Your Guide to Using the EWG Skin Deep Database to Make Cleaner Personal Care Choices

If you have ever flipped over a shampoo bottle, squinted at a 47-ingredient list, and wondered whether any of it matters, you are not alone. Most of us have no way of knowing whether the products we use every day are truly safe -- because the federal government largely does not require companies to prove it before putting them on shelves.

That is the gap the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep® database was built to fill, and as an RDN with a deep focus on environmental health, it is one of the first tools I point clients toward when they want to start cleaning up their personal care routine.

What Is Skin Deep?

Launched in 2004, Skin Deep is a free, searchable database that rates over 90,000 personal care products and 70,000 ingredients on a hazard scale from 1 to 10, drawing from toxicity data, regulatory databases, and published research. The color-coded rating system -- green for low hazard, yellow for moderate, red for high -- makes complex toxicological information scannable at a glance. No scientific background required.

You can search by product name, ingredient, or brand -- making it easy to evaluate what is already in your bathroom cabinet or compare products before you buy. The free EWG Healthy Living app lets you scan barcodes in stores for instant ratings, which is a game changer when you are standing in an aisle trying to make a quick decision. It is available for both iOS and Android and also covers food and household cleaning products.

What to Look For

When evaluating a product, aim for a score of 1 to 2 for the lowest hazard. A score in the 3 to 6 range is worth a closer look -- particularly if the product is used daily or applied to a large area of skin. Scores of 7 and above signal meaningful concerns worth taking seriously.

Pay attention to the data availability rating as well -- Skin Deep notes whether an ingredient has robust, fair, or limited research behind it. A low hazard score with limited data simply means less is known, not that the ingredient is definitively safe. That transparency is one of the things that makes this tool genuinely trustworthy.

The EWG Verified® Mark: Shopping Made Simple

For those who want an even simpler path to safer products, look for the EWG Verified® mark. Products carrying this certification have been reviewed by EWG scientists and meet its strictest standards for ingredient safety and transparency -- free from chemicals of concern and fully transparent about what is inside.

EWG Verified products are available through major retailers including Amazon. One brand worth exploring is ATTITUDE, a plant-based personal care line with a wide range of EWG Verified body care, hair care, and skincare products at accessible price points. It is a great starting place if you are new to cleaner personal care.

How to Get Started

You do not need to overhaul everything at once. A practical approach is to start with the products you use most frequently or apply to the largest area of skin -- body lotion, shampoo, and deodorant are good places to begin. Look them up on Skin Deep, note the scores, and swap out higher-hazard products gradually as you run out. Small, consistent swaps add up over time without the overwhelm.

For clients managing chronic health conditions, hormonal concerns, or autoimmune issues, reducing chemical load through personal care products is a meaningful and accessible step. It is one piece of a larger picture, but it is a piece you have direct control over.

The Bottom Line

Skin Deep puts science-backed safety information directly in your hands -- for free. Use it to shop smarter, feel more confident about what you are putting on your body, and take one more step toward a cleaner, healthier daily routine.

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Lis Rodriguez is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and integrative and functional medicine practitioner. She founded Professional Nutrition Consulting, PLLC in 2009 and writes about environmental nutrition, public health, and whole-person wellness at LisRodriguez.com.

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References

Baker, D. W., Parker, R. M., Williams, M. V., & Clark, W. S. (1998). Health literacy and the risk of hospital admission. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 13(12), 791-798. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1525-1497.1998.00242.x

Environmental Working Group. (2024a). Skin Deep cosmetics database. https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/

Environmental Working Group. (2024b). EWG Verified®: Products for your health. https://www.ewg.org/ewgverified/

Nielsen-Bohlman, L., Panzer, A. M., & Kindig, D. A. (Eds.). (2004). Health literacy: A prescription to end confusion. National Academies Press. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25009856/