Does it declare every ingredient dose — or hide behind a "proprietary blend"?

The oldest trick in supplements: list ten impressive herbs inside one "proprietary blend" so you can't see the doses. Legally, the blend can be 95% of the cheapest ingredient and a sprinkle of the rest.

What's the base — glycerine or alcohol?

Traditional tinctures are extracted in alcohol, and many "wellness" drops still contain 30–40% ethanol. That's a strange thing to take every morning. Alcohol-free glycerine extraction costs more to do properly, which is why cheap brands skip it.

Where is it actually made?

"Designed in the UK" is not "made in the UK". Look for a named country of manufacture and a recognised food-safety accreditation (in the UK, look for SALSA) — meaning batches are tested and traceable. If the brand has no UK address and support is a contact form that never replies, the product's origin is anyone's guess.

Does the marketing promise miracles?

This one's counterintuitive: the more dramatic the promise, the worse the product usually is. "Flushes toxins overnight", "melts water weight", "detoxes your whole body" — none of that language is legal for a UK food supplement, and brands that use it are telling you they don't expect to be around long enough to face the consequences.

A responsible botanical supplement supports your body's normal function as part of a healthy routine. That's the honest claim. Anything bigger is a story.

Is there a real guarantee from a real company?

A money-back guarantee only means something if there's a company behind it: a UK address, a support email that answers, a published refund policy. Marketplace sellers vanish and relist under a new name; a brand with its own site and its own name on the door can't.