FAQ

At NvWah we provide skin care products information via independent research. We DO NOT sell or endorse any skin care products. Nor are we associated with any skin care manufacturers.

1. How to read a NvWah report?
2. What does “NvWah rating” mean?
3. What are the references of NvWah information?
4. How could I ask NvWah to investigate a product for me?
5. Why is that sometimes I feel different from NvWah?
6. How do I write a review?
7. Can I submit a report too?
8. How do I collect my reward?

1. How to read a NvWah report?
When you are reading a NvWah product report, you will see from top to bottom,
• The product picture, brand, function category and the name.
• The product size and the ingredient list from the package.
• The manufacture’s claim about the product effect. Sometimes we quoted part of the claim due to the page space limit.
• The NvWah rating, which is a comprehensive score of the product safety and efficacy analyzed by NvWah based on its ingredients. On a scale of 1 to 5 stars, the higher the score, the better the product.

Also NvWah provides a brief description about the product, “The Essential”.
The part also has a “Safety alert”. Based the safety of the ingredients and the likelihood to cause skin illness, the product is rated as one of the followings,

Safe	Cautious	Elevated	Stay Away	Hazardous

• “The Ingredients”, NvWah investigated and evaluated the first three or four ingredients of the product. Since the ingredients at the top of the list are usually the ingredients of highest content, the first several ingredients are often the most important in determing the product effect. The further down the list an ingredient is, the less does it matter.
• In “The Basics”, NvWah addresses common concerns including the presence of alcohol, fragrance, peservatives, color additives, allergy alert, price (based on price information from the brand website, or sephora.com, or drugstore.com), and suitable skin types.
• “The Good” listed the effective ingredients in the product. We will identify and categorized the active and unique ingredients in the product so you will see easily and clearly what effect the ingredient will deliver.

There are a large number of ingredients that are commonly used in cosmetics and they are present in many products. They usually function as fillers, viscosity controlling agents, chelating agents, etc. For this reason we will not include them in the report as long as their safety has been recognized.

You can find the effect of all the ingredients, both active and non-active, in NvWah Ingredient Guide.

• “The Not-So-Good” lists ingredients that may cause adverse effects to skin. Of course in this case less is better.
• "The Others". As the name suggests, here we explain everything else that is in the formula. These ingredients are included for their specific properties, such as preservatives to keep product from deterioraton, or emusifiers to mix oil and water, etc. This is a project in progress. You may find some products have it, the others don't. In time it will be all completed.
• NvWah is working on the feature of user registration. Once it is built, you can choose to become a registered user, add products to your list, write reviews, get rewards, and many more!
2. What does “NvWah rating” mean?

NvWah ratings are based on quality of the product ingredients. First, they have to "Do no harm". The more adverse or irritating ingredients one product contains, the lower it will be rated. Secondly products are rated based on the active/effective ingredients they contain.

As a good rule of thumb products rated three stars or higher are worth considering.

3. What are the references of NvWah information?

NvWah references cosmetic ingredient information from, but not limited to, the following sources,

• "A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients: Complete Information About the Harmful and Desirable Ingredients Found in Cosmetics and Cosmeceuticals" by Ruth Winter, 2005
• "Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me, 7th Edition" by Paula Begoun & Bryan Barron, 2007
• "International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary and Handbook, Twelfth Edition 2008 by CTFA (Now Known as the Personal Care Products Council)" by Tara E. Gottschalck & John E. Bailey, Ph.D., 2008
4. How could I ask NvWah to investigate a product for me?

We at NvWah are working constantly to investigate new products. But if the product you are interested in are not investigated yet, email
us and we will invesitigate for you! We will notice you once the invesigation is done (usually takes a week).

And as a tribute to you, your name will be listed on the product picture. How cool is that!

5. Why is that sometimes I feel different from NvWah?

At NvWah we try our best to rate the product on accurate and objective basis. But from time to time it happens that NvWah ratings and users' experience differ.

We think the reasons might be as such,

When NvWah rates the product low and you like it a lot,

• NvWah rating is strictly based on ingredients, the good has to outweigh the bad to win a good rating. Some products may contain ingredients that are instantly pleasing to you, for example fragrance. But in the long term it has no real skin benefit or even cause problems.
• On the other hand some good ingredients have a naturally longer period before showing their benefits.
• Personal preference, different expectations, brand loyalty, all these factors may play a role in the opinion deviation.

But when NvWah rate is good and you don’t like it at all, by all means go with your own judgement. Because no one knows your skin better than you.

6. How do I write a review?

NvWah is working on the feature of user registration. Once it is built, you need to become a registered NvWahist and sign in to leave a review.
And check this out, each review you write will earn you 2 NvWah scores, 100 scores you will score a free beauty treat from NvWah!

7. Can I submit a report too?

Of course you can and please do! Please follow NvWah report format and submit your own report by emailing us. If your report is to be published by NvWah you will be rewarded 10 NvWah scores! 100 scores you will score a free beauty treat from NvWah!

Please notice that by submitting your report you are releasing the right of archiving , publishing and redistribution to NvWah.

8. How do I collect my reward?

NvWah is working on the feature of user registration. Once it is built, score collection will be one of the functions. NvWah tracks your score automatically. You can also track your score in your account. Once 100 scores are accumulated you will receive a notification from NvWah informing you your reward is on the way. In order to receive your free beauty gift you need to provide a valid address, sorry we can not deliver to a P.O. Box. The shipping is on us as well. The gift would be a sample size of skin care or makeup product. Enjoy and don’t forget to tell us what you think of it later!