With new brands, I always try to be more careful when it comes to researching ingredients and their origins. Bonus points if the brands share more about their formulation. In an ideal world, it would be great to know the factories and formula labs that used them. I would feel safer buying from a new brand that uses the same labs and factories as my favorite brands than from one that has its own facilities (which is rare) or using the same labs as a brand that I am have a bad opinion (like Morphe).
I usually wait for the new brand hype to subside, especially the usual initial flurry of first impression reviews. At this point, this brand may not be new anymore, but new to me. 😅 I just want to see people who have been using these products for months and still like them. And I want to hear from people who have no internalized bias for the brand (friends or fans of the owner, people who support the brand’s mission, and pledges).
I try as much as I can to find reviews from regular people as they are better at gasping for air on shipping, customer service, etc. than a reviewer or influencer who receives PR.
When I initially try a new brand, I usually first buy some type of product that I’m not that picky about or that isn’t that important in my routine, something that isn’t tragic if I don’t like it.
