Beautypedia Skincare Ingredient Checker: How to use

Ingredient Checker

How to use

Our team of researchers is dedicated to analysing and rating ingredients for the Beautypedia Skincare Ingredient Checker, the ultimate beauty hack. Know if a product works & if it's good for your skin before you buy.

Skincare researchers image

What is the new Beautypedia Skincare Ingredient Checker?

A tool that instantly decodes any skincare label by analysing the ingredient list. You can quickly & easily understand if a product contains any harmful ingredients, whether you want a quick snapshot of a formula or a deep dive into how individual ingredients work.

Quick look ingredient checker result

How does the New Beautypedia Skincare Ingredient Checker work?

There are two options:

+ Copy + paste the ingredient list

+ Take a photo of the ingredient list on your phone

The checker will analyse and rate each ingredient based on expert-evaluated data of published research on skincare ingredient functions. Sort the results by skin benefits, ratings & more to truly understand how the formula will impact your skin.

Photo tips & tricks

+ Zoom in and crop out everything except the list of ingredients

+ If the list features “active ingredients” crop and analyse those separately

Clear image example

What will work

+ Zoomed in + Cropped + Sharp focus + Flat surface + Straight + Bright lighting

Blurred image example

What won't

+ Blurred + Curved + Out of frame + Dim lighting + Includes more than an ingredient list

FAQs

Why trust us?

Our Research & Education Team and Science Advisory Board continually review and interpret the latest studies from a range of fields including skin physiology, dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, longevity and safety. We then break down the ingredient analysis in an easy-to-understand way to ensure you get the most useful, accurate and up-to-date information. We base our analysis on peer-reviewed, published research so that anyone using the tool can rest assured they’re getting facts – not fearmongering – about what is best for skin.

What makes the Beautypedia Skincare Ingredient Checker unique?

This is the only ingredient analysing tool that rates ingredients from BEST to WORST based on cited research from a broad range of fields including anatomy, physiology, dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, genetics, environmental science, safety and more. Our team of experts with over two decades of experience in the science of skincare periodically re-evaluate the research to ensure our analysis is accurate and ahead of the curve, based on the latest studies. A revolution in transparency!

What about the ingredients in my makeup and haircare products?

While the focus of the Beautypedia Skincare Ingredient Checker is skincare, this tool can help identify potential irritants and beneficial ingredients in any of your cosmetic products, including makeup and haircare. Please keep in mind that the attributes of colour cosmetics are more subjective, so this tool would complement rather than replace video reviews from other sources, such as your favourite makeup artist.

Note: Because our focus is skincare, we do not have the capacity to provide detailed information on every cosmetic ingredient, including many colourants. While our goal is to continually update and add more ingredient analyses to the database, please note that the tool may not identify every ingredient in all of your beauty products.

What can you tell from a product’s ingredient list?

+ Insight into the potential benefits and effectiveness of the formula

+ The presence or absence of skin irritants (including 'hidden' forms of fragrance)

+ Whether a product is right for your skin type and concerns

How should an ingredient list look (what's the order of ingredients and why)?

Typically, ingredients are listed in descending order of concentration, meaning those present in the highest amounts are found at the top of the list. Ingredients present in concentrations of 1% or less may be listed in any order, at the discretion of the brand.

However, you may notice some brands list their ingredients alphabetically, instead of order of concentration. Listing ingredients this way makes it difficult to know which ingredients are being used in the highest amounts. When possible, we list this kind of nuanced information in the more info section of the ingredient description. We also provide an opportunity to find skincare alternatives with skin-boosting GOOD or BEST ingredients whenever the formula contains BAD or WORST ingredients.

What are the limitations of an ingredient list?

Consider the Beautypedia Skincare Ingredient Checker your starting point for analysing skincare formulas. There are other important factors that go beyond the scope of what an ingredient list alone can provide, for example: you still need to take the product’s packaging into consideration. Jars, clear bottles and other types of packaging that allow significant air and light exposure impact the efficacy of the key ingredients inside.

Other elements such as the concentration necessary to see results from certain ingredients, the use of enhanced delivery systems and the formulary pH can factor into a product’s effectiveness. This type of information can be found in the deep dive section of applicable ingredients.

Can I search for ingredients that are free from oils, silicones, gluten, etc.?

We considered adding a filter for these types of claims but ultimately decided the claims were either misleading or in some cases, impossible to verify. This is because the same ingredient can be sourced in different ways (both naturally and synthetically). However, you can click through the ingredients for more detailed product descriptions & information, there you may find insights into these types of questions. For silicones in particular, we wanted to avoid perpetuating the idea that silicone-free products are better. In reality, silicones are safe and serve many beneficial roles in skincare. We also provide dedicated information on gluten in skincare, but ultimately we suggest checking with your doctor to see whether your intolerance is limited to oral consumption or whether it also includes topical application.

Why isn’t there an ingredient filter for vegan ingredients?

Implementing a filter for vegan ingredients isn’t as clear-cut as it may seem. The same ingredient can be sourced and processed in different ways which affects whether it’s considered truly vegan. Not to mention, the term “vegan” can also be defined and interpreted differently across consumers, ingredient manufacturers and brands. For example, animal by-products such as whey protein may be considered vegan in some circles but not in others. We do our best to provide reliable information on how ingredients are sourced, which can be found in the deep dive for individual ingredients.

How do I find ingredients that are hypoallergenic or non-comedogenic?

We do not designate ingredients as hypoallergenic or non-comedogenic because there are no accepted testing methods, ingredient restrictions, regulations, guidelines, rules, or agreed upon procedures of any kind that determine if an ingredient or skincare product qualifies as hypoallergenic or non-comedogenic. Our goal is to provide you with accurate information that doesn't feed into marketing misinformation. That said, we do take the potential for irritancy into consideration when analysing and rating ingredients. This kind of information is explained in more detail when you click through individual ingredients.

How do you read an ingredient list for a skincare product?

The Beautypedia Skincare Ingredient Checker tool does all the work for you. If you'd like to learn for yourself, read our Understanding Cosmetics Ingredients Labels article.


CHECK YOUR LABELS