How does Luminelle differ from EWG Skin Deep?

Luminelle is a mobile-native lab notebook that scans cosmetics and meals, tracks your cycle phase, and observes your skin from a daily selfie. EWG Skin Deep is a US 501(c)(3) nonprofit's free cosmetic ingredient database, founded 1992, with Skin Deep launched in 2004. They answer different questions.

Yes. All scans are free. Luminelle+ adds personalized scoring, scan history, and re-flag alerts.

How does Luminelle's scoring work?

Luminelle uses a 0–100 score with maximum-severity weighting against a defined set of cosmetic-relevant regulators (EU CosIng, California AB 2762/2771/496, Prop 65, SCCS, EPA CompTox). Every Luminelle flag links to the named regulator entry that triggered it.

I'm in the EU. What does Luminelle add?

Luminelle treats EU CosIng, Regulation 1223/2009 Annexes II–VI, and SCCS opinions as primary sources in its scoring engine.

Does Luminelle scan food the same way it scans cosmetics?

Yes. Luminelle scans cosmetics and meals through the same regulator pipeline, tags cycle phase on every scan, and saves a daily skin selfie alongside.

I'm pregnant. What does Luminelle do?

Luminelle adjusts scoring based on biological context, including pregnancy-relevant SCCS opinions, and tags cycle phase on every scan. Profile-based scoring is a Luminelle feature.

Does Luminelle run a brand certification program?

No. Luminelle doesn't certify brands; we score products against regulators.

EWG Skin Deep alternative

An EWG Skin Deep alternative that closes the loop

Luminelle is a lab notebook - products and meals scored against EU and US regulators, cycle phase tagged on every scan, and a daily skin selfie observed by a vision model. Patterns over time.

Public launch Q2 2026. We'll email once - when we ship.

What Luminelle actually is

Four scans, one lab notebook

Luminelle is the journal underneath every product, every meal, every selfie, tagged with your cycle phase. We don't predict; we record.

Product scan

Score every label

Barcode or ingredient list. Every product scored against EU CosIng, California AB 2762/2771/496, Prop 65, and ECHA - with the regulator citation behind every flag.

Meal scan

Calories and EDC-flagged additives

Plate photo or barcode. Calories, macros, and EDC-classified food additives scored against the same regulatory lists. Adds to your daily intake automatically.

AI skin observations

A daily selfie, week over week

Five plain-language observations per scan - pores, tone, the tired softness under your eyes. Saved next to your products, meals, and cycle. Observed without judgement.

Cycle tracking

Phase tagged on every scan

Log your period; Luminelle figures out the phase. Every product and meal you scan carries the phase you were in. Patterns surface over time. No forecasts.

The user observes patterns. Luminelle keeps the lab notebook. Not a diagnostic, not a diet app, not a brand attack.

Why people search

What Luminelle adds for users searching for an alternative

EWG was founded in 1992, and Skin Deep launched in 2004. If you're looking for an alternative, here's what Luminelle provides.

Mobile-native barcode scanning as the primary flow. Luminelle is built mobile-first (React Native / Expo). Barcode scanning is the primary flow; sub-second product resolution for common SKUs in EU/UK/US.

A single 0–100 score with regulator-anchored flags. Luminelle's score is calculated from regulator actions only. The presence or absence of a flag is the data signal - there is no separate data-availability rating in Luminelle.

EU and US regulatory coverage. Luminelle's regulatory framework integrates EU CosIng, Regulation 1223/2009 Annexes II–VI, California AB 2762/2771/496, Prop 65, ECHA, SCCS opinions, and EPA CompTox PFAS. EWG and Skin Deep are US-based.

A connected scan history. Luminelle ties products, meals, cycle phase, and skin observations into one timeline. Each scan and selfie carries cycle phase and date, so patterns surface over weeks.

If any of those describe what you want, you're the reason Luminelle exists.

What Luminelle does

Five things Luminelle does

Mobile-native barcode scanning. Built mobile-first (React Native / Expo), barcode-first, with sub-second resolution for common SKUs in EU/UK/US. Most cosmetic decisions happen at a shelf.

Every flag links to a primary regulator source. Tap to read the SCCS opinion PDF, the Annex II row, the AB bill section, the Prop 65 listing. Full weights at /methodology.

