New app checks ingredients' safety

We've all looked at ingredients lists on the back of products and felt bamboozled by scientific names and chemical references. But have you wondered whether what's listed is considered good for you?

New app SkinNinja has been launched to help you check what's in your skincare, cosmetics and personal care products, and help you find alternatives minus Contact Allergens and Carcinogens.

The app has been launched by Jo Osbourne, a lawyer by trade, who grew up in Australia with an allergy to sunscreen; at 26 she was diagnosed with skin cancer.

Commenting on why she created SkinNinja, Jo says:

“There was no simple way for me to avoid cancer-causing ingredients in my skincare. Even if it's just a small amount, I'm entitled to know about it, so I built my own solution.

“Every time I spend money I am casting a vote for how I want companies to treat me. Right now, I am telling companies that it is okay for them to put a list of ingredients on the back of a product that I don't understand. It isn't.”

SkinNinja matches world leading expert evidence including the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the World Allergy Organisation, to over 200,000 ingredients, across 800,000 products. If a product is not included, users can photograph the ingredients list for investigation by the SkinNinja team.

App users simply scan the barcode of a product, and if listed in their database, will be shown whether the product is either free from or contains suspected or known health risks, displayed with a green, amber or red rating. Users can also create a Shelf Health Report, where they can find out how their Shelf Health compares to the rest of the UK. Details of individual ingredients can also be downloaded, and alternative products with ‘healthier' ratings can be found.

Download the SkinNinja app for free in the Apple store or Google Play.