Our methodology

Ingredient evidence grades

Each active ingredient carries an evidence grade reflecting how well-supported it is in dermatology consensus for its common uses:

• Strong — robust, consistent support for its claimed effect.
• Moderate — good support, with some limits or mixed results.
• Limited — early, thin, or conflicting evidence; promising but unproven.
• None — little credible support for the claimed benefit.

Grades describe the ingredient in general — not a clinical trial of any specific product that contains it.

Consumer consensus scoring

Product scores aggregate consumer reviews into an average rating, the number of reviews behind it, and the recurring themes people raise. We weight by volume: a rating only counts as well-supported once it has enough reviews behind it, and we treat small rating differences as a tie rather than a real edge. This is consumer consensus, not a lab result — we show the review count so you can judge confidence yourself.

How we judge dupes and “is it worth it?”

When comparing a cheaper product to a pricier one, we look at the actives each one contains and the price gap. The upgrade is only “worth it” if the pricier product adds a well-supported active the cheaper one lacks, or clearly wins on consumer consensus. If they share the same key actives and hold comparable reviews, we tell you to save the money. See it in action on the dupes page.

Condition safety rules

For specific conditions (acne, rosacea, eczema, seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis) we apply a rules engine: ingredients to seek, ingredients to avoid, and softer “use cautiously” flags — for example, malassezia-feeding oils for seborrheic dermatitis, or common irritants for rosacea. Personalization only adds context and warnings; it never hides ingredients from you.

What we can't tell you

We don’t carry per-product clinical data, and ingredient concentrations are usually undisclosed — so we report price per ounce, which actives are present, and the evidence behind them, rather than a precise cost-per-active. Skinparse is informational only and not a substitute for a dermatologist.