How we read an ingredient list

Skincare and makeup products get one of three verdicts, by the same published rules.

• Non-comedogenic2,430
• Some things to note4,206
• Several things to note1,386

A foundation's base

Silicone or water? We read it from every foundation's ingredient list, so you can pick a primer with the same base.

How drying is a shampoo?

We read a shampoo's surfactants and where they sit in the ingredient list. The index describes the formula, not your hair.

Four questions about your skin

Four questions. We only suggest products in our catalog, and we tell you why each one made the list.

Niacinamide

1,740products' ingredient lists

Most often: Moisturizers (400) and Serums (398).

Compare products side by side

Up to four products side by side — prices, ingredients and flags in one table.