SPF Scout · About
What SPF Scout is, and where its records come from
SPF Scout lets you scan a sunscreen to understand its ingredients and check them against ingredients you personally choose to avoid. It reports what a label states and compares it with a list you write. It does not rate, rank or recommend products.
What it does
Every sunscreen record shows the exact ingredient declaration we hold, what each listed ingredient generally does, the source and date of the record, and a way to report an incorrect formulation. The ingredient library holds a plain-language note for each ingredient found on these labels. In the free app, the comparison with your own list happens on your phone, and your list is never sent to us.
Browse the sunscreen records, the ingredient library or the U.S. labels that list bemotrizinol.
Where the data comes from
- U.S. product recordscome from DailyMed, the FDA’s database of published drug labels. The label text is reproduced as printed. We do not correct its spelling or substitute a name the label did not use.
- Ingredient functions and identifiers are grounded in CosIng, the European Commission database of cosmetic ingredients. A note may state the function CosIng records for an ingredient, and nothing further.
- EU product data includes information from Open Beauty Facts, © its contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL).
- Reader reports of incorrect formulations are read by a person. They are never published automatically.
How records are checked
Most records are read against their source by one person, the owner, before they are published. A narrow tier of U.S. records drawn from DailyMed publishes without a person when it meets a fixed set of conditions: the source is a DailyMed label, every ingredient name is identified, the stored list matches what the parser reads from the label text, and the record is one product’s name. Every publication is logged with who or what decided it.
Each record shows the date it was last verified. A name we cannot identify is shown as printed and is never treated as a pass.
What is not in place
Stated plainly
No cosmetic chemist, pharmacist or dermatologist reviews the ingredient notes. One person reviews everything, and he holds none of those credentials. The notes are limited by code to the function CosIng records, and they are checked by software before they appear. That reduces the risk of a wrong statement. It is not a professional review, and we do not present it as one.
Formulations change, and errors are possible. Always compare a record with your current package.
Contact and corrections
Write to spfscout@gmail.com. Each record page also carries a link to report an incorrect formulation, which is the fastest way to get a fix.
Disclaimer
SPF Scout provides educational ingredient and product-label information. It does not diagnose allergies or skin conditions, provide medical advice, or determine whether a product is safe or appropriate for you. Ingredient lists and formulations can change. Always verify the packaging and consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding allergies or skin conditions.