How To Test DNA With 23 & Me

This post and photos may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. If you purchase something through any link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. Any supplies used may be given to me free of charge, however, all projects and opinions are my own.

The gift of the year is a DNA test, so I've joined up with 23 & me to show you step by step how to test DNA with an easy to complete home saliva DNA kit. 

 

      This post is sponsored by Babbleboxx.com on behalf of 23andMe. This post contains affiliate links. I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe would be a good fit for my readers. This comes at no added cost to you!

      Sometimes it's so hard to find *the perfect gift* for those you love. You want it to show you care, and you want it to be personal. Nothing gets more personal than the gift of DNA testing. By gifting a DNA test kit from 23 & Me, you can give the gift of ethnicity percentages, ancestry connections, and health info. I've written about my love for DNA testing before, and the reasons why I think it's important. I joke that if I was Oprah, I'd be giving everyone I meet a DNA test kit. The best news is right now, 23&me has holiday offers that are too good to pass up!

      I've tested my parents, my in-laws, second cousins, and the list goes on. Somehow though, I actually left my husband out.

     So we are very excited to test him this holiday season with 23 & me. He graciously allowed me to take photos of him during the process so that you can see step by step how simple the test is to complete. Firstly, you should know that the 23 & me DNA is a saliva collection kit. There are no blood tests or cheek swabs. You simply spit in a tube. You should be sure to not eat or drink anything 30 minutes before taking the test!

How to take a home DNA test with 23 & Me

STEP 1:

     Your 23 & me kit comes with everything you need and is nicely packaged. Start by laying everything out so you are ready to go.

Step 2:

   Register your kit at 23&me. Be sure to write down your barcode as well.

     You'll find their privacy statement during this part as well:

     You'll know you've completed everything correctly when you see the page that says you have successfully registered your kit! 

    Now that the paperwork is out of the way, let's get to the nitty gritty of actually taking the test!

Step 3:

     Begin spitting in the tube. The 23 & me test vial actually has a wide top for easy collection. This does seem to produce some giggles, so it's fun when you are doing it at a big family gathering!

     Your test is complete when your saliva reaches the solid black line.

Step 5:

    Once you've reached the line, you simply close the lid. You'll hear and audible "snap". This releases the chemicals that are needed to preserve your sample while it is shipped to the lab.

Step 6:

    Next, you'll want to twist the empty top off and replace with the small lid that was included.

Step 7:

    Place your sealed test vial into the biohazard bag. Leave the tissue in there! Do not take it out! 

Step 9:

    Place the vial bag into the box, and seal the box. 

Step 10:

    Once it's sealed, it's all ready to go! You'll notice the postage sticker is already on the box. Take to your local post office, or mail the box from home! 

     And then you wait. Waiting is the hardest part of a DNA test. I would suggest that you build a family tree while you wait, so that when your results do come in, you have a good starting point. Everyone's test results are different. Some have close family members at the top of their lists, and some start with maybe a few 2nd cousins (you share great grandparents). Most likely, it will be a 3rd cousin match (Great Great Grandparents shared).

     You will see the majority of matches will be 4th cousin and further. So the more 3x's great grandparents you know from a paper trail, the easier it will be to see where exactly you match some of your DNA matches. Don't worry if you don't have that many people listed on your personal family tree. I've been able to use genetic genealogy techniques to fill in my missing spaces!

     One other thing that I love about DNA, is how I've based my travel adventures on my results. You can see my entire post on travel adventures based on DNA here.

     Once you've discovered how to test DNA, you'll want to test everyone!  Be sure and stock up on the 23 & Me DNA kits while they are on sale!