To make ingredient reviews easier to understand, I use a four-tier rating system.
Rating
What It Means
Best
I accept this ingredient in all my Best products. It carries no meaningful safety concerns that would limit where or how it’s used.
Better (Limited Use)
I accept this ingredient in Better products and in certain types of Best products (e.g., rinse-off). The limited use depends on the product type, who the product is for, and how readily the ingredient penetrates the skin.
Better (Not In My Top Picks)
I accept this ingredient only in Better products. There are some concerns that keep it out of my Best recommendations entirely.
Not A Fan
I recommend avoiding this ingredient altogether because in my opinion it carries meaningful safety concerns.
My ratings consider:
Human health concerns
Regulatory actions
Absorption into the body
Quality of available evidence
Availability of safer alternatives
No ingredient is judged based on a single study. I look at the overall body of evidence and how major regulators evaluate it.
