7 Apps For Finding Non-Toxic Beauty & Cleaning products

Have you been looking to get started with non-toxic cleaning and beauty products? In many cases, finding items that don’t contain harmful chemicals can seem like a challenge, but there are actually a lot of effective and affordable options out there - if you know how to find them.

I've outlined some of the best apps for finding non-toxic products. You can use each of these to browse through non-toxic options or scan products to learn more about the ingredients inside of them.

If you are interested or like to purchase non-toxic beauty and cleaning products, these seven apps will make your life so easy.

Prefer to watch a video?

1. The EWG Healthy Living app - Skindeep.com

Starting off strong with a classic, a go-to, the EWG Healthy Living app. You can also go to their website, skindeep.org. The Environmental Working Group is really a pioneer and the gold standard when it comes to non-toxic living. They have the strictest standards when it comes to rating products. It's always my first go-to whenever I'm searching a product.

They have a barcode scanner and over 100,000 products listed on their database. They score products on a scale from 0-10, zero being EWG Verified and 10 being the most toxic. It is a really great resource to start understanding the ingredients within products, as it will break down what they are, where they are derived from, and any toxicity concerns.

The app and website database are both completely free. My only qualm with EWG scoring system is that sometimes it seems a little bit arbitrary. Their methodology and criteria for scoring is not completely transparent. They also may have outdated ingredient lists as ingredient lists for products only need to be updated every 5 years. It is a great tool to use on a general basis, but I would always double check the most up-to-date ingredient label.

2. Think Dirty App

Next up is Think Dirty. Think Dirty uses pretty much the same scale as the EWG, 1 through 10, 10 being most toxic, 0 being the best, healthiest, cleanest option. They have almost 2 million products listed in their database, but the reason they have so many products is because a lot of these ratings are user submitted.

So while they have a large scale and amount of products in their database, they're not always verified by Think Dirty. Think Dirty will go through and verify certain products, but sometimes the ratings are just not as credible or trustworthy because they haven't been verified yet.

3. Detox Me

Next up is Detox Me. I love this app. It's a really great app for people who like to gamify a goal, or create to-do lists and tasks. The app has six different categories: food and drink, personal care, home, clothing, children, and cleaning. Within each of these categories, it has a guide on how to detoxify that area of your life, tasks and tips.

It breaks down each of these categories into tasks. For example, in the home category, one task will be to remove all antibacterial soap from bathrooms. You can put this task into different boxes - "working on it" or "done". When you complete these tasks, You earn badges. It's a really great way to incentivize taking the small steps to eventually get to the greater goal of detoxifying your life.

I also love this one because there is a news feed that populates with recent studies and news articles about toxins, harmful chemicals and helpful tips.

4. Clearya

This one I am obsessed with this app. It's called Clearya. It's really great because a lot of these other apps have barcode scanners that bring you to the listing on that product. However, sometimes these listings have old formulations or haven't been verified.

With Clearya, you can either upload or take a photo of the ingredient list, it'll scan the ingredients and tell you which ones are of concern. This allows you to always get the most accurate, most up-to-date information on the ingredients that are in your products. Companies change their formulations all the time, so sometimes it's hard to trust EWG or Think Dirty because It could just be an old listing of that product.

You are also always guaranteed to get an ingredient reading, as you don't need to rely on whether a product is within the database or not.

There is also an extension of Clearya for the websites Target, Amazon, Sephora, Walmart and iHerb. You can use the Clearya app to scan ingredients on these websites without having to upload ingredient lists.

I created this short video on how to use the Clearya app:

5. OnSkin

OnSkin is a great app if you just don't even know where to start. You can fill out quizzes for your hair or skin, and it'll give you clean, non-toxic recommendations based off of your skin or hair goals.

In order to get those recommendations, you have to pay for a subscription. The hair part of that is free, so you can test out the app using the hair recommendations. But if you want to use their AI cosmetologist, then you will need to pay for a subscription.

I think this app is a great option for people who don't even know where to start and just need some recommendations. It could be helpful to just pay for it for a couple of months, get some products, start to understand what you like and what you're looking for, and then see what you need after that.

6. Yuka

Yuka is a really popular app. I feel like people talk about this all the time and love it. Not only does it categorize skincare, makeup products, but it also categorizes food. (It actually mainly categorizes food).

If you find yourself at the store and are curious about the contents of a granola bar or any packaged product you're considering, this app is an excellent tool for gaining insight into what's inside.

7. INCI Beauty

And finally, INCI Beauty. This app is really great because it has community boards and discussion groups where you can engage in conversations, ask questions, share resources, and exchange tips within the community. It allows you to create a community with other people who are on the the same non-toxic journey as you.

INCI is a a great tool to get connected. I will say most of the things on this app are in French, but they are working on translating a lot of this to English. So maybe just give it a little bit of time if you find that as well.

Conclusion

Embracing a lifestyle that prioritizes non-toxic beauty and cleaning products is not only beneficial for personal health but also contributes to a cleaner, more sustainable environment. The seven apps highlighted in this blog provide invaluable resources for consumers seeking transparency and information about the products they use daily.

By incorporating these apps into your shopping routine, you can empower yourself to make informed choices, discover new brands aligned with your values, and join a community dedicated to promoting safer and healthier alternatives.

With the convenience of technology at our fingertips, transitioning to a non-toxic lifestyle has never been easier. Let these apps guide you on your journey towards a greener, cleaner, and more conscious way of living.