Methodology
How Sift reaches an answer
Sift separates safety, evidence, formula verification, product fit, routine design, and commerce so no single signal can quietly distort the answer.
Reviewed 31 July 2026
Evidence before products
We first identify reasonable ingredient or formulation strategies. Clinical guidance and research can support efficacy and safety. Community reports can inform recurring texture, packaging, tolerability, and value themes, but cannot establish a medical claim.
Eligibility before ranking
- Exclude known conflicts, supplied allergens, unsuitable formats, restricted contexts, and products outside a hard budget.
- Require a market- and variant-specific formula status. Unverified formulas reduce confidence or block a top recommendation.
- Check exact regional availability. Popularity alone never makes a product eligible.
Commercial independence
Ranking uses evidence, safety, formula confidence, personal fit, availability, and value. Affiliate commission, campaigns, ad bids, and advertiser identity are technically isolated from ranking. Offers are added only after the recommendation is fixed.
Release gates
A deterministic safety and routine validator checks the final plan. Material claims retain source provenance and limitations. When confidence is too low, Sift returns an honest no-answer state instead of filling the gap with persuasive language.