How evidence works

popkr pages draw on several kinds of evidence. Each one is labeled, so a brand listing, a Reddit thread, a Field Note and our own analysis never get blended into one vague “review.”

Evidence classes

• Official facts. Product name, market, price, images and ingredient list, taken from a dated brand or retailer source. These describe the product, not anyone's experience of it.
• Public discussion. Threads and comments from places like Reddit, X or YouTube, credited to where they came from. Every claim based on them links to the original post. Public discussion is never passed off as a Field Note.
• Field Notes. First-person accounts sent to popkr by someone who used a specific product and version, with how long they used it, their context, any disclosure, and their consent. Notes about free products say so.
• popkr analysis. Our own work: formula comparisons, decision tables, and who a product may or may not suit. Analysis can connect sources, but it never invents experience or consensus.

What a verdict needs

• Early stays early. Until there are enough Field Notes for a specific product version, the page says the evidence is limited. Two public threads are not a verdict.
• A verdict needs at least three independent Field Notes on the same product version, including some from people who bought the product themselves. Each version is counted separately.
• “Most people say” claims about a specific quality, like texture or scent, need at least five independent Field Notes. We don't use words like “verified” or “tested” below that bar.
• Cite it or leave it out. Every claim about experience has a source. An empty section beats made-up certainty.

What we don't claim

• We don't pretend to test products. A Field Note is someone else's first-hand account. A brand's instructions aren't evidence of how people actually use a product.
• We don't give medical advice. Reactions and irritation reports stay anecdotal. If you have a skin condition, ask someone with a medical degree.
• No brand control or paid placement. Brands can correct factual errors about a product or version. They can't preview, veto, hide or reorder Field Notes. Affiliate links pay the same on a “skip” as on a “buy.”

Freshness

Product pages show when their facts and analysis were last checked, and every ingredient list has a capture date. A page is updated when the listing or discussion changes, when a Field Note arrives, or at its regular review, whichever comes first.