Good tape holds for eight hours. That same grip is why taking it off badly hurts. The fix is not strength, it is oil and time.
What you need
- Baby oil, coconut oil or any body oil. Not water, not soap.
- Cotton pads or a soft cloth.
- Five minutes you are not going to rush.
The method
- Saturate the whole surface of the tape with oil. Every inch of fabric, not just the edges.
- Wait 5 minutes. The oil works through the fabric and dissolves the adhesive underneath.
- Lift one corner. With your other hand, press the skin down right next to the edge that is coming off.
- Peel slowly, along the direction of the tape, keeping the skin held down the whole way.
- Rub any leftover adhesive off with an oiled cotton pad, then rinse and moisturize.
Three mistakes that leave marks
Pulling it off dry. The adhesive comes off with the top layer of your skin. Always oil first.
Ripping it fast like a bandage. Speed transfers the force to your skin. Slow and low, always.
Doing it in a hot shower. Heat makes the adhesive bond harder, not softer. Oil first, shower after.
Redness after removal
Some pinkness for an hour is normal. It is blood flow, and it fades. Raised bumps, itching or redness that lasts into the next day mean your skin did not like the adhesive. Stop using it and let the skin recover.
Before next time
Give your skin 72 hours between wears. First-timers, start with 3 to 4 hours. And do a patch test on the inner arm the day before a big event. Full details in our safety guidelines.