What does a cosmetic ingredient score mean?

What the number is describing

Snifff scores the ingredient list disclosed on the product page using its own method. The number summarizes that assessment and gives you somewhere to start looking more closely.

It cannot guarantee safety, even at the higher end. A low score is not a diagnosis either. Read it with the ingredient details, the product context, and the limits of what the page tells you.

The four score bands

Each score falls into one of four bands. The label gives you a quick read; the ingredient details explain why it landed there.

Check how much of the list was matched

Coverage is the share of the ingredient list Snifff could match. A result with gaps needs a different reading from one that covers the whole list.

At 90% coverage or more, Snifff shows the score in full. Below 90%, it shows an upper bound, written as "≤ N", and withholds the Excellent tier. If nothing matches, it does not show a score.

Look at the signals beside the score

Snifff shows these signals separately because each needs more explanation than a number can give:

• Concentration + Context can change how an ingredient is read when the product page provides relevant evidence.
• Regulatory Gap shows a separate signal for differences between EU and Indian cosmetic regulation.
• Pregnancy + Nursing is an informational flag, not medical advice. Ask your OB-GYN or dermatologist for personal guidance.

What a label score cannot tell you

Reading a list is not the same as testing the formula in a lab. It cannot reveal an ingredient that was left off the label or assess how a particular batch was made.

It also cannot tell you how your skin will respond, whether the product will work for you, or whether a reaction needs medical attention. Use the score to decide what to research next, with the label, coverage, and professional advice where needed.