British Skincare Review exists because most beauty coverage is paid for, one way or another — through sponsored features, affiliate arrangements tied to a particular retailer, or products supplied free by the manufacturer whose review depends on it. We work differently. Every item we test is bought by a member of our editorial team, anonymously, at full retail price, from the same chemists and shops our readers use. We accept no free samples, no sponsorship and no paid placement of any kind. No brand can buy a better result, and no advertiser has ever seen a verdict before publication.
Testing follows a fixed protocol: identical conditions, direct comparison against other products in the same category, and assessment criteria agreed before we buy a single item. We repeat a test where the first result is ambiguous, and we publish what we find even when it disappoints. A decision to spend £15 or £50 on a product deserves an assessment made without any commercial interest in the outcome, and that is the only standard we hold ourselves to.
How findings are checked
Before anything is published, our results are reviewed by an independent panel of medical and scientific specialists, including a dermatologist, a dermatological research scientist and a consultant dermatologist with a clinical practice in skin treatments. The panel examines our test design, checks the evidence behind any claim we make, and signs off on our conclusions before they go to print. No panel member has a financial interest in any brand or product under review.
Corrections and suggestions
We get things wrong occasionally, and we would rather know than not. If you spot an error, think we have missed a category worth covering, or simply disagree with a verdict, write to the editorial team using the contact page. Every message is read, and factual corrections are amended promptly with a note on the page explaining what changed.