8 gurus, 253 takes on their own brands, zero nos

It is a fair question to ask of any expert who sells skincare as well as reviewing it: what do they say when the product is their own? Eight of the gurus we track founded or co-founded a beauty brand, so we counted every take they have given on their own shelf. The answer is 253 takes, and not one of them is a no.

How much of a founder's coverage is their own brand?

It varies more than you might expect. Dr Sam Bunting, the newest founder on the roster, has given 9 of her 26 takes to Dr Sam's, the line she founded, which is about a third of everything she has said about a product in our data so far. Dr. Sam Ellis has given 101 of her 432 takes to Prequel, the brand she founded, which is 23% of everything she has said about a product in our data. Dr. Shereene Idriss is close behind, with 85 of her 415 takes on Dr. Idriss products, or 20%. Susan Yara sits at 31 of 296 takes on Naturium, about 10%.

At the other end, Caroline Hirons gives Skin Rocks just 8 of her 165 takes, around 5%, and Mad About Skin has mentioned his own line 8 times across 1,249 takes, under 1%. None of this is a scandal on its own. A dermatologist who built a brand around her own advice will naturally reach for it often. It is simply worth knowing whose shelf a recommendation comes from, which is exactly why the badge exists.

Do founders ever pan their own products?

Not once, in our data. Of the 253 takes these eight gurus have given on their own products, 251 are a yes. The other 2 stopped at mixed, and the more interesting of the pair comes from Dr. Shereene Idriss herself, who tells viewers plainly that she owns the brand and is biased, then adds that her own serum runs strong and may be too much for sensitive skin. That kind of on-camera candor is rare, and worth crediting.

For contrast, the same eight experts do say no when the product is somebody else's: 120 times, alongside 194 mixed takes. They are a warm bunch on the whole, but the only shelf that has never taken a no is their own.

What happens when the founder is half the panel?

It matters most when a product has very few reviewers. Naturium UV Reflect Antioxidant SPF 50 holds a Guru Score of 63% from 2 reviewers: Susan Yara, who made it, says yes, and the one outside expert who tried it put it aside. Prequel Sun Barrier Mineral Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50 has the same tilt: the only yes is from Dr. Sam Ellis, who founded it, while the three outside voices split one no and two mixed, for a Guru Score of 62%.

With a bigger panel, the picture corrects itself. Dr. Idriss Major Fade Hyperpigmentation Serum holds a Guru Score of 75% across 6 reviewers, because alongside its founder's enthusiasm sit outside experts, one of whom found it simply too expensive for what it is. The score you can lean on hardest is one where the founder is one voice among many.

How does The Guru Index handle a founder take?

Openly, is the honest answer, including about the part we have not solved. Every take a founder gives on their own brand is flagged on the product page with a Founder's own brand badge, and a founder's praise can never hold the featured quote at the top of the page. What the badge does not currently do is change the math: a founder take counts toward the Guru Score at the same full weight as any other unpaid take, while a sponsored take counts for half. We would rather say that out loud than bury it, because knowing how the number is built is the whole point of this site.

The practical advice is the same as ever. Check how many reviewers sit behind a Guru Score, glance at who they are, and give extra weight to a verdict where the experts have no stake in the answer.