Cosmetics rating applications are attracting growing interest from consumers concerned about the composition andimpact of their beauty products. Among the most popular, Yuka and INCI Beauty stand out for their ingredient analysis-based rating systems. However, behind the colored tablets lie sometimes complex evaluation methods, raising questions about the reliability and relevance of the results. Let's take a closer look at these applications and their divergent approaches.

Cosmetics rating applications each have their own evaluation methods.

• On the Yuka application: the color of the dot corresponds to 4 risk categories: no risk (green), low risk (yellow), moderate risk (orange), at risk (red).
  Risk analysis is based on the opinions of official bodies, independent scientific studies and open-access databases. 
• On the INCI Beauty application: the color corresponds to several parameters: risk-free ingredient (green), regulated / rather irritating / allergenic ingredient (yellow), ingredient derived from petrochemicals, heavy chemistry and/or not deserving of a red (orange), controversial or potentially risky ingredient (red).
  Products containing nanomaterials mentioned on the label receive an additional penalty.

These analyses are therefore based on risk analyses whose sources are generally unavailable. It should be noted that sunscreens (organic and mineral) are all regulated and have been studied by European scientific committees. As a result, the safety of their use and their protective benefits against skin lesions are carefully managed and monitored by European authorities. On the other hand, environmental risk is not currently taken into account.

Although these applications provide a rapid assessment of cosmetic products, it is important to note that the sources and criteria used are not always transparent. For example, sunscreens, which are widely regulated and studied, may be incorrectly assessed in certain circumstances, failing to take into account their safety and efficacy as established by European scientific committees.

While cosmetics rating applications offer consumers increased visibility on product composition, it is essential to bear in mind the limits of their evaluation methods. By relying on sometimes complex criteria and sources that are not always accessible, these applications can sometimes raise questions about their reliability. It is therefore crucial to adopt an informed and critical approach when using these tools, bearing in mind current regulations and established scientific knowledge.