New iPhone Application to Track Cosmetic Ingredients

A new iPhone application promises to inform the consumer of which products should be avoided using a database of INCI names and the ingredients allotted safety profile.

Cosmetifique can be used with both the iPhone and iPod Touch and claims to have a searchable database of over 5,000 ingredients, in INCI format. Results for ingredients searches come back highlighted as either red, orange or green, to denote whether the ingredient is good, acceptable or should be avoided. According to application designer Alfredo Delli Bovi, this can inform the consumer whether the cosmetics they have bought or are planning on purchasing are dangerous to their health or the environment. Cosmetifique also allows favourite products to be saved with the name, brand and colour, which can then be shared with friends via email, facebook or twitter. Delli Bovi explained that the ingredients suggested as good are natural and green ingredients.  “We talked to make-up gurus and 90 percent of them preferred natural ingredients, so we don’t suggest chemical ones like dimethicone,” he said. A local scientific agency provided much of the information for the application as did webservices, explained Delli Bovi. The application is now available to purchase from Apple’s App Store at a price of $1.99.  The company website is http://www.cosmetifique.com/ BTW, the cosmetics industry is up in arms over this app 😉