Is this Artex or Paint?

[Artexorpaint]

I've got a large wall that has textured paint on it, or I'm hoping it's paint because I've applied paint stripper and it's peeling away from the wall back to flat plaster. The house has artex ceilings and I've been advised not to disturb those due to asbestos. Does anyone know, aside from expensive testing, of any definitive ways to tell?

Asbestos has not been used in artex for decades. Plaster skim will be fine for the ceilings. Obviously texted wallpaper on the walls and no issue.

How old do you think it is? They stopped putting asbestos in artex around 1984.

It possibly predates that. The building is 1940s and the last extensive renovation before I took it on was in the 70's which is the age of the ceilings.

Asbestos testing is not expensive, you can buy kits on Amazon. And no there is no other way to tell.