GLAMOUR Product Reviews: Why You Can Trust Us & How We Test

The number of new launches across every product category – from skincare to sleep tech – is constantly burgeoning, so when you’re looking to make a new purchase, sheer choice can be debilitating. Add that to the fact that unreliable online reviews and exaggerated marketing claims make it tricky to know whether your purchase is going to live up to the hype, and you could find yourself wasting money.

Enter: GLAMOUR’s editors. Our experienced team of journalists put the products featured in our content through their paces – trying, testing and reviewing – as part of their day-to-day.

Whether you’re looking to invest in an LED face mask, Sofia Richie’s rumoured favourite lip mask or ditch your thread-bare yoga pants for a pair altogether more enduring, we’ve got you. We’ve thoroughly assessed the products you use in your daily life so that you can rest assured you’re only parting with your money when it’s really worth it.

For the GLAMOUR Shopping Team, it is of utmost importance that we provide our readers with independent, honest and trustworthy reviews. In fact, nothing else is a greater priority. We are committed to bringing our readers unbiased and accurate information, recommending not only the best products and retailers within the category you’re buying into – but the best for your personal needs, too. To this end, we don’t shy away from sharing the things we don’t like about the products we’re reviewing – nothing is ever perfect.

We do not let commercial values affect our editorial judgement, and always maintain editorial integrity. Our product selections are based solely on the results of rigorous testing and research, and we regularly consult with the industry’s best experts for guidance – whether that’s dermatologists, interior designers or celebrity stylists. Our shopping content is held to the same, high standards as the rest of GLAMOUR’s journalism.

Our editors – and a team of carefully-selected specialist freelance journalists – test all of the products we feature in real life settings, rather than in a studio, lab or on set. We take products home, test them as part of our everyday lives, and endeavour to give our readers honest and realistic views of them as a result. You can find more detail on our independent testing process below.

It is our mission to champion inclusivity and diversity through our shopping content, so there are a few things we endeavour to do. We not only ensure experts and reviewers with a range of backgrounds and ethnicities test the products we feature (we'd never recommend a foundation that's available in only three skin tones), but we ensure we feature products to suit a range of budgets, too – from high end to the more affordable. Our readers love to mix and match.

In addition, you'll find us championing small and independent businesses alongside global brands, and you'll only find us working with brands who champion inclusivity themselves.

As per the affiliate disclosure featured at the top of all GLAMOUR UK buying guides, we are open about the fact that – in some cases – we will earn a commission from the products purchased through links to our favourite websites. That said, all products are independently selected by editors, and we never allow the chance to earn money to influence our product selection (which is a result of thorough testing and research).

We don’t take the decision to crown a product “the best” in a category lightly, so when we create round-ups of the best period pants for a sustainable period, the best duvets for your best ever sleep or the best cream blushers for an elevated complexion, we aim to test as many products featured as possible.

Of course, it's not possible to test everything we feature. That would require a hell of a lot of space – and a team quite significantly bigger than we currently have.

If we haven’t tested a product, but it has still been featured, you can trust that we’ve referred to customer reviews, spoken to our aforementioned expert contacts, tried other products from the brand before, and pulled on years’ worth of experience as writers at market-leading publications (which requires regular attendance at press days and having a keen eye for trends, style and quality).

On some tested products in our round-ups, you'll see a “GLAMOUR Approved” sticker. If a product is tagged with a sticker of this kind, it's because it's one of the GLAMOUR team's top three products in its category.

When GLAMOUR tests a new beauty product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients and scrutinise brand claims.

In addition to testing as many products that are included in our reviews as possible, we rely on experts who shape their fields – including dermatologists, GPs and cosmetic aestheticians – to help us understand ingredients and formulas.

Here’s how we test each category, from makeup, haircare and skincare to tools and devices.

• For our makeup edits, we consider each products' performance across five major categories: efficacy, packaging, value for money, longevity and innovation. A product should offer an inclusive shade range to cater for all skin tones (if it’s a one-shade-suits-all formula, we’ll dig into whether it actually lives up to its claim). It’s also important to us that it's cruelty-free and recyclable. Our editors aim to test all makeup products, whether it’s a foundation or a lipstick, for at least a week before being featured. We also take skin type and skin concerns into account - after all, who better to try a non-comedogenic, mattifying foundation than someone with oily skin?
• For our haircare edits – like the best purple shampoo or best heat protectant sprays – we consider each products' performance on hair type, texture, thickness, colour and curl pattern – as well as their packaging, value for money and innovation. We aim to test hair products on their most relevant hair type for at least a week to ensure they are put through their paces in different environmental conditions.