Multi-jurisdictional coverage. Luminelle integrates EU CosIng, California AB 2762/2771/496, Prop 65, EPA CompTox, and SCCS opinions as primary sources. If you live in the EU or US, the score reflects the laws on your shelf.

Skin selfie observed by a vision model. Five plain-language observations per scan, saved next to today's products, meals, and cycle phase.

Pattern detection across the timeline. Every scan and selfie carries cycle phase and date. Patterns surface across weeks - correlation, not causation. The user observes, Luminelle keeps the lab notebook.

Who it's for

Who should switch - and who shouldn't

Switch to Luminelle if…

You want products, meals, cycle, and skin observations connected in one timeline
You scan in physical stores and want a mobile-first experience
You live in the EU, UK, or US, and want a tool whose scoring engine integrates EU CosIng, AB 2762/2771/496, and Prop 65 as primary sources
You want each flag tied to a specific regulator action, with a one-tap link to the named entry
You're pregnant, trying to conceive, or buying products for children - Luminelle's score reflects sex, age, and optionally cycle phase
You want a 0–100 score with maximum-severity weighting and no separate data-availability rating

Luminelle may not be right for you if…

Your primary need is a long-established ingredient research authority - EWG was founded in 1992 and Skin Deep launched in 2004
You only need one-off ingredient lookups, not a connected scan history
You prefer a web-first research workflow
You don't track your cycle and don't want a daily skin selfie loop
You don't need EU CosIng, California AB, or Prop 65 integrated into the score
You're a brand exploring third-party clean-beauty certification - Luminelle doesn't run a certification program

Luminelle is a different shape - a lab notebook that connects what you put on your skin, what you eat, where you are in your cycle, and what your skin actually looks like.

How to switch

Migration is just downloading the app

There's nothing to migrate in the data sense - no accounts to export, no scan history to transfer between apps. Here's how to switch in practice:

Download Luminelle. Free, no account required to scan your first products.
Re-scan products you previously looked up elsewhere. See how the regulator-cited 0–100 score reads for you.
Tap a flagged ingredient. Read the linked SCCS opinion, AB 2762 bill text, or Annex II entry. One tap to the named regulator entry.
Set up your profile (sex, age, optionally cycle) so the score reflects you, not a generic adult.
Take your first selfie. Five observations, saved next to today's scans. Repeat tomorrow.
Two tools can coexist - Luminelle for the connected mobile loop, other resources for your own research.

No commitment, no migration friction.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How does Luminelle differ from EWG Skin Deep?: Luminelle is a mobile-native lab notebook that scans cosmetics and meals, tracks your cycle phase, and observes your skin from a daily selfie. EWG Skin Deep is a US 501(c)(3) nonprofit's free cosmetic ingredient database, founded 1992, with Skin Deep launched in 2004. They answer different questions.
Is Luminelle free?: Yes. All scans are free. Luminelle+ adds personalized scoring, scan history, and re-flag alerts.
How does Luminelle's scoring work?: Luminelle uses a 0–100 score with maximum-severity weighting against a defined set of cosmetic-relevant regulators (EU CosIng, California AB 2762/2771/496, Prop 65, SCCS, EPA CompTox). Every Luminelle flag links to the named regulator entry that triggered it.
I'm in the EU. What does Luminelle add?: Luminelle treats EU CosIng, Regulation 1223/2009 Annexes II–VI, and SCCS opinions as primary sources in its scoring engine.
Does Luminelle scan food the same way it scans cosmetics?: Yes. Luminelle scans cosmetics and meals through the same regulator pipeline, tags cycle phase on every scan, and saves a daily skin selfie alongside.
I'm pregnant. What does Luminelle do?: Luminelle adjusts scoring based on biological context, including pregnancy-relevant SCCS opinions, and tags cycle phase on every scan. Profile-based scoring is a Luminelle feature.
Does Luminelle run a brand certification program?: No. Luminelle doesn't certify brands; we score products against regulators.

A database is a snapshot. Luminelle is the notebook.

Free at launch. Products, meals, cycle, skin selfie - every scan saved, every flag linked to a regulator.

Public launch Q2 2026.