Got questions?
We've got answers.

The patch contains a UV-reactive ink that deepens in colour as UV light reaches it. You wear the patch on bare skin and apply your suncream over the top of it, exactly as you do on the rest of your skin. Freshly applied suncream over the patch slows the colour change, so the patch sits at its palest lilac. As that layer wears down, more UV reaches the ink and the patch deepens toward purple — your prompt to reapply.

Important: the patch tells you about UV reaching the patch. It is a prompt, not protection, and it cannot tell you how protected the rest of your skin is.

No — that's exactly right. Alert. patches do not go completely colourless. Their resting state is a pale lilac, even under a thick layer of SPF 50.

The signal is the change in shade, not the presence or absence of colour. Glance at it when you first put it on so you know what your baseline looks like, then watch for it getting noticeably deeper through the day.

No. The patch does not measure SPF, does not test your suncream, and is not a measure of how protected you are. It is a visual prompt to reapply, nothing more.

A pale patch can also simply mean there is little UV around at that moment — in shade, indoors, or under a sleeve. Never treat a pale patch as confirmation that you are covered.

The ink does not react instantly. When you first apply the patch and cover it with suncream, it can look deeper for a while before settling to its palest shade — usually within about 30 minutes. That is normal and does not mean anything is wrong.

During that window, don't use the patch colour to make decisions. Just follow your suncream's own instructions.

Alert. is designed to be worn under SPF 30 or higher, mineral or chemical. Apply it the way you normally would — a generous, even layer over your skin and over the patch.

Under SPF 50 the patch tends to start a shade paler than under SPF 30, which makes the deepening easier to spot. Either works.

We can't test every suncream on the market, so if something behaves unexpectedly with the product you use, get in touch and we'll sort you out.

One patch is designed for one day's wear, for one person. Across that day the patch can deepen and fade back more than once as you reapply suncream over it, so you don't need a fresh patch every time you top up.

Use a new patch the next day. A pack of 24 gives you 24 person-days — roughly a fortnight for one person, or a long weekend for a family of four.

Before. The patch goes on clean, dry, bare skin first. Then apply your suncream over your skin and straight over the patch, as normal.

The suncream sitting on top of the patch is what keeps it pale. A patch left uncovered will go deep purple in sunlight regardless of what you've put on the rest of your skin, so it won't tell you anything useful.

Your wrist, forearm, shoulder, knee or leg — somewhere you'll naturally glance at through the day, and somewhere that gets the same sun as the rest of you. A patch you don't look at isn't helping.

Avoid joints that flex a lot, and keep it uncovered by clothing — a patch under a sleeve sees almost no UV and will stay pale whatever your suncream is doing.

First check the basics: is the patch on bare skin with suncream applied over the top of it, and has it had around 30 minutes? A patch with no suncream over it will stay deep purple in the sun.

If it's still deep after that, treat it as a prompt and reapply. When in doubt, reapply — and if it keeps happening, let us know and we'll replace the pack.

The patches are water resistant, so water and sweat don't stop the ink working. You can swim with one on — but no adhesive is guaranteed in water, and a patch can lift or come away, especially with a lot of splashing, rubbing against a float or towelling off afterwards. Press it down firmly on clean, dry skin before you go in, check it when you get out, and put a fresh one on if it has come off or lifted at the edges.

Reapply your suncream after any water activity regardless of what shade the patch is — water and towelling remove suncream faster than you'd think, and the patch is not a substitute for the reapplication guidance on your bottle.

Yes. The patch responds to UV, not to how bright or warm it feels. The World Health Organization notes that up to 80% of UV can pass through light cloud cover, so you can still be exposed on an overcast day.

Because the patch reacts to UV rather than sunshine, it will still deepen on a grey day when UV is getting through to it.

Alert. uses a gentle adhesive designed for everyday wear, but as with any adhesive product we'd recommend testing one patch on a small area first if you have sensitive skin or have reacted to plasters before.

Apply to clean, dry, unbroken skin only. Remove and stop using if any irritation occurs, and speak to a healthcare professional if it persists.

Patches should only be applied to children by an adult, with a patch test on a small area first, and with supervision throughout. Keep patches away from small children's hands and mouths — they are not intended to be swallowed.

The patch is a prompt for the adult supervising, not something a child should be relying on. If you have any concerns about your child's skin, check with a healthcare professional first.

Alert. patches are for external use only and are not designed to deliver anything into the skin — the UV-reactive ink sits within the patch layer.

That said, we're not in a position to give medical advice. If you're pregnant or nursing, check with your healthcare provider before using any new product on your skin.

Alert. is not a transdermal or topical product. It delivers no active ingredient. The UV-reactive ink is held within the patch layer, and the only part designed to contact your skin is the adhesive.

Delivery is free within Ireland, with no minimum order. Everywhere else it's a flat rate:

Delivery is free everywhere on orders over €30. That applies automatically at checkout — no code needed. Since two packs comes to €19.18 and three comes to €25.18, most multi-pack orders from outside Ireland still pay the flat rate; you'll see the exact figure before you pay.

We ship worldwide from Ireland. Ireland, the EU, the UK and Australia have their own rates as above; everywhere else falls under the rest-of-world rate of €9.00.

If your country doesn't come up at checkout, tell us and we'll look at adding it.

Yes, and it applies automatically in your cart — no code needed.

That works out at €0.40 a patch on two packs and €0.35 a patch on three. You'll see the saving before you check out.

We aim to dispatch all orders within 1–2 business days. After dispatch, standard delivery typically takes 2–5 business days within Ireland and the EU, and 5–10 business days for the rest of the world.

We offer a 30-day satisfaction guarantee. If you're not happy with your Alert. patches for any reason, contact us within 30 days of receiving your order and we'll arrange a full refund. Unopened packs can be returned for a full refund. For opened packs where the product isn't performing as expected, get in touch with details and we'll sort it.

Two things account for most issues. First, the patch goes on bare skin with suncream applied over the top of it. Second, the patch is meant to sit pale lilac rather than fully clear — a faint tint is not a fault.

If you've checked both and it's still not behaving, send us a message describing what you're seeing and we'll troubleshoot with you. If the product is faulty we'll replace it.

Message us with your order number and reason for return. We'll respond within one business day with return instructions. For faulty products you don't need to send anything back before we process your refund — we just need a brief description of the issue.