How We Curate

Every product on Sister has been through a proper, structured review process. Nothing slips through unchecked, nothing is added because a brand asked nicely. Here's exactly how we work.

Product Discovery

Products find their way to Sister through four main routes.

• Brand submissions. Any brand that thinks they're a good fit can apply through our directory.
• Community recommendations. Members of the Sister community can flag products and brands they want to see.
• Editorial research. Our team is constantly hunting for the best clean alternatives across every category.
• Trend tracking. We monitor what women are actively searching for, so we can fill the gaps that genuinely matter.

Not every product makes it onto Sister. We prioritise products with complete, verifiable ingredient lists from brands with transparent practices. If we can't verify it, we don't list it.

Ingredient Assessment

Ingredient analysis is the foundation of every Sister listing. For every single product, we:

• Pull the full ingredient list using INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) standards
• Classify each ingredient as natural, synthetic or semi synthetic
• Cross check against our internal safety database for known concerns
• Flag any common allergens or irritants
• Note all relevant certifications (organic, cruelty free, vegan, B Corp etc)

Our database is built on publicly available scientific research, EU and UK regulatory guidance, and established cosmetic safety databases. We don't make claims beyond what the evidence supports, and we don't catastrophise. Just clear, honest information.

Scoring Methodology

Every product is scored across three key areas.

Ingredient safety. Based on the presence or absence of ingredients flagged by current research. We consider:

• EU and UK regulatory restrictions
• Known allergen classification
• Fragrance and preservative content
• Endocrine disruption research

Transparency. How complete and accessible the product's ingredient information is. Products with full INCI lists and clear labelling score higher.

Natural composition. The ratio of natural to synthetic ingredients. This is for context only. Synthetic doesn't automatically mean unsafe, and natural doesn't automatically mean better. We give you the information and let you choose.

Every product is scored against the same criteria. Affiliate relationships, brand partnerships and submission routes have zero influence on a product's score. We don't accept payment for placement and never will.

Quality Control

We use a combination of human review and technology to keep our data accurate.

• AI assisted ingredient extraction with manual verification by our team
• Confidence scoring on every entry, with anything low confidence flagged for review
• Regular reformulation checks
• Community reporting for anything that slips through

When Products Are Removed

A product may be delisted from Sister if:

• The brand discontinues the product
• New research raises significant safety concerns
• The ingredient list can no longer be verified
• The brand acts in a way that conflicts with our values

We're not afraid to remove products. The integrity of the directory matters more than the size of it.

How Often We Update

We review the database continuously. Major formulation changes are typically reflected within 30 days of being flagged, often sooner.

How You Can Help

If you spot an error, an outdated ingredient list, or a brand we should know about, please tell us. Use the community forum, send us a message, or fill in the suggestion form on the directory.

Sister works because the women using it care enough to keep us honest. Thank you for being part of that.