The short version
Some links on this site are affiliate links. If you click one and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you. Commissions help keep this site ad-free and let us spend more time on independent research.
What an affiliate link is (and isn't)
An affiliate link is a normal product link that includes a
referral parameter (e.g., ?ref=... or
?aff=...), or it's tagged automatically by an
affiliate network when you click. When you click it and complete a
purchase, the merchant pays a small commission to the site that
referred you. It costs you nothing — the price you see is the
price you pay.
It's not:
- An ad — we don't run display ads or pop-ups
- An ad-profiling pixel — affiliate links credit a referral when you buy; they don't build an advertising profile of you.
- A subscription or auto-charge — clicking is just visiting their product page
How to spot one in our posts
When we use an affiliate link, you'll see one or more of these signals near or around it:
- A note at the top of the article: "This post contains affiliate links — see our disclosure"
- An inline tag next to the link: (affiliate) or [affiliate]
- For sponsored / paid posts: a clear banner at the top — "Sponsored by [Brand]" or "In partnership with [Brand]"
Affiliate links are the ones we've tagged and disclosed; links to non-retailers (studies, authorities, news, and brands' own non-shop pages) are not affiliated and earn us nothing.
Editorial independence
This is the part that matters most. We commit to:
- Affiliate relationships never influence verdicts. We've published positive reviews of products with no affiliate program, and called out flaws in products that pay us best. The rating reflects the product, not the deal.
- Our reviews are research-driven, and we say so. We read each product's real specs, cross-check editor and long-term owner reports, and verify claims against primary sources — and when we haven't lab-tested something, the article says so plainly. If we've had hands-on time with a product, or a brand sends a sample, we disclose that in the specific post — usually as "Sample provided by [Brand]; opinions are mine."
- We don't accept "review for guaranteed coverage" deals. Brands can send samples, but we make no commitment to publish.
- We don't accept "edit my review" requests. Brands sometimes ask. We say no.
You always have a non-affiliate option
Every affiliate link has an obvious alternative: search the product name on your retailer of choice (Amazon, Sephora, the brand's own site). The product is the same, the price is the same; the only difference is whether we get credited for the referral. Both are completely fine.
Programs we currently participate in
This list reflects active programs as of the date above. We update it whenever it changes.
- Levanta — a brand-referral network for products sold on Amazon. The brand pays us a referral commission through Amazon's Brand Referral Bonus / Attribution program. We use it for brands such as L'ange.
- PartnerBoost — a network for direct brand programs (some of which route through Amazon Attribution). We use it for brands such as Wavytalk.
- Fosho — a network that gives us per-destination tracking links. We use it for brands such as Momcozy.
- Direct brand programs — including Stylr (jewelry). Please note: Stylr is owned by NOIQUE CO. LLC, the same company that owns this site. That shared ownership is a financial connection, so whenever we recommend Stylr, treat it as a related-company relationship — not an arm's-length review.
Some of the links above lead to Amazon.com — but to be clear, we are not an Amazon Associate and we don't use an Amazon Associates account. On those links, the brand pays us a referral commission through brand-referral programs like Levanta and PartnerBoost (Amazon Brand Referral Bonus / Amazon Attribution), not Amazon's affiliate program.
See our Privacy Policy for how these affiliate networks use cookies and data, and each network's own privacy practices when you click a referral link.
Sponsored content
Distinct from affiliate links, a sponsored post is one a brand has paid us to publish (or paid for placement within an existing post). When this happens:
- The post carries a clear top-of-page banner: "Sponsored by [Brand]" or "Paid partnership with [Brand]".
- It still goes through our normal editorial process — the brand can suggest topics and review for factual accuracy, but cannot dictate the verdict or edit our opinion.
- We will not publish a paid post about a product we don't personally believe in.
- We disclose any free product or compensation in addition to the standard label.
Why this disclosure exists
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission requires bloggers, reviewers, and content creators to disclose material connections to brands — including affiliate commissions and free products — clearly and conspicuously. The UK ASA, EU consumer-protection directives, and many other jurisdictions have equivalent rules. We aim to follow these rules across the site.
Beyond legal obligation, we agree with the rule on principle: you deserve to know when an opinion might be financially incentivized, so you can weigh it accordingly. Disclosure is table stakes for trust, not a burden.
Revenue beyond affiliates
The site is funded by:
- Affiliate commissions (described above)
- Occasional sponsored posts (clearly labeled, see above)
- Newsletter (free; no paid tier as of the date above)
We do not run banner ads, accept paid backlinks, sell sponsored anchors inside otherwise-unrelated posts, or accept payment for inclusion in "best of" lists.
Questions, corrections, or concerns
Spot something on the site that looks like it should have been disclosed but wasn't? Tell us — email [email protected] with the URL and what you noticed. We take this seriously and will correct any oversight quickly and publicly.
For wider context, see our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.