Philosophy
Formula first.
We read the formula before we agree to stock anything. Then we publish what we read, including the gaps.
How we choose what to stock
50 products from 21 brands passed these five checks. Many more did not.
- 01
We read the whole formula.
Every ingredient list, in order, from the brand’s own site or packaging. Not the marketing page, the list.
- 02
We check what the brand publishes.
Strengths are recorded only where the brand states them. Where it states nothing, we write Not published.
- 03
We buy direct.
From the brand or its authorised distributor, with a record for every batch. Never from grey-market resellers.
- 04
We test it in Malé.
Heat, humidity and daily sunscreen change how a texture behaves. If it pills, slides or stings here, it does not make the shelf.
- 05
We say what it is not.
No medical claims, no miracle language. A serum hydrates or it does not; a sunscreen protects when you reapply it.
Why we publish the breakdowns
Most shops show a product photo and a list of claims. We show the key ingredients and, where the brand publishes them, their strengths, on a lab-style scale you can compare across brands.
Where a brand publishes nothing, the row says so. We do not estimate. Of 148 key-ingredient rows across the shop, 116 read Not published. That number is not a failure; it is the honest state of skincare labelling.
- Products with at least one published strength
- 22 of 50
- Rows marked Not published
- 116 of 148
No sponsored placements
No brand pays to be listed, ranked, featured or recommended. Bestsellers are ranked by units sold. Quiz results are ranked by a scoring function that shows its reasons on every pick.
Brands that want to be stocked can write to us. The answer depends on the formula, the supply chain and how it behaves in Malé, not on a fee.
Start with your skin, not a shelf.
Three taps build a full routine from this range, with the reasons shown.