My Love-Hate Relationship with the Yuka App

By Mari Sato

If you have been on the internet lately, chances are you’ve seen the infamous Yuka app, which scans products and exposes their toxic ingredients. The app scans just about everything from food items to makeup, skincare, and hair products, then rates the item out of 100. Anything rated over 50 is considered “good” by Yuka standards, and the app tests four different categories of ingredient risk, ranging from low-risk to hazardous.

However, the app has been met with skepticism for its lack of context when rating products. Yuka does not take into account the quantity of the bad ingredients within the product, only their presence. This can become an issue when scanning makeup and skincare products, as many that Yuka deems hazardous contain only a minuscule amount of the ingredient. In reality, these substances only post a risk if ingested or applied in large quantities. When using this app, it is crucial not to take every rating as a fact. Some chemicals are necessary, such those found in over-the-counter acne medications or even deodorants containing fragrance. I mean, imagine if it didn’t, we would all stink without them!

Nevertheless, the app does provide some value, helping you become more knowledgable about the products in your daily routine. To my surprise, many of my everyday staples got shockingly low scores, prompting me to reevaluate and purchase safer products that won’t irritate my skin or possibly cause more severe issues like endocrine disruption. With the clean beauty movement on the rise and accompanying issues such as green-washing, it can be hard to know what products are helping or harming you. While imperfect, the Yuka app provides a good starting point.

On my clean beauty journey, I have found the brand Paula’s Choice and the retailer French Pharmacy offer valuable recommendations that align with my skin and hair goals, while also receiving a strong Yuka rating. Both offer advice curated to your personalized goals, which I find to be much more intentional and helpful than some of Yuka’s recommendations. Unfortunately, neither website provides clean makeup recommendations, which I have personally struggled to find alternatives for. Upon doing research, I was also shocked to find that the Clean at Sephora program has been pervaded by many toxic products. My only consolation is knowing, at the very least, that our modern makeup is better than the arsenic-laden cosmetics used by women in the Victorian era. After hours of scouring the internet, I’ve finally compiled a list of great alternatives that meet my beauty goals and, thankfully, aren’t toxic!