A review of product information, not a safety test or medical advice.
What you can expect
What’s declared
What it means
What’s unclear
THE HOUSEHOLD HEATMAP
WHERE EVERYDAY EXPOSURE HAPPENS
Explore how everyday products, materials and routines can create different types of exposure throughout the home and what the evidence can tell us about them.
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Exposure does not automatically mean harm. Risk depends on factors including substance, concentration, route, frequency and duration of exposure.
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Bathroom
Bathroom
SKIN • INHALATION
Personal-care routines and household cleaning can create several forms of everyday contact.
WHAT YOU MAY ENCOUNTER
Personal-care products, fragrance mixtures, leave-on formulations and cleaning products.
HOW EXPOSURE CAN HAPPEN
Products may contact the skin directly or contribute volatile substances to indoor air.
WHAT THE EVIDENCE SAYS
Frequent use does not automatically make a product harmful. Exposure depends on formulation, concentration, amount used, frequency and whether the product is rinsed off or left on the skin.
WHAT CHANGES EXPOSURE
Amount used, product format, ventilation, application method, frequency and rinse-off versus leave-on use can all change exposure.
PRACTICAL STEP
If you want to reduce fragrance exposure, start by identifying the products you use most frequently and compare fragrance-free alternatives.
WHAT YOU MAY ENCOUNTER+
Personal-care products, fragrance mixtures, leave-on formulations and cleaning products.
HOW EXPOSURE CAN HAPPEN+
Products may contact the skin directly or contribute volatile substances to indoor air.
WHAT THE EVIDENCE SAYS+
Frequent use does not automatically make a product harmful. Exposure depends on formulation, concentration, amount used, frequency and whether the product is rinsed off or left on the skin.
WHAT CHANGES EXPOSURE+
Amount used, product format, ventilation, application method, frequency and rinse-off versus leave-on use can all change exposure.
PRACTICAL STEP+
If you want to reduce fragrance exposure, start by identifying the products you use most frequently and compare fragrance-free alternatives.
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Kitchen
Kitchen
FOOD CONTACT • INHALATION
Cooking, food storage and surface cleaning bring together several different material and product interactions.
WHAT YOU MAY ENCOUNTER
Cookware, food-contact materials, storage containers and cleaning sprays.
HOW EXPOSURE CAN HAPPEN
Contact can occur through food preparation and storage, heated materials, airborne cooking emissions or cleaning products used on nearby surfaces.
WHAT THE EVIDENCE SAYS
Food-contact and cookware exposure depends on the material, temperature, condition of the item, duration of contact and whether it is used as intended.
WHAT CHANGES EXPOSURE
Temperature, wear, contact time, food type, ventilation and following manufacturer instructions can influence exposure.
PRACTICAL STEP
Use food-contact materials according to their intended conditions of use and follow heating and microwave instructions.
WHAT YOU MAY ENCOUNTER+
Cookware, food-contact materials, storage containers and cleaning sprays.
HOW EXPOSURE CAN HAPPEN+
Contact can occur through food preparation and storage, heated materials, airborne cooking emissions or cleaning products used on nearby surfaces.
WHAT THE EVIDENCE SAYS+
Food-contact and cookware exposure depends on the material, temperature, condition of the item, duration of contact and whether it is used as intended.
WHAT CHANGES EXPOSURE+
Temperature, wear, contact time, food type, ventilation and following manufacturer instructions can influence exposure.
PRACTICAL STEP+
Use food-contact materials according to their intended conditions of use and follow heating and microwave instructions.
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Laundry
Laundry
SKIN • INHALATION
Laundry products can involve direct handling during use as well as indirect contact through washed fabrics.
WHAT YOU MAY ENCOUNTER
Detergents, fragrance ingredients, fabric conditioners and product residues.
HOW EXPOSURE CAN HAPPEN
Exposure may occur while handling concentrated products, through airborne fragrance components or through contact with residues remaining on fabrics.
WHAT THE EVIDENCE SAYS
The amount of contact varies substantially between product formats, formulations, dosing practices, rinse cycles and individual laundry routines.
WHAT CHANGES EXPOSURE
Product concentration, dose, rinse cycle, ventilation, handling method and frequency of use can change exposure.
PRACTICAL STEP
Measure products according to the label rather than automatically using more, and compare lower-fragrance options if fragrance exposure is something you want to reduce.
