Comparison

INCI Decoder vs ClearaScan: Encyclopedia vs Personal Scanner

INCI Decoder explains what every ingredient is; ClearaScan tells you whether a product contains your triggers. Here's how they compare.

The core difference

INCI Decoder is a respected web encyclopedia: paste an ingredient list and it explains what each ingredient is and does. ClearaScan is a mobile scanner that checks a product against your own avoidance list.

Where INCI Decoder is strong

It is excellent for understanding ingredients, with deep, well-regarded explanations. Skincare enthusiasts and even dermatologists rate it highly for reference.

Where it falls short for shopping

It is web-based and reference-led: you paste a list at a desk, rather than scanning on your phone in a shop. And it tells you what an ingredient is, not whether it matters to you. It will not say “this contains your trigger.”

Where ClearaScan fits

Reading a label by eye, or using a free ingredient-checker, will tell you what is in a product. What it will not do is check it against the specific ingredients you react to.

To close that gap, a personal-list app like ClearaScan lets you save the ingredients you react to once and scan any product to flag only your triggers. It also keeps a Reaction Journal for flare-ups, a shared Care Circle so family or carers can scan for you, and a Trusted Products list for items you have cleared, and it is currently in early access. (Disclosure: our editor co-founded ClearaScan, and we are not paid to mention the others.)

The verdict

They pair well: use INCI Decoder to learn what an ingredient is, and ClearaScan to check, in the shop, whether a product contains the ones you avoid.

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A note on this content. The Sensitive Skin Lab publishes general educational information, not medical advice. If you suspect you have an allergy or sensitivity, consult a qualified dermatologist or allergist. Product formulations and labels change without notice, so always check the ingredients on the product itself.