EWG Ratings
What the score means and can you trust a green score

What the EWG score means, from 1 to 10

EWG runs a cosmetic ingredient database called Skin Deep and gives each ingredient a score from 1 to 10. A 1 or 2 is low concern (the "green" score people talk about), 3 to 6 is moderate, and 7 to 10 is high concern. It looks at cancer, reproductive toxicity, allergies and skin irritation, and it also factors in how much research exists on the ingredient.

EWG is not a government agency

EWG (Environmental Working Group) is a U.S. nonprofit environmental group. It is not a regulator like the U.S. FDA or Korea's MFDS, so its scores carry no legal weight. It is useful for looking up ingredient information quickly, but judging by the score alone easily leads to misunderstandings.

Hazard and risk are different

This is the key point. Hazard is an ingredient's built-in potential to cause harm at very high amounts or under special conditions. Risk also weighs how much of it actually goes into a product and how often it touches your skin.

Put simply, an ingredient that caused problems at high doses in toxicity tests can be safe at the small amount allowed in cosmetics. Korea's MFDS and the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) judge by real use levels and exposure, while the EWG score often does not reflect that amount directly. That is why the two can disagree.

Missing data pushes the score up

When an ingredient has little research in its database, EWG adds that uncertainty to the score. So a new or plant-derived ingredient with fewer studies can score higher than one studied for decades. Having little data and being dangerous are two different things.

Can you trust a green score?

Here are four common misunderstandings.

• "Anything 7 or above should be avoided": ingredients the MFDS or the EU allow within limits can still score high on EWG. Check the MFDS usage standard instead of dropping them on the score alone.
• "A green score is safe for everyone": it means the data so far raised no major concern, not that your skin will have no allergy or irritation.
• "EWG is an official standard": it is a nonprofit's score with no legal force, and it is not reviewed by an independent scientific committee the way MFDS or EU SCCS assessments are.
• "Natural scores low and synthetic scores high": a natural ingredient with reported irritation can score high, and a synthetic one with plenty of safety data can score low.

How to check ingredients against MFDS standards

In Korea, the MFDS sets which ingredients are banned and how much of others may be used through its Regulations on Safety Standards for Cosmetics. The EU assesses ingredients under the Cosmetics Regulation (EC No 1223/2009) and SCCS opinions. Both judge by the amount actually used in products.

• Use EWG only as a first lookup. Do not stop at the score; move on to the next step.
• Check the MFDS usage standard too. Whether the ingredient has a usage limit or is banned gives a far clearer picture.
• If the score is high, open the reasons. EWG shows why item by item. Knowing whether it is a data gap or a specific toxicity concern makes the call easier.
• Your skin has the final say. No standard can predict your allergies in advance. Patch test new products with a small amount first.

Frequently asked questions

Should I avoid ingredients rated 7 to 10 by EWG?

Not necessarily. The EWG score looks at an ingredient's potential to cause harm, which is not the same as whether it is harmful at the amount actually used in cosmetics. Ingredients allowed within limits by the MFDS or the EU can still score high on EWG.

Is EWG a government agency?

No. EWG is a U.S. nonprofit environmental group. It has no regulatory authority like the FDA or the MFDS, and it scores ingredients from 1 to 10 in its own Skin Deep database.

Is a green EWG score always safe?

It is not a guarantee. A low score means the data gathered so far raised no major concern, not that your skin will have no allergy or irritation. Patch test new products yourself.

Why does missing data raise the score?

When an ingredient has little research in its database, EWG adds that uncertainty to the score. New or plant-derived ingredients with fewer studies can end up scoring higher than they should. Little data does not mean danger.