Editorial standards

How ExplainScore works

ExplainScore evaluates products with the same scoring method each time. Give it the same information and it gives the same score — there is no manual override, no pay-for-placement, and no editorial discretion in the scoring method itself.

The scoring method considers:

• Published clinical evidence for active ingredients
• Ingredient concentration and formulation quality information
• Known irritants and allergens
• SPF and protection claims where applicable

What we do not do

• We do not accept payment for product placement or favorable scores
• We do not fabricate clinical evidence or test results
• We do not publish user reviews as editorial content
• We do not use urgency tactics (“buy now before it's gone”)
• We do not display prices we cannot timestamp and source

AI-assisted drafting

Some editorial drafts are produced with AI assistance. No content publishes on that basis alone: every piece goes through our editorial review workflow and is reviewed and approved by a human editor before it appears on the site, regardless of how the draft originated.

Evidence standards

Ingredient claims are linked to published peer-reviewed research where available. We grade evidence strength and note when evidence is limited, conflicting, or preliminary. We do not present preliminary findings as established fact.