Transparency is core to what we do. Here is exactly how LuxSense analyzes and scores cosmetic ingredients.
The European Commission's official Cosmetic Ingredient database contains over 36,000 entries with regulatory status, restrictions, and authorized functions.
This is the primary authority for cosmetic ingredient regulation in the EU and provides the foundation for our safety assessments.
PubChem is the world's largest open chemistry database, maintained by the U.S. National Institutes of Health. It provides detailed safety, toxicity, and hazard data.
We use PubChem's GHS hazard classifications and toxicity data to supplement EU regulatory information.
A community-driven, open-source database of cosmetic products from around the world, providing real product data and ingredient lists.
Licensed under ODbL, this helps us match barcodes to products and cross-reference ingredient lists.
Every ingredient receives a safety score from 0 to 100. Here is what the ranges mean.
Well-studied ingredient with strong safety profile. No significant concerns identified in regulatory or scientific data.
Generally safe with minor or conditional concerns. May have usage restrictions at high concentrations.
Some concerns exist. May be an irritant for sensitive skin, have environmental concerns, or be subject to regulatory restrictions.
Notable safety concerns. May be a known irritant, allergen, or have significant regulatory restrictions. Worth investigating further.
Serious safety concerns. May be banned or heavily restricted in the EU, known to be toxic, or have strong scientific evidence of harm.
Is the ingredient authorized, restricted, or banned in the EU? What are the maximum permitted concentrations? We check against official CosIng data.
Based on GHS hazard classifications from PubChem and known allergen data, we assess the likelihood of skin irritation or sensitization.
We flag ingredients known to clog pores based on established comedogenicity research, helping those with acne-prone skin make better choices.
We assess environmental concerns including aquatic toxicity, biodegradability, and whether the ingredient is flagged for environmental harm.
We do not sensationalize. If an ingredient is safe according to regulatory data, we say so clearly, even if it has a scary-sounding chemical name.
Every score is derived from regulatory databases and published scientific data. We do not rely on anecdotal claims, influencer opinions, or marketing materials.
In the app, every ingredient links back to its source data. You can verify our assessments against the original CosIng and PubChem entries yourself.
Public commitments
The clearest way to describe a methodology is sometimes by what it excludes. These are explicit commitments, not aspirations.
LuxSense does not sell products, link to retail with revenue-bearing affiliate codes, or accept payment for ingredient or product placement. Our scoring is independent of any commercial relationship with brands or retailers.
We score ingredients against regulatory and scientific evidence, not products against brands. You will never see a "this brand is dangerous" framing on LuxSense. Scoring stays at the ingredient level, where the science actually lives.
When the published toxicology or regulatory data on an ingredient is insufficient, we flag it as insufficient data, not as "likely safe" by default. Insufficient evidence is its own category, and we say so.
Words like toxic, dirty, chemical-free and free from obscure more than they reveal. LuxSense uses regulator-grounded language: Annex II prohibited, Annex III restricted at X%, SCCS opinion pending. Every score links to its source.
Every input to a score is published. The data sources are public. The scoring rubric is on this page. When regulators or scientific committees update their positions, LuxSense's scores update with them, and we say what changed.
2026 regulatory tracking
The EU is enacting three major cosmetic regulatory changes in summer and autumn 2026. The LuxSense database is updated in real time to match each.
30 July 2026
~30,418 ingredient entries under Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1175. Tracked.
31 July 2026
Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 expands the declared fragrance allergen list from 26 to 82. Tracked.
17 October 2027
Regulation (EU) 2023/2055 leave-on cosmetic phase. Preparation ongoing through 2026. Tracked.
LuxSense provides informational ingredient analysis only. It is not medical, dermatological, or health advice. Safety scores are mathematical outputs of our algorithm and are not endorsed or certified by any regulatory body.
Ingredient lists extracted from photos via AI vision (OCR) may be incomplete, inaccurate, or vary between scans depending on photo quality and label legibility. Our algorithm does not consider ingredient concentrations, formulation context, pH, individual skin factors, or interactions between ingredients.
Always read the physical product label. If you have allergies, skin conditions, or health concerns, consult a qualified healthcare professional before using any cosmetic product.