Singapore-based technology company SkintechMD has brought out a new app that enables consumers to scan cosmetics products to find out whether they are suitable for their skin type.

With the free CosScan app, consumers can input personal data relating to their skin type and experience of products used in the past. When they then scan a new cosmetics product using their smartphone, the app uses the data to assess the safety and suitability of a skincare product.

The app can provide answers to questions like “Which product should I buy for my skin?” and “Are the cosmetic ingredients inside the product beneficial or harmful for my skin?”

Users with oily skin, for example, will be warned if the product contains many ingredients that can block their pores.

The incorporates a cosmetic database of over 17,000 skincare ingredients and it is able to detect the presence of steroids, preservatives, antibiotics, antifungals, botanicals and other chemicals in the skincare product. It can scan products for ingredients that can cause skin allergy, blocked pores and those that are linked to cancer.

Jacqueline Goh, Managing Director of SkintechMD commented, “Our aim is to empower all consumers about the ingredients in their personal care products and to revolutionize the way customers choose and buy skincare products.”