WHAT YOU MAY ENCOUNTER+
Detergents, fragrance ingredients, fabric conditioners and product residues.
HOW EXPOSURE CAN HAPPEN+
Exposure may occur while handling concentrated products, through airborne fragrance components or through contact with residues remaining on fabrics.
WHAT THE EVIDENCE SAYS+
The amount of contact varies substantially between product formats, formulations, dosing practices, rinse cycles and individual laundry routines.
WHAT CHANGES EXPOSURE+
Product concentration, dose, rinse cycle, ventilation, handling method and frequency of use can change exposure.
PRACTICAL STEP+
Measure products according to the label rather than automatically using more, and compare lower-fragrance options if fragrance exposure is something you want to reduce.
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Nursery
Nursery
SKIN • INHALATION • DUST
Indoor materials, furnishings and routine product use can contribute to several exposure pathways within children's spaces.
WHAT YOU MAY ENCOUNTER
Furnishings, decorating materials, personal-care products and cleaning products.
HOW EXPOSURE CAN HAPPEN
Exposure may occur through direct skin contact, indoor air, household dust or contact with treated and coated surfaces.
WHAT THE EVIDENCE SAYS
The significance of an exposure depends on the specific substance or material, concentration, route, duration, frequency and the conditions under which the product is used.
WHAT CHANGES EXPOSURE
Ventilation, cleaning routines, product quantity, material age, frequency of use and the time spent in the room can influence exposure.
PRACTICAL STEP
When decorating or introducing new furnishings, follow product instructions and allow appropriate ventilation during and after installation where recommended.
WHAT YOU MAY ENCOUNTER+
Furnishings, decorating materials, personal-care products and cleaning products.
HOW EXPOSURE CAN HAPPEN+
Exposure may occur through direct skin contact, indoor air, household dust or contact with treated and coated surfaces.
WHAT THE EVIDENCE SAYS+
The significance of an exposure depends on the specific substance or material, concentration, route, duration, frequency and the conditions under which the product is used.
WHAT CHANGES EXPOSURE+
Ventilation, cleaning routines, product quantity, material age, frequency of use and the time spent in the room can influence exposure.
PRACTICAL STEP+
When decorating or introducing new furnishings, follow product instructions and allow appropriate ventilation during and after installation where recommended.
COMPOSITION DECODER
FOLLOW THE INGREDIENTS.
UNDERSTAND THE FORMULA.
Follow the ingredient list from top to bottom to see what ingredient order can and cannot tell you about how a formula is structured.
An ingredient list is more than a collection of names. Its order can provide clues about how a cosmetic formula is constructed. Follow the list from top to bottom to understand what the sequence can - and cannot - tell you.
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Below are the sample Ingredient order provides useful context, but it should not be used to calculate exact ingredient percentages.
The first ingredients usually form the largest part of the formula.
Ingredient lists generally begin with ingredients used at higher relative levels. Water, oils, surfactants or other major base materials may appear here depending on the type of product.
WHAT THE ORDER TELLS YOU
These ingredients are likely to make up a substantial part of the overall formulation.
WHAT IT DOESN'T TELL YOU
Position alone does not reveal an exact percentage, ingredient quality or product performance.
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THE THING TO REMEMBER
Start at the top. The first ingredients provide the strongest clues about the main structure of the formula.
2
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5
INGREDIENT
Aqua
THE MAIN SYSTEM
THE INGREDIENTS THAT BUILD THE FORMULA
This part often contains the ingredients responsible for the product's main structure and function.
Depending on the product, this area may contain surfactants, emollients, humectants, conditioning agents or other ingredients that contribute strongly to how the formula behaves.
WHAT THE ORDER TELLS YOU
These ingredients can provide useful clues about the product's primary formulation system.
WHAT IT DOESN'T TELL YOU
Order alone cannot determine how well those ingredients perform together.
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THE THING TO REMEMBER
Look at neighbouring ingredients together. The main system is easier to understand as a group than as isolated names.
3
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5
INGREDIENT
Aqua
THE MIDDLE
WHERE SUPPORTING INGREDIENTS APPEAR
The centre of the list often contains supporting and secondary formula components.
These may contribute to texture, conditioning, moisturising, stability, appearance or other functional characteristics of the product.
WHAT THE ORDER TELLS YOU
They may be present at lower relative levels than ingredients appearing near the beginning.
