Methodology

Better Goods’ mission is to empower the world to understand what’s in their products and make safer choices for themselves and their family.

To meet this end, we’re committed to building the most trusted and reliable resource for consumers shopping for products with ingredients known to be safe.

We’ve created a strict vetting process to ensure that each product and ingredient in our database is fairly and objectively reviewed.

For full transparency, we make our reviewing and vetting process public.

Our Process

Each ingredient in an product in the Better Goods database undergoes a rigorous safety review.

We review the safety data from credible sources including:

• ECHA (European Chemicals Agency)
• CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review)
• CosIng (EU Inventory of Cosmetic Ingredients)
• Peer-reviewed studies (Pubmed)

We have a strict evaluation process for vetting ingredients. We focus on three core criteria to evaluate the safety of an ingredient:

I. Carcinogenicity

• Known human carcinogens

II. Developmental & Reproductive Toxicity

• Hormone disruptors
• Ingredients known as having adverse effects on male and female reproductive health
• Neurotoxins

III. Allergenicity & Immunotoxicity

• Known human allergens
• Ingredients linked to harm to the immune system

Based on our research, we assign the ingredient a rating from the following four levels:

• Good – Research has shown the ingredient to have no known link to carcinogenicity, developmental/reproductive toxicity, or allergenicity/immunotoxicity.
• Iffy – Research has shown the ingredient to have a possible link to carcinogenicity, developmental/reproductive toxicity, or allergenicity/immunotoxicity.
• Bad – Research has shown the ingredient to have a highly likely or definite link to carcinogenicity, developmental/reproductive toxicity, or allergenicity/immunotoxicity.

Allergens

Potential allergens are indicated in a product’s ingredient review. However, unless an ingredient has a potential human health impact other than as an allergen, it will not impact the product’s overall safety rating.

The Purpose of Our Process

The goal of our process is to provide trustworthy, evidence-based information so consumers can make safe, educated purchases in their purchases.

While natural, non-toxic and eco-friendly products are growing in popularity, greenwashing—the act of misleading consumers with deceptive claims—is more prevalent than ever.

We believe that researched, evidence-based product recommendations crucial in today’s world of confusing, misleading and deceptive marketing practices. Our goal with Better Goods is to provide that information, so you can make informed choices each time you shop.