The rules behind the ranks.

The one public question

Would you buy it again at today’s price?

A star can mean almost anything. A repeat purchase forces performance and price into the same decision. Members answer yes or no, identify their relationship to the product, and can add moderated context.

Eligibility first

A product earns the right to be scored.

Editors assess the product version against a fixed rubric before community data is allowed to influence placement. A version must score at least 70 out of 100 on the editorial scorecard. Products below that gate do not enter the ranking, regardless of popularity or campaign volume.

• Version-specific.A materially changed formula is evaluated as a new version; old evidence does not silently transfer.
• Price-aware.The list shows a dated price snapshot because the same performance can represent different value at a different price.
• Category-aware.A cleanser and a fragrance are judged in their own use context before competing in the global list.
• No paid entry.Sampling, sponsorship, affiliate availability, or a badge conversation cannot make a product eligible.

Three inputs, one controlled signal

Editorial quality leads. Evidence earns influence.

Rank stability: when final scores are within 0.75 points, the prior order is retained to prevent noise-driven churn. Remaining ties resolve by final score, editorial score, then product ID for deterministic output.

Disclosure is part of the data

Every answer names its relationship.

Relationship is required for votes and context notes. Commercially connected responses remain visible for disclosure and abuse review, but do not receive the same ranking treatment as an independent purchase.

Purchased

The member paid for the product.

1.00×

Personal gift

It came from a friend, family member, or another personal relationship.

0.75×

PR sample

A brand or agency sent the product without a purchase.

0.50×

Brand / retailer relationship

The member has a material professional or commercial connection.

0×

Not disclosed

The answer is retained with reduced influence because independence cannot be assessed.

0.50×

A published list is a record

Ranks freeze when an edition is published.

The page displays a dated snapshot, not a live stock ticker. New answers can change the evidence used in a later recalculation, but cannot rewrite an already published rank. Recalculation is a deliberate admin action that writes an immutable revision. There is no automatic daily cadence: a reviewed run is deliberately published, with movement measured against the prior snapshot.

1. 1Evaluate

   Editors score eligible product versions using the current rubric.

2. 2Recalculate

   Eligible community evidence and freshness are applied under the published scoring rules.

3. 3Review

   Integrity checks look for version drift, coordinated activity, missing price context, and moderation issues.

4. 4Publish

   The edition, ranks, product versions, and price date become a frozen public snapshot.

Context, with guardrails

Notes are moderated, not manufactured.

Submitted notes are plain text, require relationship and use context, and enter a moderation queue before publication. Links and HTML are not accepted. Members can delete their own published notes and report spam, hidden relationships, harassment, impersonation, privacy concerns, or medical misinformation.

Moderation can publish, reject, or remove a note for policy reasons. It does not rewrite a member’s opinion into house copy.

The commercial wall

The rank is not inventory.

A brand cannot purchase eligibility, score, placement, movement, a positive note, or suppression of a negative answer. Affiliate links can generate commission after the ranking decision; they do not enter the score.