our clinical commitment.

When there are so many skincare options and mixed messages, it can be really difficult to know whether a product is going to work for you. Rather than relying on theory, it’s our belief that high-quality clinical studies on final formulations, not just individual ingredients, can provide users with some of the most valuable information they can get when making decisions for their skin.

our CLINICAL COMMITMENT.
High-quality clinical studies can provide users with an understanding of what concerns a product can realistically address, in what time frame, and to what degree. Through our clinical commitment, we run thousands of hours of testing on our products, and ensure that they’re data-rich and helpful to the user by focusing on 3 key components.

only administered by independent, third-party labs. (An Unbiased Approach)
Running clinical studies through independent, third-party labs ensures that we minimize any bias that may be introduced into the study. We want to ensure that the results we see are solely from the product’s performance.

tested on a diverse range of skin tones. (Reflective Of The Real World)
It’s important to conduct our clinical testing on a wide range of skin tones and ages because it allows the results to more closely reflect the experience of a real-world user of the product. We use the Fitzpatrick Phototypes Scale I-VI in our testing protocols to ensure diversity in our clinical tests. We aim to recruit skin types I-VI, and commit to representation of skin types II-V in every study.

results measured in 3 different ways. (Robust measure of results)
We measure changes in skin in 3 different ways to ensure strong claims substantiation for our products:

• Dermatologist and expert grading: a trained expert observes and notes a difference in skin over a period of time. For example, a dermatologist sees a difference in the severity of skin wrinkling before and after 4 weeks of product use. 
• Instrumental measurements: use specialized equipment to objectively measure the difference in skin. For example, we use a Visia CR machine to measure wrinkle visibility to confirm an improvement before and after 8 weeks of product use.
• Self-assessments: users of the product see and feel a difference in skin. This is important because even if a trained expert can see a difference, and we can measure that difference through specialized equipment, if the user doesn’t perceive an improvement in skin after weeks of use, they are unlikely to be happy with the product.

Instrumental Measurements
Tests that show what measurable differences machines see in your skin using various tools

• Non-biased results overseen by an expert, usually a dermatologist
• Measure things like number, length or depth of wrinkles, color of dark spots, firmness, and tightness of skin
• Results are based on the average improvement of skin for all the participants in the study

Common instruments we use in instrumental tests are:

• VISIA-CR: A machine used to evaluate the overall health of the skin using specialized imaging technology. It works by capturing high-resolution images of the skin's surface and deeper layers, which can then be analyzed to assess factors like wrinkles, pores, pigmentation, and UV damage.
• Cutometer: a tool used to measure the firmness and elasticity of skin. It works by sucking a small area of skin into a probe and then measuring how quickly the skin gets sucked up and how quickly it springs back into place when the suction is released. 
• Corneometer: used to measure the moisture content of the skin. It works by using a small probe to measure the electrical capacitance of the skin's surface, which correlates with the amount of water present in the skin's outermost layer. 
• Visioscan: used to examine the skin's surface using high-resolution imaging. It works by taking close-up pictures of the skin, which can then be analyzed to assess factors like pigmentation, texture, and wrinkle depth.

Expert Grading Assessments
What experts see in your skin

• Done by third party experts, usually a dermatologist
• Observes and reviews participant’s skin and notes changes
• Results are based on the average improvement of skin for all the participants in the study

Consumer Perception
Self-assessments; what do you think of your skin

• Weeks-long studies ranging from 2-16 weeks depending on the product we’re testing
• Results are based on the perception of the participant - how they see and feel their skin is benefiting from usage of the product
• We provide yes/no and scale-based questions to the independent third-party lab where they are shared with participants to answer

Additionally, all before & after photos on our site are unretouched and taken in standardized lighting by a VISIA-CR in an independent, third-party testing facility. With us, you will always get thoughtfully formulated products and straightforward information.

By meeting these criteria, we’re confident that our clinical studies are high-quality, because it’s our firm belief that products should be thoroughly tested and the results of those tests should be shared in an easy-to-understand way so that users can make the most informed decisions for their skin.

Some might call that being honest to a fault; we call it being MATTER OF FACT.

Learn more about our Clinical Commitment