Luminelle vs EWG Skin Deep
Luminelle vs EWG Skin Deep: which is right for you?
Luminelle is a mobile-native lab notebook that scans products and meals, tags cycle phase on every scan, and observes your skin from a daily selfie, with every flag linked to a primary regulator entry.
Public launch Q2 2026. We'll email once - when we ship.
TL;DR
The 3-sentence version
EWG is the Environmental Working Group, a US 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EWG founded 1992; Skin Deep launched 2004).
Luminelle is a mobile-first lab notebook - cosmetics and meals scored through one regulator pipeline, cycle phase tagged on every scan, a daily skin selfie observed by a vision model, and every flag linked to a primary regulator entry (Annex II, AB bill, SCCS opinion, Prop 65).
The choice: Luminelle if you want a connected loop between products, meals, cycle, and skin - or if you live in the EU or US and want those regulators integrated as primary scoring inputs.
Before the comparison
What Luminelle actually is
Luminelle is a different shape - a journal underneath your scans, tagged with your cycle phase, paired with a daily skin selfie.
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.
At a glance
Side-by-side
| Luminelle | EWG Skin Deep | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2026 | EWG: 1992; Skin Deep: 2004 |
| Scans cosmetics | ✓ | ✓ |
| Scans food (calories + macros) | ✓ | - |
| EDC-flagged food additives | ✓ | - |
| Daily skin selfie observation | ✓ | - |
| Cycle phase on every scan | ✓ | - |
| Weekly pattern detection | ✓ | - |
| Score scale | 0–100 (maximum-severity) | 1–10 hazard scale |
| Direct regulator citations per flag | ✓ | - |
| EU CosIng / Annex II / SCCS in score | ✓ (primary source) | - |
| California AB 2762/2771/496 in score | ✓ (tracked at bill level) | - |
| Prop 65 (cosmetic context) in score | ✓ | - |
| EPA CompTox PFAS Master List in score | ✓ | - |
| Biological personalization | ✓ (sex, age, cycle) | - |
| Brand certification program | - | ✓ (EWG Verified) |
| Languages | EN | EN |
| Free tier | ✓ | ✓ |
| Geographic focus | EU and US | US-based |
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 each is for
Match the tool to your habit
Luminelle is best for…
- You want products, meals, cycle, and skin observations connected in one timeline
- Your primary scanning moment is in a physical store
- 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 cosmetic ingredient database - 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
Two tools can coexist. Luminelle is built around the connected mobile loop and EU/CA regulatory depth.
How to switch
Switching to Luminelle (or running both)
- Nothing to export. No accounts to transfer, no scan history to migrate between the two products.
- Download Luminelle, scan a few products you've previously looked up elsewhere, and read the explanations.
- Tap a flagged ingredient in Luminelle. The linked SCCS opinion or AB bill text takes one tap from the flag.
- Set up your profile (sex, age, optionally cycle phase) - this is where Luminelle's personalization kicks in.
- Take your first selfie. Five observations, saved next to today's scans. Repeat tomorrow - this is where the lab notebook starts to compound.
- Two tools can coexist for different workflows.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
- How does Luminelle differ from EWG Skin Deep?
- Luminelle is a mobile-native lab notebook with EU and US regulators integrated into a 0–100 score, biological personalization (sex, age, cycle), and a four-pillar loop (cosmetic scan, meal scan, daily selfie, cycle tracking). EWG is a US 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded 1992, with Skin Deep launched 2004.
- How does Luminelle's scoring work?
- Luminelle uses maximum-severity scoring against named regulator actions, with EU CosIng, California AB 2762/2771/496, Prop 65, SCCS, and EPA CompTox as primary inputs. Every flag links to the specific regulator entry that triggered it.
- Does Luminelle have a web search?
- No. Luminelle is mobile-first (iOS + Android).
- Does Luminelle scan food?
- Yes. Luminelle scans cosmetics and meals through the same regulator pipeline - calories, macros, plus EDC-classified additives - and ties every meal to your cycle phase.
- What does Luminelle do beyond a cosmetic ingredient database?
- Four things. (1) Daily skin selfie observed by a vision model - five plain-language observations per scan, saved next to your products, meals, and cycle. (2) Cycle phase tagged on every product and meal scan, with weekly patterns surfacing over time. (3) Meal scans through the same regulator pipeline as cosmetics, with EDC-classified additives flagged. (4) Direct one-tap regulator citations behind every flag - Annex II row, AB bill section, SCCS opinion, Prop 65 listing.
- Can I use both Luminelle and other tools?
- Yes. They answer overlapping questions in different ways.
- Is Luminelle free?
- Yes. All scans are free. Luminelle+ adds personalized scoring, scan history, and re-flag alerts.
- 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.