Advertising, Affiliate & Review Disclosure

Last updated: 4 October 2026

Virgin Hair Directory is committed to being clear and transparent about how reviews are obtained, how products are supplied, and when commercial relationships exist.

Reviews can influence purchasing decisions. We therefore believe visitors should be able to understand exactly who has reviewed a product, whether the product was purchased or supplied free of charge, and whether any commercial relationship exists.

Virgin Hair Directory operates three distinct types of reviews.

1. Virgin Hair Directory Purchased Reviews

Virgin Hair Directory may purchase hair or other products directly from a hair vendor using our own funds for the purpose of carrying out an independent review.

When we purchase a product ourselves, the review will be clearly identified as:

Virgin Hair Directory Purchased Review

The review will also include a disclosure such as:

Virgin Hair Directory purchased this product using our own funds. The vendor did not provide the product free of charge and did not pay us to write this review.

Where we purchase a product independently:

• Virgin Hair Directory pays for the product.
• The vendor does not pay us to conduct the review.
• The vendor does not choose the rating.
• The vendor does not approve the review before publication.
• The vendor cannot require us to give a positive review.
• The vendor cannot pay to have legitimate criticism removed.
• Our findings will reflect our genuine experience with the product.

A vendor may be informed that a review is being carried out, but this does not give the vendor editorial control over the review.

2. Virgin Hair Directory Gifted Reviews

A hair vendor may provide Virgin Hair Directory with hair or another product free of charge so that we can test and review it.

When this happens, we will clearly identify the review as:

Gifted for Review

The review will include a disclosure such as:

This product was supplied to Virgin Hair Directory free of charge by the vendor for the purpose of review. The vendor did not pay us to write the review and had no control over our rating, findings or conclusions.

Receiving a product free of charge is a material fact and will not be hidden from visitors.

Virgin Hair Directory will not present a gifted product as though we purchased it ourselves.

A vendor providing a free product does not receive:

• A guaranteed positive review.
• A guaranteed rating.
• A minimum star rating.
• Approval of the review before publication.
• The right to change our findings.
• The right to remove legitimate criticism.
• The right to prevent publication because the review is unfavourable.

Virgin Hair Directory does not charge hair vendors a fee in exchange for reviewing their hair or products.

We do not sell positive reviews.

We do not accept payment in return for a particular rating, conclusion or recommendation.

A vendor may provide factual information about its product, but the vendor does not control our independent opinion.

If we believe a gifted product has weaknesses, defects or other problems, those matters may be included in our review.

UK consumer law prohibits reviews that conceal the fact that they have been incentivised. Providing a free product can amount to an incentive, so the fact that a product was gifted will be made clear. Legislation.gov.uk

3. Verified Customer Reviews

The third type of review is a review submitted by an individual customer who personally purchased hair or another relevant product from a vendor.

Virgin Hair Directory applies strict requirements to this category.

To qualify as a Verified Customer Review, the reviewer must:

• Have personally purchased the product being reviewed.
• Have paid for the purchase using their own money.
• Have paid the full purchase price applicable to their order.
• Be able to provide reasonable evidence of the purchase.
• Have genuinely received or used the product.
• Submit a review based on their own genuine experience.
• Have no ownership interest in the vendor.
• Have no employment relationship with the vendor.
• Have no business relationship with the vendor that creates a conflict of interest.
• Have no undisclosed personal or financial affiliation with the vendor.
• Not be acting for the vendor.
• Not be acting for a competing vendor.
• Not have received the product free of charge.
• Not have been reimbursed for the purchase for the purpose of leaving the review.
• Not have received payment for submitting the review.
• Not have received cashback, store credit, a gift, free product or another benefit in exchange for the review.
• Not have been instructed by the vendor about what rating or review to provide.

Customer reviews that do not meet these requirements will not qualify for our Verified Customer Review category.

4. Proof of Purchase Is Required for Verification

Virgin Hair Directory may require documentary evidence before giving a customer review Verified Customer Review or Verified Purchase status.

Evidence may include:

• An invoice.
• A receipt.
• An order confirmation.
• A payment confirmation.
• A transaction record.
• A delivery confirmation.
• Relevant correspondence with the vendor.
• Photographs of the product received.
• Packaging.
• Other reasonable evidence demonstrating that the customer genuinely purchased the product.

We may ask for more than one piece of evidence where reasonably necessary.