• When testing hair tools – like hair straighteners, hair dryers and curling wands – we will aim to review for at least a week. We will assess each products' performance thoroughly. Is it easy to use? Does it deliver on its promise of barrel curls or silky smooth strands in minutes? We also take into account how innovative the technology is and value for money.
• When reviewing perfume, we consider the overall scent, how long it lasts on the skin and how innovative the blend is. We aim to wear each perfume regularly for at least a week to really determine its effect on mood and how well it wears in different weather conditions.
• These days, skincare products come with big claims. Top marks for our skincare and body-care edits go to products that have ground-breaking technology and really deliver on promised results. We will always take into consideration skin type and skin concerns when choosing editors to test these products – for example, only someone with acne will report on the result of a serum designed for spot-prone skin. We aim to test skincare and body-care products for at least a month and will also assess the texture, value for money and whether the packaging is recyclable.
• We are particularly discerning when writing about skin-care devices. Think: the Dr. Dennis Gross LED mask or NuFace Mini. This is because of the increased risks and – in many cases – the high price points that accompany at-home dermatological tools and devices. When testing skincare devices, we aim to try them for at least a month, and testers consider performance across four four primary categories: results, safety, (including ease of use), research and the science behind specific claims –, as well as product value.

Our fashion shopping content is far-reaching – spanning from edits of the most expensive-looking pieces on the high-street to the best designer bags and the high-waisted trousers that have been spotted on the SS24 catwalks. Performance-wear is tested, as you'll see below – but as trend-led and ready-to-wear is so personal, testing wouldn't be suitable.

Sure, you'll regularly see us donning lots of our favourite pieces in mirror selfies and street style photography, but it would be entirely unsustainable to style, wear and wash every garment we ever feature. What we can do, however, is ensure we only feature pieces from brands we respect and trust.

We make it our mission to get out and view as many new collections as we possibly can – we attend press days, book showroom visits and meet designers and public relations managers. What’s more, our editors sit on the front row at Fashion Week to ensure we're at the heart of what’s happening in the industry.

1. We regularly test activewear to feature in our guides like the best yoga pants, best sports bras and best gym trainers. When we test activewear, we wear it regularly over the course of a week, and consider each products' performance across seven major categories: performance and quality, comfort, size range, washability (or wear and tear), value for money, colour options and whether it’s sustainably made.
2. We also regularly test shapewear and lingerie. Whether that's a stick-on bra or pair of anti-chafing shorts, it has to be worn regularly for at least a week. We consider each piece's performance across six major categories: price, size range, quality, comfort level across all body shapes, design and washability (or wear-and-tear).

When GLAMOUR chooses to feature a homeware product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you.

In addition to testing as many products as we can in our own homes, we rely on experts who shape their fields – including interior designers and sleep tech experts - for recommendations and industry insights.

Here’s how we test each category, from sleep tech to small household appliances.

1. When our editors, writers and contributors review sleep products – be that weighted blankets, winter duvets, pillows for side sleepers or silk pillowcases – we aim to trial them for at least 30 days before they are featured. We consider whether each product lives up to its claims across four major categories: performance, durability, comfort, support and cost. Bonus points if it's sustainably made.
2. From white goods to small household appliances like coffee machines, air fryers, smoothie makers and essential oil diffusers, the GLAMOUR Shopping section is brimming with household appliance products that have been reviewed and tested in our real homes. When we test small household appliances, we aim to review them for at least 30 days before they are featured, and we judge them based on whether they’re easy to use, good value for money, low-on-noise, energy efficient and smart in design. And whether they do what they promise to, of course.
3. We have lots of furniture edits on the GLAMOUR site – from the best wardrobes to the best bed frames. Due to space restrictions, we can't test everything we feature – but our editors visit showrooms, stores and trade shows to ensure we're only recommending products from brands we trust and know.
4. The case is very similar with home accessories. The GLAMOUR Shopping section is home to countless edits of vases, floor lamps, scatter cushions, bath mats, bedroom rugs and the like; while we can't test everything, we ensure that we regularly view the new collections from the brands we feature so that you can trust the quality.

Wouldn't you like to know? No, seriously – no cards to our chest. GLAMOUR editors and a tightly-curated group of freelance sexual wellness writers have been testing new releases in the sex toys space for the past four years. We continue to work our way through the testing of the self-proclaimed best sex toys on the market – from clit vibrators to rabbit vibrators and sex toys for couples. We’re also aiming to get to a point where we have tested all of the lubricants, sex games and other sexual wellness products we feature.

When we test a sex toy, we do so during sex and masturbation, looking at them from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We consider whether each sex toy actually improved our sex lives – or whether it just made it more difficult. It’s also important for us for the sex toys we feature to have a good battery life, smart design, be waterproof and be packaged in discreet packaging. They should also be made from body-safe silicone – or another material that is safe for close contact with the body.

