Methodology
How We Vet Every Brand
No paid placements. No sponsored features. Every brand on this site has earned its place through independent editorial review -- and can lose it just as easily.
The 7-Step Review Process
1. Nomination & Initial Screening
Any brand can be nominated by our editorial team or the reader community. We screen for basic eligibility: operating for 12 or more months, publicly available ingredient and sourcing information, and no outstanding regulatory actions with the FTC or FDA.
2. Founder & Company Due Diligence
We research the founding team, corporate structure, supply chain ethics, labor practices, and environmental commitments. Any history of misleading advertising claims, product recalls, or regulatory actions is flagged for additional scrutiny.
3. Formulation & Ingredient Analysis
Our editorial science team reviews every product formulation against current evidence. We assess ingredient quality, sourcing claims, concentrations, bioavailability, and whether each formula delivers on its marketing claims.
4. Third-Party Testing Verification
We request, review, and verify Certificates of Analysis from independent accredited labs. We prioritize brands tested by NSF, Informed Sport, or USP. Brands that refuse to provide CoAs do not advance past this step.
5. Real-World Editorial Testing (60+ Days)
Editorial team members use the brand's core products for a minimum of 60 consecutive days under normal use conditions. We document subjective outcomes, objective measurements where available, and any adverse effects observed.
6. Expert Panel Consultation
Our advisory board -- comprising board-certified physicians, registered dietitians, and licensed estheticians -- reviews our findings, provides clinical context, and flags any concerns our team may have overlooked.
7. Editorial Scoring & Annual Review
Brands receive a score across 12 criteria covering ingredient quality, transparency, testing rigor, efficacy, sustainability, and customer experience. Approved brands are re-evaluated every 12 months. We reserve the right to remove any brand that no longer meets our standards.
The 12 Scoring Criteria
A brand’s Editorial Score (shown on its Brands We Trust profile) is a single 0-10 rating derived from performance across all twelve:
- Ingredient quality
- Sourcing transparency
- Third-party testing
- Efficacy evidence
- Formula integrity
- Label accuracy
- Sustainability practices
- Packaging safety
- Customer service
- Value for quality
- Long-term usability
- Overall trust
Automatic Disqualifiers
Any of the following stops a brand’s review at any stage, regardless of how it performs elsewhere:
- Proprietary blends that obscure individual ingredient doses without clinical justification
- No third-party testing program or refusal to provide Certificates of Analysis on request
- History of misleading health claims, FTC enforcement actions, or unresolved safety complaints
- Harmful or controversial ingredients without credible, peer-reviewed risk-benefit evidence
Browse Our Vetted Brands
Every brand in our directory has completed all seven stages of the review process.
See All Brands