Editorial Policy

Sources first

Every number on our shelf-life and expiry pages is linked to a source, such as the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, guidance from regulators like the U.S. FDA, or a brand's own published information. Guides about habits like Project Pan may also cite news and magazine reporting. If we cannot source a claim, we do not publish it.

Human review

Drafts may be prepared with the help of AI writing tools. A human editor reads, checks and approves every page before it goes live, and takes responsibility for it. Each page shows who reviewed it and when.

No made-up experiences

We do not invent personal stories, testimonials or quotes. When a page shares data from the Makeup Shelf community, it is aggregated and anonymous.

Photos and illustrations

The photos on this site are illustrative. They were created with AI image tools and edited by us, and they show unbranded products. They are there to show what we describe in the text, not to document a real product or a real reaction. Our diagrams and infographics are drawn from the sourced figures on each page.

Keeping pages current

Our most-read pages are reviewed every 90 days, and every page at least once a year. The "updated" date changes only when the content meaningfully changes.

Independence

We do not accept payment for coverage and we do not run ads. If that ever changes, it will be clearly labeled.

Mistakes

See our corrections policy.