are the places you will want to wear it. Our longer guide on how to patch test a fragranced product goes through it step by step.
What if your skin reacts?
Wash it off with mild soap and water and stop using it. If the reaction is strong or does not settle, ask a doctor. If you have a known allergy or a skin condition, ask your doctor before you try a new product at all.
If the butter is not right for you, our 30-day money-back guarantee applies. Reply to your order email.
Can you try a small amount first?
Yes, and I would. The Discovery Set has six 1 oz sample jars for $19, with a $15 credit code toward a full jar. You can patch test one scent, then try the others one at a time rather than all at once.
When you do apply it, use one scoop on damp skin after a shower. Damp skin is the best time, and the butter absorbs in about a minute with no shine.
Does fragrance matter for sensitive skin?
It can. Scent is one of the first things people with sensitive skin check, because a fragrance that does not agree with you shows up quickly. If you already know a particular scent or ingredient bothers you, avoid it and look for a different option.
Our butter is fragranced and contains a pheromone ingredient, so I would not call it a product for every skin. I would call it a product that is worth testing carefully, and one we are open about. The full ingredient list is coming soon.
How do you introduce a new scent slowly?
Go gradually. Start with a small amount on one area, once, and give your skin time to respond. If all is well, use it again the next day. Then widen to the places you want to wear it: neck, collarbone, chest and wrists.
Keep a note of how your skin feels. If anything changes, stop and go back to what you used before. Try one new product at a time, so you know which one is responsible.
It also helps to apply to damp skin after a shower, where the butter spreads thinly rather than sitting in a heavy layer. A thin layer is easier to judge than a thick one.
What does paraben-free and sulfate-free mean?
It means the product does not contain those ingredients. Parabens are preservatives. Sulfates are cleansing agents, more common in washes than in butters. Our butter is paraben-free and sulfate-free. That is a statement about two ingredient groups. It is not a promise about how any individual's skin will respond.
We cover the meaning in more detail in our guide to what paraben-free and sulfate-free labels mean. Labels are a start, and a patch test is the check that counts.
Quick answers
Is body butter safe for sensitive skin?
Not for every skin. Patch test any fragranced product first, and stop if you notice redness, itching or stinging.
What is in your body butter?
A shea and cocoa butter base, fragrance and a pheromone ingredient. The full ingredient list is coming soon.
How do I patch test?
Apply a small amount to your inner forearm and watch it for a day. Wash it off and stop if skin reacts.
Is it free of parabens and sulfates?
Yes, it is paraben-free and sulfate-free.
For a next step, read what to do if your body butter arrives soft, or order the Discovery Set to test small.
