How We Source Citations

The Elelaf Journal cites every claim with a specific study name, journal, and year. Here’s the source hierarchy we use, what we accept, and what we never accept.

Why citations matter

Skincare content has a credibility problem. “Studies show,” “dermatologists agree,” and “research suggests” appear in roughly every other product page on the internet, almost always without a study name attached. The Elelaf Journal cites specifically because vague citations are how false claims propagate.

The source hierarchy

Tier 1 — Peer-reviewed and regulatory

These are our primary sources for any factual or numeric claim about how an ingredient, condition, or routine works:

  • Peer-reviewed journals: JAAD, Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, IJCS, Dermatologic Therapy, Cosmetic Dermatology, JAMA Dermatology, NEJM. We prefer named clinical trials over review papers when the question is mechanism-specific.
  • PubMed-indexed studies.
  • AAD position statements and patient-facing guidance.
  • FDA cosmetic-ingredient guidance, drug labeling, and warning letters.
  • NIH MedlinePlus, CDC, WHO factsheets on conditions and ingredient safety.
  • Korean MFDS guidance when covering K-beauty actives.
  • EU SCCS opinions on cosmetic ingredient safety.

Tier 2 — Named experts

These are secondary sources, used to contextualize Tier 1 or for material that hasn’t yet been formally studied:

  • Board-certified dermatologists with traceable affiliations.
  • Named cosmetic chemists with verifiable employment history.
  • Named formulators with public technical work.
  • Pharmacology and toxicology specialists for ingredient safety questions.

“Tier 2” requires a name and a verifiable affiliation. “A dermatologist told us” is not citable.

Tier 3 — Industry technical data

For ingredient-supplier claims and formulation details:

  • Manufacturer Technical Data Sheets (TDS) — used carefully because suppliers are not neutral, but valuable for concentration ranges and stability data.
  • Patent filings (USPTO, EPO) — useful for documenting prior art and ingredient mechanisms.
  • Formulator-grade trade publications (Cosmetics & Toiletries, Personal Care, In-Cosmetics).

Tier 3 sources are always cross-checked against Tier 1 before publication.

What we never use as a primary source

  • TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, or any social-media claim. We may cite social media to document a trend exists, but never as evidence the trend is correct.
  • Influencer recommendations, including ones from dermatologist-influencers, unless they cite their own peer-reviewed work.
  • Brand marketing copy. Brand pages may inform us a brand makes a claim; the claim itself is then checked against Tier 1.
  • AI-generated medical content. We do use AI as a research-assistant for finding sources, but every cited source is opened, read, and verified by a human writer.
  • Untraceable “expert” quotes.
  • Other listicles. We do not cite ourselves citing someone who cited someone — citation chains have to terminate at a primary source.

How a citation appears in a piece

Every Elelaf Journal piece ends with a Sources block. Format:

Sources

Author surname et al. Specific study title. Journal name, year. Available at: journal URL.

American Academy of Dermatology. Acne overview. AAD.org, updated 2024.

FDA. Sunscreen drug products for over-the-counter human use. 21 CFR 352, 2025.

If a piece makes a specific numeric claim (“niacinamide reduces sebum by 30% at 5% concentration”), the source for that number is in the Sources block.

When sources disagree

Sometimes Tier 1 sources contradict each other. Rosacea trigger evidence is uneven. Microbiome-acne mechanism studies have not yet converged. The role of topical antioxidants in real-world UV defense is contested.

When that happens, we say so directly in the piece. We do not pick a side without strong evidence. We summarize the consensus position, the dissenting position, and the open questions. Then we say what we currently believe and why.

If you find a citation problem

Email [email protected]. Reader-flagged citation errors get same-day acknowledgment and a correction within 48 hours.