THE BEAUTY DESK · EDITORIAL STANDARD

AURA’s Guide to a Better Beauty Review

A first impression is not a review, PR is not a recommendation, and pretty packaging does not get five stars for attendance.

Beauty content gets much more useful when we stop asking one product to be everything to everyone. A foundation can be beautiful and still be wrong for your skin. A fragrance can be gorgeous and still not justify the price for you.

So AURA reviews will separate first impressions from actual reviews. If I have worn something once, I can tell you what happened once. If I have lived with it, reached for it again, tested the wear and figured out where it succeeds or fails, then we have a review.

I care about texture, finish, wear, ease, value and who the product makes sense for. With complexion, I care about how it behaves on 40+ skin rather than treating every line or bit of texture as something that needs to disappear.

PR does not change the standard. Sponsored work will be disclosed. Gifted products will be disclosed. If something is beautiful but unnecessary, I am allowed to say both things in the same paragraph.

The goal is not to be harsh. The goal is to be useful.