Reviewers should hide unnecessary private information such as full card numbers, bank account details and passwords before supplying documents.

Verification information will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

5. The Customer Must Have Paid for the Product

For our Verified Customer Review category, the reviewer must have paid for the purchase themselves.

A review will not qualify for this category if the product was:

• Gifted by the vendor.
• Supplied as a PR product.
• Supplied to an influencer or ambassador free of charge.
• Reimbursed by the vendor for the purpose of obtaining a review.
• Purchased using money supplied by the vendor.
• Supplied in exchange for a review.
• Provided as part of an undisclosed promotional arrangement.
• Otherwise obtained through an arrangement that could reasonably affect the independence of the review.

This is an internal standard adopted by Virgin Hair Directory to strengthen the independence of customer reviews.

6. Customer Reviewers Must Be Independent

A person submitting a Verified Customer Review must disclose any connection they have with the vendor.

A person must not submit an independent customer review if they:

• Own the vendor.
• Part-own the vendor.
• Work for the vendor.
• Are paid by the vendor.
• Act as an agent or representative of the vendor.
• Manage marketing or social media for the vendor.
• Receive commission from the vendor.
• Have an undisclosed ambassador or influencer relationship with the vendor.
• Have another material commercial relationship with the vendor.
• Are submitting the review dishonestly on behalf of the vendor.
• Are submitting a false negative review on behalf of a competitor.

Where a close personal or family relationship creates a material conflict of interest, this must also be disclosed.

Virgin Hair Directory may reject or remove a review where a relevant relationship has been concealed.

7. Customer Declaration

When submitting a customer review, the reviewer may be required to confirm that:

I confirm that I personally purchased the product being reviewed using my own money, that the product was not gifted to me, that I have not been paid or reimbursed to submit this review, that I have no undisclosed ownership, employment, business or other material affiliation with the vendor, and that my review reflects my genuine experience.

Providing false information may result in the review being rejected or removed and may result in restrictions being placed on the reviewer’s account.

8. Images and Evidence Must Be Genuine

Photographs submitted as part of a review must genuinely relate to the product or experience being reviewed.

Reviewers must not submit:

• AI-generated images as genuine evidence.
• Materially doctored images.
• Stock photographs.
• Vendor promotional photographs presented as the customer’s own photographs.
• Images belonging to another customer.
• Images taken from another website or social-media account and presented as original evidence.
• Images altered to materially misrepresent the product.

Images must not be manipulated to misrepresent characteristics such as:

• Length.
• Texture.
• Curl pattern.
• Colour.
• Density.
• Fullness.
• Lustre.
• Hairline.
• Lace.
• Knots.
• Ends.
• Shedding.
• Tangling.
• Condition.
• Quality.

Basic technical changes such as cropping, rotating or hiding private information are acceptable where they do not materially alter what the photograph shows.

Virgin Hair Directory may request original files or additional photographs where authenticity needs to be checked.

9. AI-Generated Reviews and Evidence

Artificial intelligence must not be used to fabricate a customer experience.

AI must not be used to:

• Invent a purchase.
• Create a fictional customer.
• Fabricate a complaint.
• Fabricate praise.
• Generate fake photographic evidence.
• Create false proof of purchase.
• Impersonate a genuine reviewer.

Using software to assist with spelling or grammar does not automatically invalidate a review, provided that the experience, facts and opinions genuinely belong to the reviewer.

10. Reviews That Cannot Be Verified

Being asked for proof does not mean that Virgin Hair Directory has concluded that a review is fake.

However, where reasonable verification is required and the reviewer cannot provide sufficient evidence, Virgin Hair Directory may:

• Hold the review before publication.
• Decline to give it Verified Customer Review status.
• Request further information.
• Temporarily suspend the review.
• Refuse to publish the review.
• Remove a previously published review where authenticity can no longer reasonably be established.

Failure to provide a particular receipt does not automatically prove that a review is false.

However, Virgin Hair Directory is not required to give Verified Customer Review status to a review where the required verification standard has not been met.

11. Clear Labels for the Three Review Types

Virgin Hair Directory will aim to make the source of a review clear to visitors.

Our three review categories are:

Virgin Hair Directory Purchased Review
A product purchased by Virgin Hair Directory using our own funds.

Gifted for Review
A product supplied free of charge to Virgin Hair Directory by the vendor for review.

Verified Customer Review
A review submitted by an independent customer whose qualifying purchase has been verified in accordance with our review procedures.

