What does a skincare ingredient checker do?
A checker reads the ingredient list on a product page and matches the names against a reviewed reference. It gives you an easier first read of the formula, with the details available when you want them.
You still need to know what that result covers. It describes the ingredients the page discloses. It cannot test the product in a lab, guarantee safety, or replace advice from a qualified professional.
- A score band for the disclosed formula, based on Snifff's method.
- The ingredients behind that result, with details you can open.
- Coverage: how much of the ingredient list Snifff could match.
- Separate information about concentration, regulation, and pregnancy or nursing.
How Snifff checks a product
You can do this while you are on the product page.
Open a supported Nykaa product page
Use desktop Chrome. The beta reads the ingredient list and relevant product information disclosed on supported beauty pages.
Match the names
Snifff matches exact names, reviewed synonyms, and explicit aliases. If a name is ambiguous, it stays in the list as unmatched.
Read past the number
Look at the score, the ingredients behind it, and the coverage. Together, they tell you what Snifff could assess from this label.
Example view91% Coverage41/45 ingredients scanned
One of 4 unmatched names in this example.
41 matched. 4 still unknown.
The sample has 45 ingredients. Snifff matched 41, giving it 91% coverage. The other four stay visible as not assessed.
An unmatched name does not count as a reassurance.
Why the coverage note matters
If Snifff cannot match a name, you will still see it. An unmatched ingredient is unknown; it should not quietly count as reassuring.
At 90% coverage or more, the score is shown in full. Below 90%, the score is shown as an upper bound and the Excellent tier is withheld. If nothing matches, there is no score to display.
Where the checker works today
The Snifff beta currently supports product pages on Nykaa in desktop Chrome. It covers skincare, haircare, makeup, sun care, and baby and child cosmetics.
It does not currently cover standalone perfumes or fragrances, or other retailers.
A FEW MORE ANSWERS
Still wondering?
Is Snifff a safety checker?
Snifff reads and scores the disclosed ingredient list using its own method. That can help you research a product, but it is not a lab test or a guarantee of safety.
Does Snifff work on every beauty website?
The beta works on supported Nykaa product pages in desktop Chrome. It does not currently support other retailers.
What happens when an ingredient is not matched?
It stays visible as unmatched and counts against coverage. Snifff leaves the uncertainty there for you to see.
Do I need an account to use Snifff?
No, you can use the extension without an account.
