Methodology
How we review
You are reading a site that makes money when you buy things. You should know exactly how it works before you trust a word of it.
We buy what we review
Products are bought at retail with our own money. We do not accept gifted product, press samples, or loaned devices. This is expensive and it is the single most important thing on this page — a reviewer who did not pay for the product has a relationship with the brand whether they acknowledge it or not.
No sponsorship, ever
We accept no sponsored posts, paid placements, brand partnerships, or affiliate arrangements that require positive coverage. No brand sees a review before it publishes. No brand has ever been given the opportunity to respond to, amend, or delay a verdict.
We are funded by affiliate commissions, and here is the conflict
When you buy through a link here, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. That is a genuine conflict of interest and we are not going to pretend otherwise. Two things constrain it: we publish 'skip it' verdicts on products that would have paid us well, and we routinely recommend cheaper alternatives that earn us less or nothing at all. Judge us on whether we actually do those things — several reviews on this site name a drugstore product as the sensible substitute for something costing thirty times more.
Verdicts are about value, not quality
Almost every product we review is well made. That is not the question at this price. Our verdicts ask whether the result justifies the cost for a specific person, which is why 'worth it if' exists as a category — it is the most honest answer for most luxury beauty, and we would rather use it than force a product into a verdict it does not fit.
We distinguish evidence from marketing
Where a claim rests on brand-funded research, self-reported endpoints, or a study with no control arm, we say so in the review. Where an ingredient has genuine independent support, we say that too. We do not treat a proprietary complex as proven simply because it has a trademark and a research-sounding name.
We correct things publicly
Reviews carry a published date and an updated date. When a formula changes, a price moves materially, or we get something wrong, we update the review and note what changed. We do not quietly edit a verdict.
What the three verdicts mean
- Worth it
- The price and the product are in a defensible relationship for the person it is aimed at. We would buy it.
- Worth it, if
- Genuinely good, but only for a specific skin type, concern, or budget. The review names exactly who, and just as importantly who not.
- Skip it
- The result does not justify the cost, or something substantially cheaper does the same job. We always name the alternative.
What we are not
We are not dermatologists and nothing on MyBeautyVerdict is medical advice. We read the literature carefully and we are explicit about the limits of what it shows, but if you have a skin condition, a reaction, or a question about whether something is safe for you specifically, ask a doctor rather than a review site.
We are also not a laboratory. We do not run assays or independently verify ingredient concentrations. Where our assessment rests on published evidence rather than direct measurement, the review says so.
Found something wrong?
If a price is out of date, a formula has changed, or you think a verdict is mistaken, tell us and we will look at it. Corrections are noted on the review.
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