These labels are intended to prevent visitors from confusing editorial reviews, gifted reviews and independent customer reviews.

12. Virgin Hair Directory Reviews and Customer Ratings

Virgin Hair Directory’s own editorial reviews are separate from independent customer reviews.

Where Virgin Hair Directory publishes its own purchased or gifted review, we will clearly identify it as an editorial Virgin Hair Directory review.

We will not misleadingly present an editorial review written by Virgin Hair Directory as though it were an independent customer review.

Where customer aggregate ratings are displayed, Virgin Hair Directory may keep editorial review scores separate from customer review scores so that users can understand the source of the rating.

Any rating information will be presented in a manner intended to avoid giving a misleading impression of overall customer opinion.

UK law prohibits the misleading publication of consumer review information, including omitting information about circumstances in which a review was commissioned or incentivised. Legislation.gov.uk

13. Positive and Negative Reviews

Virgin Hair Directory does not operate a system that accepts positive reviews while suppressing genuine negative reviews.

Positive and negative customer reviews are subject to the same underlying authenticity requirements.

A vendor cannot require Virgin Hair Directory to remove a genuine negative review simply because the vendor disagrees with it.

Likewise, a positive review may be rejected or removed if it cannot reasonably be authenticated.

CMA guidance says publishers should not remove or delay genuine negative reviews while publishing favourable ones, and aggregate ratings should reflect genuine reviews rather than being distorted by fake or incentivised reviews. GOV.UK

14. Featured and Sponsored Vendors

Virgin Hair Directory may charge vendors for advertising, sponsorship or increased promotional visibility.

This may include:

• Featured Vendor placement.
• Sponsored listings.
• Homepage promotion.
• Category promotion.
• Banner advertising.
• Newsletter advertising.
• Sponsored articles.
• Other clearly identified promotional opportunities.

Payment for advertising is separate from our review system.

A vendor paying for advertising does not receive:

• A better review.
• A higher review score.
• A guaranteed positive recommendation.
• Removal of genuine negative reviews.
• Preferential review moderation.
• Control over independent customer reviews.

Commercial relationships with listed businesses will be disclosed where appropriate. CMA guidance specifically states that online review sites should clearly and prominently disclose commercial relationships with the businesses appearing on their sites. GOV.UK

15. Sponsored Content

Where Virgin Hair Directory receives payment to publish promotional content about a vendor, brand or product, the commercial nature of that content will be clearly identified where required.

Appropriate labels may include:

Advertisement

Sponsored

Paid Promotion

Paid promotional content will not be presented as an independent customer review.

UK law prohibits presenting editorial content used to promote a product where a trader has paid for the promotion without making the commercial nature clear. Legislation.gov.uk

16. Affiliate Links

Virgin Hair Directory may use affiliate links.

This means we may receive a commission or another benefit if a visitor follows certain links and completes a qualifying purchase or action.

Where an affiliate relationship applies, the commercial nature of the link or content will be disclosed where required.

An affiliate relationship does not entitle a vendor to:

• A higher customer rating.
• More favourable review moderation.
• Removal of genuine criticism.
• Control over Virgin Hair Directory’s editorial conclusions.

17. Affiliate Links Inside Reviews

A Virgin Hair Directory editorial review may contain an affiliate link.

Where this happens, we will make the affiliate relationship clear.

The fact that Virgin Hair Directory may earn commission from a purchase does not mean that the vendor purchased a positive review.

Our disclosure may state:

Affiliate Disclosure: Virgin Hair Directory may earn a commission if you purchase through links on this page. This does not affect the price you pay or our independent review findings.

Where a different commercial arrangement applies, the disclosure will be adjusted accordingly.

18. Advertising Does Not Buy Reviews

Virgin Hair Directory does not sell favourable editorial opinions.

A vendor cannot pay Virgin Hair Directory to:

• Write a guaranteed positive review.
• Award a predetermined score.
• Award a five-star rating.
• Conceal material faults.
• Remove legitimate criticism.
• Alter an independent customer review.
• Manipulate aggregate customer ratings.

Advertising revenue and review moderation are treated separately.

19. Vendors Cannot Approve Reviews Before Publication

Where Virgin Hair Directory conducts an editorial review, a vendor may provide factual product information.

However, unless correction is required for a genuine factual error, the vendor does not control our:

• Opinion.
• Rating.
• Findings.
• Conclusions.
• Recommendation.
• Decision to include legitimate criticism.

