How often are you really aware of what makes up the ingredients inside of your makeup? A new helpful assistant is an app named Yuka. The app scans the barcode of food products or cosmetics like makeup/skincare and rates them on a scale of 1 to 100, letting you know of the ingredients in them and why they’re either beneficial or harmful. I didn’t think much of the app until I started scanning my own skin care products. I scanned my CeraVe face wash and it was rated a 41/100. The ingredient at the very top that it describes as “Moderate risk” was Phenoxyethanol. Initially, I had no idea what that was, but on the app it has a drop down where you can read a description of each ingredient and why they carry a risk or not. If you scroll, it presents healthier alternatives.

When it comes to skincare and makeup, I care deeply. I want the best products for that “glass skin” look to clear my acne and uneven texture. It should be a universally agreed upon statement that we want nothing but the best for our skin. I thought I was pretty educated when it came to skincare and ingredients, but this app humbled me. I ended up scanning all of my used products, learning of the harmful ingredients they contained, and filling up a trash bag. You might think “Why would you trust this app?” “What if they’re bought out by companies paying for skewed ratings?” This crossed my mind, but then I read into the app and its creators. 

Yuka was founded in France around 2016, but fast forward to now and the app has skyrocketed to more than 34 million downloads. How does Yuka make money then? According to a Wired article named “Scan Your Shopping Cart With Yuka and Make Healthier Choices,” Yuka is an “independent company that makes money through book and calendar sales, a nutrition program, and premium app subscriptions.” In fact, the creators of Yuka denied all offers received from companies to buy them out. François Martin, one of Yuka’s co-founders, explained that when they’re offered deals “We just say no.” When you scan a product on the app, if you scroll to the bottom, it says right under the recommendations that “Our selection is unbiased: no brand pays Yuka to appear here”. 

This app to me is the holy grail. Usually, when I start to use a bunch of brand new products, I will break out like crazy and look like a pepperoni pizza. I ended up taking the risk and bought all new skincare (obviously rated 100/100 on the app) for my skin type needs. The results left me speechless, it’s been a week since I dove right in with all these new products and my skin has looked its best with no new breakouts. I can’t wait to continue seeing the results as time goes by. Yuka should be a necessity for all who use any form of skincare or makeup and those who are in charge of shopping for groceries.