Luminelle vs Think Dirty
Luminelle vs Think Dirty: which is right for you?
Think Dirty rates hazard on a 0-10 meter and points you to cleaner products. Luminelle scores by what the regulator's entry says for that kind of product, then adds a daily skin selfie, your cycle phase and patterns over time.
Out now on iPhone and Android. Free to download, free to scan.
TL;DR
The short version
Think Dirty is a Toronto app launched in 2013 that rates cosmetics on a 0-10 Dirty Meter built from three hazard categories, and suggests cleaner products you can shop from.
Luminelle scores each product by reading the regulator entries for its ingredients as they apply to that kind of product, publishes every point of the method, and keeps a daily skin selfie, your cycle phase and your meals in one timeline.
The choice: Think Dirty if you want a quick hazard verdict and a shopping list of cleaner swaps. Luminelle if you want a score that separates bans from limits, a method you can audit, and your skin, cycle and meals in one place.
Before the comparison
What Luminelle actually is
Every scan and selfie carries your cycle phase, so what you use, what you eat and how your skin looks can be read together.
Product scan
Score every label
Barcode or a photo of the ingredient list. Every product is scored against EU CosIng, California AB 2762/2771/496, Prop 65 and ECHA, and every flag links to the regulator entry behind it.
Meal scan
Calories and macros
Plate photo or barcode. Luminelle names the dish, estimates calories and macros, and adds them to your daily intake. Meals are not scored against ingredient lists.
Cycle tracking
Phase noted on every scan
Log your period; Luminelle estimates your phase and next period from the dates you give it. Every scan and selfie carries the phase you were in, so patterns can surface over weeks.
AI skin observations
A daily selfie, week over week
Up to five plain-language observations per selfie across forehead, under-eye, nose, cheeks and jaw, saved next to your products, meals and cycle. Observed without judgement.
Not a diagnostic, not a diet app, not a brand attack.
At a glance
Side-by-side
| Luminelle | Think Dirty | |
|---|---|---|
| Launched | 2026 | 2013 (Toronto) |
| Scans cosmetics | ✓ | ✓ |
| Scans food | Calories and macros, no score | - |
| Score | 0-100 | 0-10 Dirty Meter |
| How the score is built | Each flag read for the product type; bans, limits and not-scored tiers | Three hazard categories |
| Concentration limits vs bans | Scored differently | Hazard-based |
| Uses ingredient order as evidence | ✓ (the 1% line) | - |
| Method published with point values | ✓ | Rating approach described |
| Sources shown per ingredient | Link to the regulator entry | Listed in-app |
| Cleaner alternatives after a scan | ✓, not sold | ✓, with shopping |
| Daily skin selfie observations | ✓ | - |
| Cycle phase noted on scans | ✓ | - |
| Patterns across products, meals, cycle and skin | ✓ (Pro) | - |
| Pregnancy and breastfeeding avoid-lists | ✓ | - |
| Platforms | iOS, Android | iOS, Android |
| Languages | English | English |
| Free tier | ✓ (barcode scans unlimited) | ✓ |
| Paid tier | Luminelle Pro | - |
What Luminelle does
Five things Luminelle does
Scores by regulation, not hazard. A banned ingredient is a finding whatever the dose. An ingredient permitted up to a limit is scrutiny, because the label cannot show the level used. An ingredient whose limit the label proves through ingredient order is not scored at all. Industrial hazard classifications are shown but never scored.
Publishes the whole method. Every tier, every point value, the saturation curve and a worked example are at /methodology.
Links every flag to its source. Tap a flagged ingredient to see the EU Annex entry, the California bill, the Prop 65 listing or the ECHA assessment behind it. AB 2762, already in force, and AB 496, in force from the end of 2026, are scored differently, and the flag says which is which.
Observes your skin daily. A selfie returns up to five plain-language observations, saved next to that day's products, meals and cycle phase. Observations, not medical advice.
Notes your cycle phase on every scan. Log your period and Luminelle estimates the phase you are in. With Pro, the Patterns view checks whether what you scan, eat and log lines up with how your skin looks across your cycle.
Who each is for
Match the tool to your habit
Luminelle is best for…
- You want a score that treats a concentration limit differently from a ban
- You want to read the exact regulator entry behind a flag
- You want products, meals, cycle and skin observations connected
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding and want an avoid-list applied to every scan
- You want a method with every point published
Think Dirty is probably the better fit if…
- You want a quick hazard verdict on a 0-10 meter
- You want to shop cleaner swaps from inside the app
- You are in North America and want its catalogue for that region
- You don't want a skin selfie or cycle layer
Both can coexist. Think Dirty is the quick verdict and the shopping list; Luminelle is the careful score with your cycle and skin beside it.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
- How does Luminelle differ from Think Dirty?
- Think Dirty rates products on a 0-10 Dirty Meter built from three hazard categories, and suggests cleaner products you can buy. Luminelle reads each regulator entry for the product type, distinguishes a ban from a concentration limit, publishes every point of the method, and adds a daily skin selfie, cycle phase and patterns over time.
- How does Luminelle's score work?
- Every flagged ingredient is classified as a finding, scrutiny, or listed-but-not-scored by what the regulator's entry says for this kind of product. A ban is a finding whatever the dose; a concentration limit is scrutiny; a limit the label proves through ingredient order is not scored. Industrial hazard classifications are shown but never scored. The full method is public.
- Does Luminelle scan food?
- A plate photo or food barcode gives you the dish, calories and macros, added to your daily intake. Luminelle does not score food.
- Does Luminelle suggest alternative products?
- Yes. After a scan, Luminelle can show cleaner products of the same type, screened against your sensitivities and life stage. It does not sell them or take a commission.
- Is Luminelle free?
- Barcode scans are free and unlimited, with an account. Photo-based scans are limited to five a day on the free tier. Luminelle Pro removes that limit and adds Patterns, Shelf Check and Ask Luminelle.
- Is Luminelle good for users in California?
- Yes. AB 2762 and AB 2771 are scored as bans, AB 496 as an upcoming ban until it takes effect, and Prop 65 listings are scrutiny. Each flag names the bill behind it.
One scan tells you what's in it. A month tells you what it does.
Free to start. Products, meals, cycle, skin selfie, with every flag linked to a regulator entry.
Out now on iPhone and Android.