Methodology

How we score.

Every product gets two numbers. One measures the formula. The other measures whether it’s right for you. Here’s exactly how we arrive at both.

The dual-score system

Two scores. Different jobs.

Most apps give you one number and call it a day. We think that’s incomplete. A product can be objectively safe and still wrong for your skin — or flagged by generic databases but perfectly fine for you.

H

Health Score

An objective formula rating. It evaluates ingredient safety, formulation quality, and regulatory compliance. Same number for every user — it’s about the product, not the person.

S

Skin Match Score

A personalized compatibility rating. It cross-references the formula against your skin type, concerns, sensitivities, and conditions. Your score will differ from your friend’s.

Score tiers

What the numbers mean.

Both scores land on the same 0–100 scale. Each range has a plain-English label so you don’t need to interpret the number yourself.

90+
Excellent
80–89
Great
70–79
Good
50–69
Acceptable
30–49
Problematic
<30
Avoid
Goal-based scoring

Ten categories. Weighted to you.

Your Skin Match Score isn’t one flat number. It’s a weighted average of up to ten goal-specific sub-scores, selected dynamically based on your profile.

Skin Type Match

How well the formulation fits oily, dry, combination, sensitive, or normal skin. Always evaluated.

Comedogenicity

Pore-clogging risk. Scored inversely using an evidence-based 0–5 comedogenic scale, weighted by INCI position.

Active Ingredients

Presence of proven actives like retinoids, niacinamide, vitamin C, AHAs, BHAs, peptides, ceramides, and hyaluronic acid.

Sensitivity Safe

Irritation potential. Cross-references fragrance, essential oils, harsh surfactants, and your specific sensitivities list.

Fragrance Check

From truly fragrance-free (100) to multiple synthetic compounds (0–10). “Parfum” is never treated as safe by default.

Pregnancy Safe

Flags retinoids, high-dose salicylic acid, hydroquinone, and other ingredients contraindicated during pregnancy.

Anti-Aging

Evaluates presence of retinoids, peptides, vitamin C, niacinamide, AHAs, CoQ10, resveratrol, and bakuchiol.

Hydration

Multi-layer moisture support: humectants, emollients, and occlusives. Products that strip moisture score low.

Sun Protection

Broad-spectrum SPF 30+ with photostable filters scores highest. Evaluated when your profile includes sun concerns.

Barrier Repair

Ceramides, cholesterol, fatty acids, centella, panthenol. Penalizes barrier-disrupting ingredients like harsh surfactants.

Ingredient analysis

Every ingredient. Classified.

We don’t just score the product — we break down every ingredient in the INCI list and tell you exactly what it does, whether it’s a concern, and why.

Good

Beneficial for skin. Proven actives, soothing agents, and well-tolerated base ingredients.

Okay

Neutral or standard cosmetic ingredients. Emulsifiers, thickeners, and preservatives within safe concentrations.

!

Warning

Potentially irritating or comedogenic for some skin types. Certain fragrances, essential oils, and moderate comedogens.

×

Flagged

Known irritants, high-risk comedogens, or ingredients your profile specifically marks as unsafe. We explain exactly why.

Transparency

What we disclose.

We believe you should know how your scores are generated, and what our limits are. No black boxes.

AI-powered analysis

Scores are generated by an AI system trained on cosmetic chemistry principles and regulatory data. Not a substitute for a dermatologist.

Open ingredient database

Barcode scans pull from Open Beauty Facts, a community-maintained database. We supplement with our own OCR when the label is available.

Profile improves over time

Your Skin Match Score gets more accurate as you scan more products and rate results. We infer your skin profile from patterns, not a quiz.

No brand influence

0% of our revenue comes from brands. No sponsored placements, no affiliate deals, no “preferred partner” arrangements. We score what we see.