Celeiq doesn't give products a score. For each ingredient, it shows what published evidence says about six concerns, how strong that evidence is, and how it relates to the skin profile you've given it. When there isn't enough evidence, Celeiq says so instead of guessing.
Where the evidence comes from
We start with sources that are public, dated and checkable, in roughly this order of weight:
- Regulation. The EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 and its annexes, which list banned and restricted substances, maximum concentrations and required warnings.
- Independent scientific opinions. Safety assessments from bodies such as the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) and the US Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR).
- Reference data. The EU CosIng database for each ingredient's identity, function and regulatory status.
- Peer-reviewed research. Published studies, cited individually, including the ones that disagree with each other.
Marketing claims and customer reviews are useful context, but we keep them separate and label them for what they are.
The six concerns
Every ingredient is read against the questions people ask most: irritation, pore-clogging, allergens, hormone (endocrine) effects, carcinogenicity and sun sensitivity. A concern only appears when there's a source behind it, and it shows the conditions that matter: concentration, whether the product is rinsed off or left on, and who the evidence applies to.
"For you" and "for everyone" are different
An ingredient that matters to someone with a fragrance allergy may be irrelevant to everyone else. Celeiq keeps the two apart: what's generally known about an ingredient, and what it means against the sensitivities and goals in your profile. They never merge into a single verdict.
What we won't do
- Invent a score, rating or "clean" badge.
- Treat an ingredient's position on the label as its exact concentration. Label order is a clue, not a measurement.
- Show missing evidence as "safe". Unknown stays unknown.
- Give medical advice. Celeiq explains ingredients; it doesn't diagnose.
How we keep it accurate
We're building the evidence base ingredient by ingredient, and every finding is checked against its original source before it's shown. At launch, coverage won't be complete, and the app will tell you when an ingredient hasn't been reviewed yet. When sources change or we make a mistake, we update the finding and its date. Spotted something wrong? Email hello@celeiq.app.