The Culture Mom earns money from some of the links on this site. Here is exactly how that works and what it does not change. Last updated June 20, 2026.
The short version
Some of the links in our articles are affiliate links. If you click one and buy something, we may earn a commission from the retailer. You pay the same price you would have paid anyway.
That commission has never determined a ranking, a rating or a recommendation on this site, and it never will.
The legal part
This disclosure is provided in accordance with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s guidance on endorsements and testimonials (16 CFR Part 255). We disclose material connections because readers deserve to know them and because the law requires it.
The Culture Mom is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
We also participate in affiliate programs run directly by brands and retailers, and through affiliate networks including ShareASale, Impact, CJ Affiliate, Rakuten Advertising, Awin and Skimlinks. Hotel and travel links may earn commission through booking platforms and travel affiliate networks. The specific partners change over time; the policy on this page does not.
How we choose what to recommend
Testing comes first. Affiliate links come last, and they are added after the recommendation is already written.
Our editors identify what to test, test it for a minimum of 21 days of real use, and write their conclusions. Only then does anyone check whether the products in the piece happen to have affiliate programs. Some do. Some do not. Products without any affiliate program appear in our roundups and win our rankings regularly, because whether a retailer pays a commission is not information our editors use when deciding what is good.
Our full editorial policy covers the testing process in detail.
What we do not do
We do not accept payment for placement. No brand can buy a spot in a roundup, a “best of” list or a gift guide. Every offer to do this gets declined, and we get several a month.
We do not rank by commission rate. We do not compare payouts before deciding on an order. Frequently the product we rank first pays us nothing at all.
We do not let affiliate partners see coverage before publication. No advance copies, no quote approval, no requests to soften a criticism.
We do not remove negative coverage under commercial pressure. If a partner asks us to take down an unfavorable review, the answer is no, and it may end the partnership.
We do not recommend things we have not used. An affiliate link is never the reason a product appears in an article.
We do not disguise sponsored content as editorial. On the rare occasion we publish something produced in partnership with a brand, it is labeled at the top of the page before you read it.
What this costs you
Nothing. Affiliate commissions are paid by the retailer out of their marketing budget. The price you see is the price you would see if you had typed the URL in yourself. Using our links does not add fees, change your warranty, affect returns or alter your relationship with the seller in any way.
If you would rather not use an affiliate link, do not. Search for the product directly. We would still rather you buy the right thing.
Where you will see disclosures
Any article containing affiliate links carries a disclosure statement near the top of the page, above the point where you would encounter the first link. It is in plain language, not a footnote and not buried at the bottom.
Gift guides, product roundups and reviews carry the disclosure prominently. Individual affiliate links within body text sit inside articles that are already disclosed at the top.
If you ever find an affiliate link on this site in an article without a disclosure, that is a mistake on our part and we want to fix it. Write to corrections@theculturemom.com with the URL.
Other revenue
Alongside affiliate commissions, The Culture Mom may earn revenue from display advertising served by third-party ad networks and from clearly labeled brand partnerships. Advertising is sold separately from editorial and advertisers have no influence over what we cover. Ad placements are visually distinct from editorial content.
Some brands send us products at no cost for review consideration. When that happens, we say so in the article. It buys consideration, not coverage, and certainly not praise.
Why we tell you all this
Recommendation sites live or die on whether you believe them. The moment a ranking is for sale, every ranking on the site becomes worthless, including the honest ones. We would rather earn less and stay worth reading.
Questions about any of this are welcome at hello@theculturemom.com. Partnership inquiries go to partners@theculturemom.com via our contact page.