Parfum
A blend of scent chemicals the brand doesn't have to itemise. Fragrance is the most common cause of allergic reactions to cosmetics — skip it if your skin is sensitive.
Fragrance allergen
Know what’s in it, before it’s on you.
Photograph the ingredient list on any cream, shampoo or serum. Peruse reads every ingredient and tells you, in plain words, what it does — and which ones are worth a second look.
Free, and no account needed. No brand pays us.
A label, being read
Aqua, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Methylisothiazolinone, Linalool.
- AquaSolvent or base Fine
- Sodium Laureth SulfateSurfactant or cleanser Fine
- GlycerinHumectant Good
- NiacinamideActive Good
- ParfumFragrance Caution
- PhenoxyethanolPreservative Fine
- MethylisothiazolinonePreservative Avoid
- LinaloolFragrance Caution
1 to avoid, 2 worth knowing.
Avoid
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Point, shoot, read
A photo of the list on the back of the pack is all it takes. Or paste it from a shop’s page.
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Every ingredient, in a sentence
What it is, what it’s there to do, and anything worth knowing — written by people, not generated.
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One ingredient, every name
“Vitamin E” and “Tocopherol” are the same thing. Whichever is printed, you get the same answer.
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Calm, not scary
No scores, no fear. “Avoid” is kept for what regulators restrict or what commonly causes reactions.
Every ingredient, explained
Read your label like someone who knows.
Each ingredient gets one plain sentence about what it does, and — when it matters — why you might want to skip it. The few worth knowing about come first.
Glycerin
One of the best-studied moisturising ingredients. Pulls water into the top layer of skin and supports the skin barrier. Very well tolerated.
One ingredient, every name
However it’s written, it’s the same answer.
Labels use Latin names, trade names, translations — and photos get misread. Every way of writing an ingredient points to one entry, and each new label teaches us another.
D-Alpha TocopherolMixed TocopherolsTocopheryl AcetateVitamin E
Tocopherol
all mean
Tocopherol
Vitamin E. An antioxidant that protects skin and keeps oils in the formula from going rancid.
Four words, used carefully
No scores out of 100. Just what it is.
Fine
Does a job
Does a job in the formula; no meaningful concerns.
Caution
Worth knowing
Fine for many people, but worth knowing about — especially for sensitive or reactive skin.
Avoid
Look elsewhere
Restricted, banned in places, or a frequent cause of reactions. Look for an alternative.
How it works
Three steps, about four seconds.
1
Snap the list
Fill the frame with the ingredients on the back of the pack — close, flat and in focus.
2
We read every word
Each name is matched against a library of 146 ingredients, misread letters and all.
3
Know what it does
A sentence for every ingredient, with the few worth knowing gathered at the top.
Turn the bottle around.
Next time you’re in the shop, it takes a few seconds — and you’ll never read a label the same way again.