About Product Critic

Product Critic was established in 1999 as a free consumer service dedicated to evaluating herbal supplements and personal care products. Since then, Product Critic has tested dozens of products for safety and effectiveness.

With the help of volunteer test subjects, we strive to supplement our scientific data with real-world evidence. This way, we are able to provide consumers with the best information possible.

About Our Test Groups

Depending upon the product and the test parameters, our test groups range from 50 to 200 people. Test subjects may use a product anywhere from once (in the case of creams and gels) to as long as ninety days (in the case of herbal supplements). The tests are concluded with the subjects responding to detailed questionnaires, which are then combined with our analytical data and tabulated into the results presented on our site.

About Our Ratings

Must Buy - A Must Buy rating is our highest rating and represents the greatest synthesis between our laboratory data and our test subject ratings. When we rate a product Must Buy it means that it is the absolute best product within the niche that we have tested.

Tentative Buy - Products that receive a rating of Tentative Buy garnered mixed results from our test subjects. This is usually the result of less effective or lower-grade ingredients.In some cases a "Tentative Buy" product performed adequately but there were other freely-available products that were a better value.

Do Not Buy - A Do Not Buy rating is our absolute worst. Sometimes this is because the product is simply a waste of money, but in some cases a Do Not Buy rating serves as a warning that we believe the product, or some ingredients in the product, can be unhealthful.

Why We Take Price Into Account

Smart consumers like to shop around to make sure they're getting the best deal for the desired results. Because we want our site to provide consumers with the most comprehensive information possible, we take price into consideration while rating products.

Important Information

It is important to note that Product-Critic.com is not a licensed medical or test facility. There are licensed facilities for product testing that follow guidelines established by the FDA. For legal reasons, we must state that Product-Critic.com's results do not guarantee performance or effectiveness of the products evaluated on this website.

The information presented at Product-Critic.com is not presented with the intention of diagnosing any disease or condition or prescribing any treatment. We recommend using this information with the advice and guidance of a licensed medical practitioner. The information found on Product-Critic.com should be used for education and decision-making only. Much of the information you see here is based on the traditional and/or historic uses of botanicals and ingredients. Other information is based on clinical trials that do not meet the standards set forth by US government agencies or medical regulatory bodies. Unfortunately, we simply do not have the resources to comply with these arduous regulations.

The information you read on this website has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.