PureWow Commerce Policy: How We Test & Review Products (original) (raw)
Paula Boudes
Whether you're looking for the best mascara, workout leggings or most comfortable sofa, PureWow’s commerce team has you covered. Our editors are hardcore shoppers, scouring the internet for the latest products to improve every area of your life—and we're putting them to the test to ensure they're genuinely worth the spend.
Why You Should Trust Us
Our commerce team works to bring you the best products around, period. While we are gifted items to test, we review each one honestly, highlighting its cons as well as its pros to help you make a truly well-informed buying decision. We do not recommend products we don’t genuinely love and use ourselves, and all of our opinions are our own.
When it comes to items we don’t have direct experience with, we vet them thoroughly, consulting with experts on our subject matter, painstakingly combing through reviews and ratings to find out what people really think of the items and fact-checking company claims about the products.
How We Test Products
PureWow editors select every item we feature. Here's how we go about that:
- We start by sharing our favorite things, which areitems we've personally vetted. We clearly disclose the things we've tried, including quotes from editors or labeling them as one of our favorites. You will also see these items marked with a PureWow100 badge, which indicates that it’s been tested and rated by the team.
- We consult experts: While we ultimately choose the products we want to test, as indicated by our Editor’s Picks badge at the top of our commerce lists, we consult with experts on the topics that relate to these items for tips on what to look for. In example, we might seek a doctor’s insight on the most effective ingredients for clearing acne or a certified running coach while vetting the best high-impact sports bras. We take their advice into account when making our selections and use it as markers to hold the products up against.
- We put products through the wringer: We test products out in as many conditions as humanly possible, whether that means wearing a deodorant system on our sweatiest days or sending in our most sensitive-skinned editor to wear a new type of sunscreen for eight hours straight. We test them all for a sufficient length of time, too, which will be notated in the article.
For more nuanced items, such as a hair tool that may yield different results for different hair types or a cardigan that may fit a tall editor differently than a petite editor, we have as many editors as possible try the product out to see if they get similar results. We then report on each person’s unique experience.
We also point out both the pros and cons of an item, giving the reader as much context as possible about the products to help them decide if it’s a fit for their household. - We research what's new on the market and what has a stellar reputation, researching studies and reviews on the products to find the top recommendations to share with you.
- We regularly update our roundups of the "best" products, removing items that are no longer in stock, updating pricing and adjusting the list to include new favorites.
How We Find Deals
Our sales and deals team is constantly scouring the web for the best sales and discounted products from countless online retailers, paying particularly close attention to the ones we know our readers love best (Jenni Kayne fans, we got you). We often suss out events before they happen, giving us—and consequently, you—access to the best finds first, and we do our due diligence when it comes to price comparisons, so you'll *actually* be getting a deal when we say you are.
How We Make Money
PureWow receives a commission on a portion of recommended commerce products on the site, which are notated in articles with an affiliate disclaimer at the top. If you, the reader, click through to the merchant’s site and make a purchase on these products, we receive a portion of the sale. Regardless of earnings, all products found on our site are genuine recommendations from our team and opinions are our own.
What Our PureWow100 Ratings Mean
When everything on the internet promises to change your life, how do you know what’s worth your hard-earned cash…and what’s total hype? That's where we come in. We rethought our reviews approach, vetting items on a 100-point scale we’re calling the PureWow100. It gives you an at-a-glance way to see how a massage gun, lash serum or blender meets (or exceeds) expectations, and it leads into an in-depth review, so you can get every honest-as-your-best-friend-after-a-glass-of-rosé detail about it. Here’s a full breakdown of what to expect from the series.
Simply put, the PureWow100 is an easy way to see how a product lives up to its claims. Just like in school, where every assignment was graded on a 100-point scale, we are vetting every item based on a total of 100 points. Only in our world, there’s no grading curve or extra credit—just our honest, unfiltered ratings.
We’ve broken down the PureWow100 score into five categories, each rated out of 20 possible points. Editors and contributors use that as their framework for testing the product or service and writing their review. Categories can vary, depending on the types of item reviewed, but essentially, here’s what we’re looking for:
- Value — Simply put, is it worth the money?
- Functionality — Does it do what it says it does? How well?
- Quality/Ease of Use — Is it durable? Does it require a PhD (or superhuman strength) to assemble?
- Aesthetics — Is it something you want to show off?
- Custom Category — This part is tailored to the topic we’re reviewing. For a candle, for example, it may be scent. For a baby monitor, it may be signal strength or reliability.
All five add up to 100 points, giving you the final rating. We’ll include this breakdown as a bulleted list at the top of every in-depth review, just like this.
Check Out Some of Our Top-Rated PureWow100 Products
Meet Our Team
Stephanie Maida
Senior Commerce Editor
- Oversees PureWow's coverage of sales and deals, celebrity commerce and new launches across categories
- Has worked as a writer and editor for 10+ years
- Studied journalism at New York University
Abby Hepworth
Editor
- Covers fashion, trends and all things running
- Received certification as an RRCA run coach
- Has worked in fashion for over a decade
Olivia Dubyak
Commerce Editor
- Covers commerce content, including personal and collaborative reviews and product roundups across beauty, home, fashion and family verticals
- More than 5 years of professional experience in journalism
- Studied journalism at Duquesne University
Stephanie Meraz
Associate Fashion Commerce Editor
- Covers all things fashion and shopping
- Boasts over 23 years of experience as an avid shopper, having secured a personal stylist at Limited Too at the age of four
- Studied English literature, communications and creative writing at the University of San Diego, and completed the Columbia Publishing Course at Columbia University in New York
Destinee Scott
Associate Sales and Deals Editor
- Stays on top of the best sales and deals across the internet
- Over 3 years of experience in commerce (covering tentpole sales, like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday and Way Day)
- Studied Journalism at St. John's University
Natalie LaBarbera
Assistant Commerce Editor
- Writes commerce stories and features that span multiple topics, including fashion, beauty, travel, home and sales/deals
- Has contributed to reports on ethical fashion and continues to stay up-to-date on sustainablility developments
- Completed a bachelor's degree in psychology at the University of Pittsburgh and a master's degree in fashion studies at Parsons The New School
Safety
While we put all of the products we test through the wringer firsthand and will always warn our readers against any safety issues we may find, individual products may be subject to additional safety requirements for use. As such, we always recommend following the manufacturer’s instructions. Some items may also be subject to recalls, and we encourage readers to check the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website for the most current information.
We are happy to address comments, questions or concerns about any PureWow commerce content you may have. Please reach out to us at commercefeedback@purewow.com to share your thoughts.