How We Write About Skincare

Skincare writing has a credibility problem, and most of it comes from three habits: borrowing evidence from procedures to sell creams, quoting research without linking it, and never mentioning what a product cannot do. This page sets out what we do instead, so you can hold us to it.

Who writes these guides

Our skincare guides are written by the Alpen MOOR 1618 team. They are brand-authored, and we say so in the structured data on every article rather than presenting a byline that does not correspond to a real named author.

We are not dermatologists, and we do not present ourselves as a medical source. Where a question needs clinical judgement, our guides say to ask a dermatologist rather than answering for one.

How we use sources

If a guide refers to research, a professional body, or an ingredient supplier, it links to that source. You should be able to check any claim we lean on without searching for it yourself.

The sources currently cited across our guides include:

• The American Academy of Dermatology for cleansing, dry skin, and retinoid guidance
• Peer-reviewed literature via PubMed Central for ingredient research
• The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics for the scientific definition of a prebiotic
• Ingredient suppliers, named directly, for what a raw material is sold to do

Where no citable primary source exists, we say so instead of implying one. Terms like "ampoule" are marketing categories rather than regulated definitions, and our guide on them says exactly that.

How we describe evidence

The strength of evidence is part of the claim, so we state it.

• If research was conducted on animals or in a laboratory rather than on people, we say so. Our HPR retinoid guide identifies its collagen research as a mouse study, not a human trial.
• If a material was studied as an injection, we do not present those findings as what a cream will do. Our PDRN guide makes that distinction explicitly.
• If a supplier developed an ingredient for a different use than we apply it to, we disclose it. Our Volufiline guide notes that its supplier positions the ingredient primarily for body contour applications.

What we will not claim

• We do not present a cosmetic product as equivalent to an injectable or a medical treatment.
• We do not promise a fixed timeline for visible results. Where a guide is asked how long something takes, the honest answer is usually that there is no reliable universal timeline, and that is what we write.
• We do not describe our products as treatments for eczema, infection, acne, or any other diagnosed condition.
• We do not use before-and-after imagery that implies a procedure-level outcome.

We disclose what works against us

Where a product has a characteristic that will not suit some readers, our guides say so in the same paragraph that recommends it. Several of our moisturizers and mists contain fragrance, and our guides state plainly that they are not fragrance-free options and that readers who react to fragrance should choose differently.

This costs us some sales. We would rather lose those than have someone buy a product that was never going to suit their skin.

Corrections and updates

When we find an error, we correct the guide rather than quietly removing it, and the article's modified date reflects the change. If guidance from a source we cite is updated, we update the guide that relies on it.

If you find something inaccurate, tell us and we will look at it. Contact details are on our contact page.

You can read more about the brand and where our ingredients come from on our about page, or browse our skincare guides.