Ranking updated
Apps to check cosmetic ingredients
Ingredient lists on creams and shampoos are hard to read. These apps scan the barcode and translate them. INCI Beauty decodes each ingredient and flags parabens, silicones, allergens and more. Think Dirty rates products by their chemical content alone and lets you compare them. Skin Bliss looks at ingredients across your whole routine and warns about clashes. All three are in English.
How we chose: apps that check the ingredients of cosmetics and skincare on the phone, sold by their own developer on the App Store, with features taken from each app’s store description. No prices beyond what is free, ratings or user counts.
INCI Beauty: decode the label
INCI Beauty scans a barcode and breaks down the INCI ingredient list, flagging controversial ingredients such as endocrine disruptors, silicones, parabens, sulphates, mineral oils, allergens and nanoparticles, and marking organic, natural or vegan ones. You can exclude ingredients you do not tolerate, such as fragrance or irritating preservatives, get cleaner alternatives and read community reviews. Scanning, search, ingredient factsheets and multi-product analysis for palettes and gift sets are free, and the premium tier adds analysis from a photo of the ingredient list and offline mode.
Think Dirty: ratings on chemistry alone
Think Dirty rates skincare, haircare, cosmetics and household products only on their chemical content, not on brand or marketing. You scan or search a product, compare products side by side and, in the premium tiers, set allergens and acne triggers to get alerts and browse curated lists such as mineral sunscreens or vegan makeup. If a product is missing, you can submit the barcode and ingredient label.
Skin Bliss: ingredients in your routine
Skin Bliss starts from your skin: a face scan builds a profile of skin type and concerns, then a routine builder schedules products with ingredient-aware logic, checks ingredient safety and warns about clashes, overuse or missing steps. A routine player guides each step and you track visible progress with photos.
Tips for reading a scan
Use the scan as a starting point, not a diagnosis: a flagged ingredient matters most if you already react to it. Set your own exclusions first, then compare two or three products before you buy. For the food in your basket, see food scanner apps.
| App | Best for | Highlights | Ukrainian UI |
|---|---|---|---|
| INCI BeautyApp StoreGoogle Play | decoding the ingredient list | barcode scan, ingredient factsheets, allergen exclusions, cleaner alternatives | no |
| Think DirtyApp Store | chemical-only ratings | barcode scan, product comparison, allergen alerts, curated lists | no |
| Skin BlissApp StoreGoogle Play | checking a whole routine | face scan, routine builder, ingredient checks, progress tracking | no |
Frequently asked questions
How can I check what is in my cosmetics?
Scan the barcode with INCI Beauty or Think Dirty. INCI Beauty explains each ingredient on the INCI list and flags controversial ones, Think Dirty rates the product on its chemical content.
Can I avoid ingredients I am allergic to?
Yes. INCI Beauty lets you exclude ingredients such as fragrance or certain preservatives, and Think Dirty’s premium tiers let you pre-select allergens and get alerts.
Is there an app in Ukrainian?
Not among these three: INCI Beauty, Think Dirty and Skin Bliss do not list Ukrainian in the App Store.