A vendor cannot require editorial approval as a condition of receiving favourable coverage.

If a vendor places conditions on a gifted product that would prevent an independent review, Virgin Hair Directory may decline the product or decline to conduct the review.

20. Offers, Discounts and Promotional Codes

Virgin Hair Directory may publish information about vendor promotions or discount codes.

Where Virgin Hair Directory receives a commercial benefit connected with a promotion, this will be disclosed where required.

A discount or promotional relationship does not allow the vendor to control independent customer reviews or ratings.

21. Ordinary Directory Listings

Not every vendor listed on Virgin Hair Directory pays us.

An ordinary directory listing does not automatically mean that:

• The vendor is an advertiser.
• The vendor is a sponsor.
• The vendor has paid Virgin Hair Directory.
• Virgin Hair Directory endorses the vendor.
• The vendor controls its reviews.

Where a vendor has paid for additional promotional exposure, we will distinguish that commercial placement from an ordinary listing where necessary.

22. Review Moderation

Virgin Hair Directory may take reasonable and proportionate steps to prevent and remove fake, misleading or concealed incentivised reviews.

These measures may include:

• Reviewing submissions before or after publication.
• Requesting proof of purchase.
• Checking account activity.
• Looking for duplicate reviews.
• Looking for suspicious review patterns.
• Checking photographs and supporting evidence.
• Investigating conflicts of interest.
• Investigating undisclosed incentives.
• Investigating possible vendor or competitor manipulation.
• Temporarily withholding suspicious reviews.
• Removing reviews that breach our Review Policy.

UK legislation expressly requires publishers of consumer reviews to take reasonable and proportionate steps to prevent the publication of fake reviews, concealed incentivised reviews and false or misleading review information, and to remove such material where appropriate. Legislation.gov.uk

23. Review Removal

A review may be rejected, withheld or removed where Virgin Hair Directory reasonably believes that it:

• Is fake.
• Is fabricated.
• Does not represent a genuine experience.
• Contains false verification evidence.
• Uses AI-generated evidence.
• Uses materially altered or misleading photographs.
• Conceals an incentive.
• Conceals a material relationship with the vendor.
• Was submitted by the vendor while pretending to be a customer.
• Was submitted dishonestly by a competitor.
• Forms part of attempted rating manipulation.
• Otherwise breaches our Review Policy or applicable law.

24. Our Commitment to Transparency

Virgin Hair Directory aims to keep a clear distinction between:

• Independent customer reviews.
• Virgin Hair Directory reviews of products we purchased ourselves.
• Virgin Hair Directory reviews of products supplied free of charge.
• Ordinary directory listings.
• Featured or sponsored listings.
• Advertising.
• Affiliate content.

We believe visitors should be able to understand these differences when making purchasing decisions.

25. Other Policies

This Disclosure should be read together with our:

Review Policy
Terms & Conditions
Privacy Policy
Cookie Policy
Disclaimer

Our Review Policy contains further information about verification, moderation, photographs, AI-generated content, complaints and removal of reviews.

26. Changes to This Disclosure

We may update this Disclosure when:

• Our review procedures change.
• New commercial arrangements are introduced.
• Advertising arrangements change.
• Affiliate programmes change.
• Website functionality changes.
• Applicable law or regulatory guidance changes.

The latest version will display its most recent update date.

27. Contact Us

If you have questions about how a review was obtained, a commercial relationship, advertising, affiliate links or any disclosure on Virgin Hair Directory, contact:

Virgin Hair Directory
Operated by Mo Cameron
Trading as Virgin Hair Directory

Location: Hackney, London, United Kingdom
Email: info@virginhairdirectory.com
Website: VirginHairDirectory.com

The three labels I recommend using throughout the website

Use these exact labels so visitors immediately understand what they are reading:

VHD PURCHASED REVIEW
Virgin Hair Directory purchased this product using our own funds. The vendor did not provide the product free of charge or pay us to review it.

GIFTED FOR REVIEW
This product was supplied to Virgin Hair Directory free of charge for review. The vendor did not pay us to write the review and had no control over our rating or conclusions.

VERIFIED CUSTOMER REVIEW
The reviewer provided evidence confirming that they personally purchased the product. The reviewer confirmed that the product was not gifted, that they were not paid or reimbursed to review it, and that they have no undisclosed affiliation with the vendor.