In addition to product testing, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including sexologists and relationship therapists, to help us better understand products and their purposes.

As GLAMOUR's Senior European Commerce Editor, Sophie oversees the shopping content strategy for GLAMOUR UK, GLAMOUR Germany and GLAMOUR Spain. Sophie has been testing beauty, fashion and wellness product launches for the past six years (four years at GLAMOUR; two years for digital wedding magazine Hitched) – with a particular personal interest in fitness and wellness.

Alongside commissioning and editing all of GLAMOUR's shopping content, Sophie writes news pieces, gift guides, reviews and round-ups across all of GLAMOUR's major verticals. Sophie has interviewed celebrities such as Sofia Richie, Nicole Richie and Jade Thirlwall to hear about their product recommendations.

As GLAMOUR’s European Beauty Director, Camilla heads up the beauty teams and content on GLAMOUR UK, Germany and Spain to deliver exciting, authentic, inclusive beauty content. An award-winning beauty journalist with over 25 years of experience in the industry, she is passionate about all areas of beauty and has literally tested tens of thousands of perfumes, skincare, makeup, and hair products and beauty treatments during her career, as well as shooting beauty editorials and cover shoots with the likes of Paris Hilton and Willow Smith. Camilla is also Deputy Editor on Glamour UK working across magazine content and events including GLAMOUR's Women of The Year and Empowerment Summit.

Please email Camilla about editorial opportunities, including new beauty and wellness brands and launches and celebrity/ambassador interviews that you feel may be relevant to the Glamour audience. You can follow her @camilla.kay on Instagram

Fiona is GLAMOUR's associate beauty director. An award-winning beauty editor, she has spent over a decade writing and editing content on some of the UK's best-selling print and digital titles – so you know she has a bulging contacts book of leading global experts, from make-up artists to dermatologists, perfumers and aesthetic doctors.

Whether it's interviewing Hailey Bieber about her beauty and wellness rituals, sharing her opinion on the serums that deliver glow-worthy results or writing an agenda-setting investigative piece, Fiona is a beauty obsessive with a wealth of insider knowledge.

As Senior Commerce Writer, Georgia oversees GLAMOUR UK's fashion shopping content – as well as GLAMOUR's Shopping Edit newsletter. Georgia has been in the fashion industry for half-a-decade, working with both luxury and high-street brands as well as experts, designers, influencers and stylists – so she knows which trends are worth hopping on.

Georgia samples and previews new collections – and visits fashion stores – as part of her day job, so for the trends that are worth it, she knows where you should shop them from. Georgia offers her expertise – as well as personal experiences and reviews – throughout each article so that readers can grow, curate or refine their wardrobes with confidence.

Email her at georgia.trodd@condenast.co.uk with everything from new collections and collaborations to affiliate partnership enquiries, and follow her on Instagram @georgiatrodd.

As GLAMOUR’s Beauty Commerce Writer, Denise has expertise in skincare, makeup, haircare and perfume. She writes and commissions the brand's beauty shopping content – from buying guides to standalone product reviews – and regularly interviews industry experts including dermatologists, hair stylists and celebrity makeup artists to keep up-to-date with the latest trends.

Having tested hundreds of beauty products, Denise knows her hyaluronic acid from retinol and niacinamide, and is here to help you build a skincare routine from scratch, revive your hair back to its shiny state or find the exact items Hailey Bieber used in her most recent GRWM video. Denise is passionate about producing authentic, inclusive and diverse content by ensuring that the product offers a wide shade range and works on a variety of hair and skin types before she recommends it to readers.

Email Denise about new beauty product launches at denise.primbet@condenast.co.uk and follow her on Instagram @deniseprimbet.

Mayola is a Commerce Writer at British GLAMOUR, overseeing shopping strategy and content across interiors and lifestyle. With her expertise in home appliances, furniture and house decor, Mayola tests an abundance of new launches – from pillows, duvets and mattresses to coffee machines and sofa beds – to curate shopping edits, first-person product reviews and trends articles that guide readers in making well-informed purchasing decisions.

Previously working across various titles at Hearst, Mayola has also tested products for brands such as Harper's Bazaar, ELLE, Cosmopolitan, Red, Country Living, House Beautiful, and Good Housekeeping – so she knows what she's talking about.

For new product launches or affiliate partnership enquiries please email Mayola at mayolarose.fernandes@condenast.co.uk and find her on Instagram @mayolafernandess.

If you have any questions – or simply want to get in touch – please contact GlamourEditorial1@condenast.co.uk.