I personally don’t get a lot of value out of most skincare reviews… I think it’s because it is really hard to test real efficacy and it can really just depend on one’s skin/concerns. I’ll look for things like what the scent is like or if a lot of people didn’t like it.
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I don’t read or look at skin care reviews. That might be because I feel informed and can make my own choices and recommendations. But also for the same reason – unclear metrics for evaluation and widely divergent preferences for fragrance, added color, container type, product type (lotion v cream, sudsy or no), consistency (runny v solid), so many variables!
I agree this is harder than makeup reviews because of personal idiosyncrasies and needs. There are skin care experts who I like and value for input, but I don’t have the same “likes” as them. That said, a review that tells me what the ingredients are supposed to do, the percentage and likely efficacy of active ingredients if known, comments on texture or scent, are all helpful for me. Reviews are helpful for me to assess different ingredients or formulas if I’m having a problem (pigmentation, blackheads, dryness, etc.) It’s also good to know what the reviewer’s skin type and preferences are so I can compare my own to them. I found that in comparison to one well-regarded skincare expert (again, who I trust), I just don’t like the emollient qualities she does, so if she uses certain phrases (lush, rich, thick), I know it won’t be for me, but that came from me trying a few things along the way to figure that out.
I also follow some skincare (and even makeup) reviewers with a skin type totally different than mine, specifically because they are very detailed in their reviews. I even bought products they didn’t liked, because I realized from the review it’s something that will work for me. But I trust my dry skin reviewers to keep me of the too moisturizing products; the second they mentioned dewy and hydrated results, I know it’s not for me. 😅
A full list of ingredients. For me it’s important to know if there are irritants present, which is vital info for rosaceans. I don’t care if they crow about the product being “clean” or some miracle youth potion, that’s all marketing hype.
Formulations with effective ingredients are the most important thing. Skincare being largely unregulated with claims have so many products on the market that claim many things but have the “effective” ingredients way on the bottom of the list. But the most important thing is to use products that are effective and don’t irritate your skin. It’s a bit of a guessing game that changes with season, and completely personal. But one thing that that skincare reviews do provide at minimum is how people are reacting to the product. If there are too many people with bad reactions, it’s one to skip.
I want to know the skin type and skin concerns & preferences of the reviewer. I want to know about ingredients, especially added fragrances (including essential oils). I want to know how long they tried it for and how a product performed under makeup, for example (such as for serums, moisturizers, and SPF).
No two people have identical preferences and issues, but that info helps me the most, I think.
I look for reviews with enough details, not just stating the product is amazing or awful, that it changed the skin or life of that person.
I want to know the skin type and major skin concerns of the reviewer, how long they tried the product, how often did they use it (e.g. it’s the only moisturizer used, or one in a rotation of 3-4 different ones).
I want to hear about the product texture and scent (even fragrance free products might have a scent). Does the scent longer or fades immediately?
I want to hear how well it applies under or on top of other products (e.g. does an serum or SPF pile under makeup).
I want maybe also a comparison with other similar products (e.g. is a cleansing balm better than a classic Clinique Take the Day Off, is a face wash better or worse than your standard CeraVe one).
I just want enough details so I can decide of the product is good for me. It can even be a bad review, but if enough details are provided I can see if it’s something that might work for me.
I look first at the credentials of the reviewer. Generally the reviewer has to have a background in science or at the very least have a demonstrated understanding of science. There really are not many ingredients that are effective and they can be more or less effective depending on how the product is formulated. I also am interested in fragrance, packaging, and how the product feels on the skin.
Not much, if anything, unless they have the same, exact concerns as myself. Sometimes, that does work out very strongly in my favor, but still not always. The last time it did was when Tarababyz mentioned an eye cream that she really loved for her sensitive, dryer eye area. It’s called Youth To The People Eye Dream Cream. Stuff is truly amazing!
I want to know the reviewer’s skin type, skin concerns, and how long they’ve been using the product. For me, it’s helpful to know if a product is fragranced. At least some kind of run-down on active ingredients and what they do.
I don’t tend to read skincare reviews because everyone’s skin is different and it generally isn’t relevant to me. Besides, I can make my own choices and talk to staff at our budget beauty places that have a very good overall view of all the brands I buy that suit me most.
Generally I do not watch skincare reviews. If I am interested in a product I prefer reading customer verified reviews. I am currently subscribed to the Allure box and I love it. I have the opportunity to try new products and determine if they work for me. Even the Allure editor reviews are not really applicable to me to a degree. I think some products produce results over time. I read all ingredients and the reviewer should be able to explain what they are/do understand fillers and chemicals… for example there are people that LOVE the cera ve hydrate cleanser.. I tried it and it made no sense to me.. didn’t suds didn’t really make me feel like my make up was off my face. If you double cleanse using oil or even micellar water it still didnt work for me. Now I don’t like to spend much on cleansers because really its just soap and I would rather invest in a serum or moisturizer.. but for the purpose of this question.. all the opinions on this Cera Ve! I tried the foaming Cera ve which I thought was decent for a while until I got the Lancome foaming cleanser in one of their promotions. Well forget about it I was a changed woman.. MUCH BETTER! But still I saw a Clinique face wash at TJ Max and that is excellent as well! I will probably never purchase Cera Ve again..
I basically look at someone around my age and with my skin concerns. Otherwise it’s a crapshoot, too many variables.
The only things a review can tell from a quick try are skin reactions, how it absorbs, what it feels like on the skin, scent level, red flag ingredients, brand rep and general aesthetic impression. That’s not nothing.
But skin care products are about long term claims, and those are labor intensive to prove. Six to eight weeks of testing on at least one person within target skin type and age range would be the minimum required to find any true sense of performance. More if a product covers more than one skin type. Reliable metrics and methods of getting them would also be required. Honestly, this would be a good thing for a magazine with staffing and budgeting. But advertising revenue, so…
I look for trends in others’ reviews. It’s hard to tell how something will work for me by someone else’s experience, but if I see a lot of people commenting on the same things beyond the typical glowing reviews, I take note.