Tested, Then Shared: How I Choose the Brands I Recommend
If you’ve been here for a while, you know I’m pretty particular about the products I share with you. And that’s intentional.
I never want you to feel like I’m recommending something just because it’s trending, a company reached out to me, or there’s a commission attached to it. If I’m going to talk about a product, I want to know that it’s something I’d genuinely use, love, and feel confident recommending to you.
That means testing comes first. Every single time.
I’m not interested in trying something once, deciding it looks good, and immediately telling you to go buy it. Sometimes testing takes months. Sometimes I need to use the entire bottle before I can really decide how I feel about a product. And sometimes, a product or brand simply doesn’t make the cut.
That’s okay! I’d rather take my time and give you an honest recommendation than rush something out just because a company wants me to share it.
First, comes the Checklist
When I’m evaluating a product or considering working with a brand, I’m looking at more than just whether I like it on the first try. There are three areas I pay close attention to: the product itself, the brand behind it, and the overall customer experience.
Next, my testing process
I don’t follow a one-size-fits-all timeline when testing products. Some things can be evaluated relatively quickly, while others need weeks or months of consistent use.
Sometimes I’ll test a product until I’ve used the entire bottle. I want to know how it fits into my routine, whether it continues to perform as expected, and whether I still love it after the initial excitement wears off.
My process looks something like this:
The Paycheck Is Never the Reason
I want to be really clear about this because it’s important to me.
Sometimes I find a product I absolutely love, but I’m not invested in the brand as a whole. In that case, I might share the individual product without making it a bigger brand partnership.
Other times, a product or brand simply doesn’t meet my standards. If it doesn’t pass my testing process, I won’t recommend it.
And yes, that applies even when there’s a commission involved.
A commission doesn’t make a product better, and a brand offering to pay me doesn’t change my opinion of something I’ve tested. I never want money to be the reason a product moves from a no to a yes.
If I’m sharing it with you, I want it to have earned that recommendation.
Why I'm So Intentional About What I Share
At the end of the day, I know you’re spending your hard-earned money when you try something I’ve recommended. I don’t take that lightly.
There are so many products, trends, and opinions coming at us every day. It can be overwhelming to figure out what’s actually worth trying and what’s just really good marketing.
My hope is that the things I share help make those decisions a little easier. I want you to know there’s thought behind my recommendations and that I’m not going to tell you I love something simply because it’s the next big thing.
I won’t get every recommendation right for every person, because we’re all different. But I can promise to be intentional about what I choose to share, to take the time to test it, and to be honest about my experience.
If I’m sharing it, it earned it.
And that’s how I want it to stay
