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Tue Aug 22, 2006 3:37 pm  |
While there are so many great and detailed reviews here that have been helpful in deciding on my next purchases, I think some reviews warrant a raised eyebrow. I hope the following tips will help in maintaining our objectivity whenever we review. Please feel free to disagree/add to the thread and happy reviewing!!
1) Don’t be swayed by marketing/packaging. I guess this is a no-brainer, but many of us still fall for it. For example, Amore Pacific (www.amorepacific.com). I’m not disputing the efficacy of their products, I haven’t even tried them, but their packaging is so gorgeous, I just want to buy them to decorate my vanity. Another example is Benefit cosmetics, another line known for beautiful packaging. Not a lot of people are crazy about their Ooh La Lift eye treatment, or their Dr.Feelgood foundation primer (see MUA). My aunt chucked her Ooh La Lift after 2 days, which IMHO, is enough time to give a product that claims to give instantaneous results. On the other hand, PSF’s packaging is very plain, and yet their O2 serum, Green Tea Cleanser, Phyto-lift Cranberry Eye Gel, among others, are heavyweights in this forum. The take-home point: If a product is known for packaging first, and actual product second, that’s a red flag.
2) Myth: if it costs a lot, it works great. I was lured into this trap. Many of us try to justify spending so much on something that we will it to work. We expect something spectacular from the price. Crème de la Mer was such a huge let-down for me. For awhile there I tricked myself into believing that clogged pores and breakouts were just part and parcel of the purging process. Yeah sure. It was painful to admit that 1) it was money down the drain, and 2) Crème de la Mer (petroleum jelly + mineral oil) is merely very expensive Vaseline.
3) Passage of time. This point is very important especially when it comes to reviewing acne products. Whenever I read “I applied it and my skin cleared up in a week!”, an eyebrow goes up. It is common for pimples to resolve by themselves in about a week, so maybe it could be because of the passage of time, rather than the product, that skin improves. This point also pertains to scars. As our skin naturally sheds and renews itself over time, the reason you’re seeing an improvement may be because of the passage of time, not because of the masque/peel/scrub/exfoliator you’re using. It’s hard to be objective about this one, but this is a valid point when you’re surprised about why a product has stopped working for you (cos’ it never worked in the first place).
4) Confounding variables. I recently added a Vit. C serum to my routine, and lo and behold my skin glows! Then again, it could be due to the fact that I’ve also upped my intake of Omega-3-6-9 and other supplements, and started exercising more. We should think twice before attributing the improvement to the product. That’s why I think a review is more credible when the reviewer says she has not changed anything else in her routine.
5) The miracle ingredient. How exciting it is to read about a new revolutionary product, one that carries this potent ingredient, harvested from Planet Wrinkle-Free. Oooh even better when it says it has been clinically tested. But wait, tested where? A lot of products claim to be clinically tested, but most tests are done and validated in the company’s own lab (hence experimenter bias), or a research team paid by the company. I always exercise extra caution when faced with these products.
6) The placebo effect. This is where we have a pre-conceived bias about a product, created when we are aware of the expected results. We are all susceptible to this in this forum, as we read about so many people raving about product X, that we buy product X expecting it to work just as well for us. Product X arrives, you try it, and you just don’t see any difference. You’re dumbfounded, and you attribute it to getting the bad batch, or the postman exposed it to sunlight on route to delivery. No. It simply did not work for you. Especially when the thread is full of raves about product X, it is pretty intimidating to go on there and say it didn’t work. Well, to each her own. We all want to be part of the Product X party, but don’t let the placebo effect get you. |
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Wed Aug 23, 2006 8:39 am |
Great job dollbird!!
Here's some more:
Our biases affect what we see. Everyone on EDS is experiencing great benefits from product X. I sure could use something that will reduce my wrinkles....I am going to try product X! $120 dollars spent and product X arrives in the mail. I try it and lo and behold great results. Wait just one minute, maybe not. It is amazing how we see what we want to see especially if we have something invested in it (money or otherwise). Just being aware of this bias can help. It also helps to have someone else take a look and give an objective opinion.
All studies are NOT created equal. Oftentimes in posts members will reference studies, this is a good thing. However, we need to realize that some studies are better done than others. Questions to ask. Is the study double blinded? Who did the assesment of participants skin-An objective observer or the participant themselves? What was the product compared against and was there a control group? How many participants were in the study group? Has the study been reproduced by others with similar results? Has the study been published in a peer-rewieved journal?
Consider doing a half-face test. I realize that this is not always practical but often it is a great way to see just what a product can do. I especially think that this technique has merit when using actives or a product that makes strong claims.
Concerning dollbird's point about company sponsered studies. I do toally agree that we do need to exercise extra caution with these studies. However, the quality of some company sponsered studies varies and some of them are done very well. I don't think that we should dismiss a study just because it was company sponsered (I don't think dollbird was saying this but I do want to emphasize the point). An ever bigger red flag is when a company does a study and reports the results but will not release the study itself!!
dollbird- #6 is a valid effect (I don't know the proper name but it is some type of trying to explain away an observation that contradicts what you expect) but it is not the placebo effect. The placebo effect is when you are actually using a placebo (in skincare this would be say a cream that does not contain the active ingredient) but you think you are using something active and your mind causes you to experience the benefit. IMO probably uncommon in skincare studies but fairly common in studies such as drug studies where pain reduction is reported. |
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