When it comes to skin nutrition & holistic beauty therapy, my practice aims to educate the underlying causes of skin issues by balancing internal and external health.
Part of my holistic skin consultation always includes this one question:
"What's most important to you when buying a skincare (or beauty) product?"
Whatever your criteria(s) may be, every effective and money's-worth skincare routine involves a degree of research and self-education.
No matter your depth of skincare knowledge, here are 4 of my favourite easy-to-use sites to learn all about a product's ingredients.
I have used them myself and continue to use them as a means to better my cosmetic purchasing decisions, especially when it comes to skincare. Personally, I strive to look at every skincare investment (aka SKIN-vestment) with more intention than the attention it gets.
1. SKINCARISMA
Skincarisma is aesthetically curated for easy reading and ingredient comprehension. You can easily copy & paste a product's ingredient list into their Ingredient Analyzer. Within seconds, you will get a summarized analysis and colour-coded breakdown of all ingredients found in the product.
Here is a snapshot of the ingredient breakdown for Supergoop's Unseen Sunscreen:
2. Paula's Choice
As amazing as the brand is, Paula's Choice features an extensive Skincare Ingredient Dictionary. You can search individual ingredients anywhere from A to Z or 1 to 4. This is a searchable database that also cites credible science-based articles.
Here is a snapshot of the ingredient breakdown for Pycnogenol:
3. INCIDecoder
INCI is actually an acronym for International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient. In lay terms, the internationally recognized names to identify cosmetic ingredients. Where can you find the INCI of a product? The product's ingredient list.
If you like to dig deeper into the chemistry of each individual ingredient of a product, this is your go-to site. Like Skincarisma, you can conveniently copy & paste a product's ingredient list for a thorough cosmetic analysis or simply upload a photo of the ingredient list. There are also options to search for a particular product or individual ingredient. You may need some basic science background, but all the info is simple and straight to the point. You will learn the chemical structure of an ingredient, common names, major functions, quick facts, the "Geeky Details", references to evidence (if any) and efficacy of that particular ingredient, and even products with a known amount of the particular ingredient you are looking up.
I shared two snapshots: one for an individual ingredient and the other for a product:
4. EWG
EWG stands for the Environmental Working Group. EWG is a non-profit environmental group that analyzes chemical safety and agricultural laws in the United States. If it interests you, I posted a blog on buying organic on a budget and EWG's guide to organic produce (click here to read). Simply, their mission is this: "To empower you with breakthrough research to make informed choices and live a healthy life in a healthy environment."
Since 2004, EWG continues to update and share consumer-related articles on their Skin Deep Cosmetics Database. EWG really goes in-depth about the toxicity levels and regulatory health effects of ingredients found in a variety of products, from makeup, nails, face & body, personal care, hair, fragrance, babies & moms, men and sun care. For easy and convenient access, you can download the EWG app suitable for both Android and Apple devices.
EWG determines its product scores according to a multitude of factors, which are "calculated from nearly 60 integrated toxicity, regulatory, and study availability databases." EWG even has an EWG VERIFIED label, which means a product has met EWG's strict, scientific standards for transparency and health.
Here is a snapshot of the ingredient score analysis for Dove's Pomegranate & Lemon Verbena Deodorant Spray:
I'd love to know your thoughts . . .
Do you feel a little more confident in your skincare knowledge?
Are you ready to geek out on ingredients?
What other sites do you know that I can add to this list? Any apps? Perhaps your favourite YouTubers?
Which of these 4 sites have you used already? Which one is new to you?
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