Original data
Does expensive skincare work better? What catalog ratings can tell us
We analyzed the prices, average customer ratings, and review counts of all 59 products in our cross-brand research catalog — 2.65 million reviews in aggregate. In this selected catalog, a higher price did not correspond to a higher average customer rating.
The headline: a higher price did not correspond to a higher rating in this catalog
Across all 59 products, the correlation between price and average customer rating is r = -0.09, which is weakly negative. In this selected best-seller catalog, higher-priced products were not rated more highly. Products under $20 average 4.58★; products at $40 or more average 4.55★.
| Price tier | Products | Avg rating | Median reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $20 | 42 | 4.58★ | 46,210 |
| $20–$39.99 | 15 | 4.49★ | 16,955 |
| $40 and up | 2 | 4.55★ | 69,151 |
This is a descriptive comparison, not a clinical trial. Customer ratings measure reported satisfaction, not clinical effectiveness, and they are influenced by factors this page does not control for: formula type, skin type, price promotions, packaging, brand recognition, and review behavior. The catalog is also curated from best-sellers, so weak products were already filtered out at every price. Finally, only 2 products in the set cost $40+, which is a small premium sample. The fair conclusion is narrow: this dataset does not support treating price as a shortcut for a higher customer rating or better clinical results.
What skincare actually costs, by category
The median product in the catalog costs $14.97. The highest category medians are SPF and toner / essence; the lowest are serum / treatment and body lotion.
| Category | Products | Median price | Avg rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleanser | 8 | $15.97 | 4.67★ |
| Moisturizer | 10 | $16.49 | 4.64★ |
| Serum / Treatment | 9 | $12.97 | 4.58★ |
| Eye Cream | 7 | $15.12 | 4.31★ |
| Toner / Essence | 6 | $25.60 | 4.58★ |
| SPF | 6 | $26.99 | 4.53★ |
| Body Lotion | 8 | $13.56 | 4.60★ |
| Deodorant | 5 | $20 | 4.40★ |
Fragrance-free products are common in this catalog
81% of the catalog (48 of 59 products) is fragrance-free. That does not make fragrance-free automatically better for everyone, but it is a useful filter for people who have reacted to fragranced products before. The label is one signal, not a diagnosis; repeated reactions deserve a careful patch test or professional advice.[1]
Methodology
Dataset: the 59-product cross-brand research catalog behind the Find My Skin Routine quiz, spanning 8 categories (cleanser, serum, moisturizer, eye, toner, SPF, body, deodorant) and backed by 2.65 million customer reviews in aggregate. Prices are estimates and ratings and review counts come from public Amazon listings; both can change over time. Statistics are recomputed from the active catalog on each site build. Correlation is Pearson's r for price versus average rating; it describes association and does not establish causation. Selection criteria are documented on the how we pick page.
Citing this study: link to this page. The dataset itself is browsable in the product library.
References
- American Academy of Dermatology. “How to test skin care products.” aad.org. View source ↗
Sources are dermatology organizations and peer-reviewed research. Find My Skin Routine is informational and is not a substitute for personalized advice from a board-certified dermatologist.