Is Tend Skin Good For Razor Bumps?

Reiray asks…Are the ingredients in Tend Skin useful and does it work like it claims?

The Right Brain responds:

Tend Skin is a product designed to treat razor bumps and ingrown hairs (technically known as Pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) when they occur on the face and Pseudofolliculitis pubis (PFP) when they occur in the genital area.)  PFB is caused by a hair fiber becoming trapped under the skin and resultant blocked follicle becomes infected. This is especially common with curly hairs because they are more likely to grow “sideways” instead of straight out.

What is Tend Skin and how does it work?

PFB products work like this: First, they use glycols (chemicals that have an -OH group) which can penetrate and soften the hair. A softer hair has a looser curl pattern which helps it grow out normally. Second, they use a hydroxy acid (like acetyl salicylic acid or salicylic acid)  to clear the follicle of dead skin cells that can create a blockage and trap infection-causing anaerobic bacteria.

Interestingly, Tend Skin has two patents associated with it. But after reviewing both patents we can’t figure out any technical point of difference that they provide to the product. One patent is related to the use of protein in the formula and the other specifies the type of  glycol that is used. Neither of these, to the best of our understanding, should make Tend Skin work better than other similarly formulated products on the market. For comparison’s sake, here are the ingredients in Tend Skin and another popular product, Bumpstoppers.

Tend skin Ingredients: Isopropyl alcohol, water, propylene glycol, acetyl salicylic acid, glycerine, cyclomethicone

Bumpstoppers liquid ingredients: Water, 1,3 Butylene Glycol, Resorcinol, Dimethicone Copolyol, Sodium PCA, Salicylic Acid, Lidocaine Hydrochloride, Potassium Alum, Phenoxyethanol, Methyl Paraben, Ethyl Paraben, Propylparaben & Butyl Paraben, Allantoin, Menthol, Tea Tree Oil, Aloe Vera, Chlorhexidine Gluconate, 8-Quinolinol Sulfate And Fragrance.

Is Tend Skin a good value?

On the Tend Skin website the liquid retails for $30 for 8 ounces ($3.75/oz). Bumpstoppers.com offers a similar liquid for $4 for 2 ounces ($2/oz). Considering that there is no apparent technical difference between the two, we’d recommend trying the cheaper product first.

The Beauty Brains bottom line

Tend Skin appears to have the right chemistry to do what it says it will do. However, there are other products that should be able to do it less expensively. Try Bumpstoppers (or another product with a glycol and salicylic acid) first. If you find those don’t work you can always try the more expensive Tend Skin later.