WHAT IT DOESN'T TELL YOU
Their exact concentration, importance or effectiveness cannot be calculated from position alone.
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THE THING TO REMEMBER
Concentration and functional importance are not the same thing.
4
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5
INGREDIENT
Aqua
THE LOWER-LEVEL ZONE
LOWER POSITION DOESN'T MEAN UNIMPORTANT
Ingredients used at relatively low levels may still perform important functions.
This part of an ingredient list may contain pH adjusters, stabilisers, preservatives, fragrance materials, colours or other supporting ingredients.
WHAT THE ORDER TELLS YOU
These ingredients may occur at comparatively lower concentrations than ingredients near the beginning.
WHAT IT DOESN'T TELL YOU
Position alone cannot determine safety, necessity or functional importance.
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THE THING TO REMEMBER
Do not treat the lower portion of the list as an exact 1% marker. The precise threshold cannot normally be identified from ingredient order alone.
5
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5
INGREDIENT
Aqua
THE FINAL INGREDIENTS
DON'T IGNORE THE END OF THE LIST
Lower concentration does not mean irrelevant.
Preservatives, fragrance materials, colourants, fragrance allergens, pH adjusters and other functional ingredients may appear toward the latter part of an ingredient list depending on the formulation.
WHAT THE ORDER TELLS YOU
These ingredients may be used at considerably lower levels than the main formula ingredients.
WHAT IT DOESN'T TELL YOU
Their position alone cannot tell you whether an ingredient is effective, safe, unsafe, beneficial or unnecessary.
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THE THING TO REMEMBER
Read the whole ingredient list. Position provides context — it is not a safety or quality score.
30-SECOND LABEL CHECK
HOW TRANSPARENT IS THIS LABEL?
Answer a few questions using the product packaging and the brand's website.
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Base your answers on information you can actually find. This check evaluates disclosure and information availability not product safety.
LABEL CHECK
0 / 4
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Please answer all required questions before checking the transparency score.
LIMITED DISCLOSURE
Important product information may be difficult to find, incomplete or communicated mainly through broad front-of-pack claims.
Look for the complete ingredient declaration, clearer explanations of ingredient purpose and specific evidence behind prominent product claims.
BASIC DISCLOSURE
Some useful information is available, but there may still be gaps in ingredient context, claim specificity or supporting information.
Check whether the brand provides complete ingredient information and explains the meaning or evidence behind its most prominent claims.
STRONG DISCLOSURE
The label and supporting brand information provide a relatively strong level of disclosure, while some areas may still benefit from additional context.
Review the remaining gaps and look for supporting detail where claims, fragrance information or ingredient functions are not fully explained.
HIGH TRANSPARENCY
The product information provides a high level of accessible disclosure across the questions included in this transparency check.
Continue evaluating the substance of the information provided. High disclosure does not itself establish product safety, suitability, efficacy or regulatory compliance.
TRANSPARENCY RESULT
0
%
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WHAT TO LOOK FOR NEXT
CLAIMS & CERTIFICATIONS
WHAT DOES THAT LOGO ACTUALLY VERIFY?
A logo, seal or claim can communicate something useful but only if you know what standard sits behind it. Explore what common claims verify, and what they don't.
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entries
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WHAT IT VERIFIES
That the advertiser is making a dermatological testing claim which should be supported by appropriate evidence.
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WHAT IT DOES NOT VERIFY
The phrase alone does not tell you the study design, number of participants, methodology, result or whether the dermatologist recommends the product.
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WHAT IT DOES NOT VERIFY
Natural origin does not automatically establish safety, efficacy or environmental superiority.
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WHAT IT DOES NOT VERIFY
The phrase does not identify what substances have actually been excluded.
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WHAT IT VERIFIES
Animal-testing policy and supply-chain compliance under the certification programme.
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WHAT IT DOES NOT VERIFY
It is not a general certification of ingredient safety or product efficacy.
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WHAT IT VERIFIES
Compliance with the programme's own ingredient, restriction and disclosure criteria.
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WHAT IT DOES NOT VERIFY
It is not equivalent to approval by a UK regulator and should not be interpreted as universal proof that a product is risk-free.
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NO MATCHING CLAIMS FOUND
Try another claim name, certification, standard or category.
COMMUNITY REQUESTS
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