Frequently asked questions
About the program
What is the EWG Verified® program?
EWG Verified® is a trademark licensing program that follows a published set of health standards developed by EWG's research team. EWG Verified is a mark consumers can trust. The program is grounded in the most recent scientific data on ingredient and product safety.
With tens of thousands of products on the market, it can be overwhelming to know which ones are safer or healthier for your family. The EWG Verified mark lets consumers make healthy purchasing choices more easily. When consumers search product aisles for the EWG Verified mark, they know that products bearing it are free from EWG's chemicals of concern and meet our strictest criteria for transparency and ingredient safety.
Why should my company get our product(s) EWG Verified?
If your values align with EWG’s, and you are committed to creating safer products with greater transparency, this program allows you to convey that your products meet EWG's strictest criteria for health and safety, setting your products apart from others on the market. Specifically, the EWG Verified mark helps to:
- Highlight quickly and easily that your product meets EWG's strictest standards, which makes healthier shopping decisions easier for consumers.
- Demonstrate that your company’s values align with EWG’s in their commitment to using better ingredients and dedication to transparency.
- Move the market toward safer, more transparent products.
- Support EWG’s groundbreaking research.
In addition, your product will be highlighted on our verified webpages such as EWG's Skin Deep® website, EWG’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning, and on www.ewg.org/ewgverified as an EWG Verified product. We may also feature your product on our EWG Verified social channels.
Interested in learning more? Tell us a bit about your company here.
Where does revenue from the EWG Verified program go?
Revenue generated by EWG Verified helps us assess whether products qualify for the program and ensures that EWG is able to continue its critical research and distribute it to consumers and beyond.
EWG's research gives consumers access to the information they need to make smarter choices and push policymakers to strengthen weak and outdated regulations. EWG works continually to keep its research, consumer guides and databases up to date and accurate.
Will EWG Verified expand beyond the current categories?
Yes. EWG Verified may continue to expand to other categories of personal care and household products. We started with personal care products and have already expanded to household cleaners, diapers, mattresses and pet grooming products.
General company questions
I represent a company interested in having the EWG Verified mark on our products. How do I begin? What are the criteria?
The entire process, along with the criteria and required documentation for each category, can be found at the links below:
If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].
How does EWG determine whether a product qualifies for the EWG Verified mark?
EWG developed a strict set of criteria to evaluate which products are eligible for the EWG Verified mark. The full criteria per category, including a complete list of eligible product types, “unacceptable” list of ingredients and “restricted” list of ingredients, can be found at the links below:
How much does it cost to get EWG Verified?
EWG Verified is a trademark licensing program that follows a published set of health standards independently developed by EWG's research team. The program, currently available in the personal care and cosmetics, household cleaners and baby diaper categories, is designed to facilitate participation by companies of all sizes and stages of development.
Costs for participation vary widely, generally on a sliding scale, based on factors such as company size and stage of development. Typical fees include an application fee, and annual licensing fee.
Revenue generated by the EWG Verified licensing program helps to support the assessment process necessary to determine whether products meet EWG's health standards. It also helps ensure that as a nonprofit, EWG can continue its critical research and mission.
Please email [email protected] with any questions or to learn more.
Where can the EWG Verified mark be displayed?
The EWG Verified mark can be displayed on:
- Product labeling and packaging
- Company websites
- Sales and promotional materials
How long does the verification process take?
The time required for completing the program’s verification process varies. It depends in part on the number of products being submitted and the potential need for additional documentation. Product reviews happen in two stages, with the initial review taking on average four to six weeks, followed by a secondary review that takes six to eight weeks.
You can read more about the full EWG Verified review process and timeline here.
If my company's product is approved for the EWG Verified program, how long is the mark valid?
The EWG Verified mark is valid for up to three years. If your company wants to maintain the mark beyond that time, you have to resubmit your product for verification.
If I want the EWG Verified mark on my product, do I need to first submit it to Skin Deep or the Guide to Healthy Cleaning?
No. As part of the verification process, companies explicitly allow EWG to upload their product information to the Skin Deep database to verify that the product scores in the green range. There is no need to first submit the information to Skin Deep or the Guide to Healthy Cleaning.
I have many products that score green on Skin Deep. Why aren't they automatically eligible for the EWG Verified mark?
A green score is only one component of EWG's verification criteria. There are other reasons your products might not qualify for the EWG Verified mark. For example, they may fall into a category that is ineligible for verification.
I have many products that score green on Skin Deep. Why aren't they automatically eligible for the EWG Verified mark?
A green score is only one component of EWG's verification criteria. There are other reasons your products might not qualify for the EWG Verified mark. For example, they may fall into a category that is ineligible for verification.
Check the complete criteria for the information used to determine whether a product is eligible for EWG's verification program.
If you have additional questions about your product's eligibility, please contact [email protected]
My product contains a restricted ingredient. How do I prove it meets the restrictions?
If your product contains a restricted ingredient, you will be prompted by EWG to submit documentation proving you comply with the restriction. If you have further questions, contact [email protected]
My company reformulated a product that had the EWG Verified mark on it. Do we need to go through the verification process again?
Yes. The EWG Verified mark on a product is specific to that formulation. If the formulation changes, your company must resubmit the product for verification. If you have further questions, contact [email protected]
My product’s formulation includes a proprietary ingredient. Is it eligible for the EWG Verified mark?
No. One of the criteria of EWG's verification is complete ingredient disclosure. To be eligible for the EWG Verified mark, manufacturers must disclose all ingredients on the product’s label and website.
How often does EWG review and update the criteria and "unacceptable" and "restricted" ingredient lists? What happens if a change affects my product's compliance with the EWG Verified program?
EWG reviews and updates the criteria and "unacceptable" and "restricted" lists once a year to reflect the latest in science, regulations and other relevant considerations. If changes are made to these lists that affect a product's compliance, companies have 18 months to make the necessary changes to the formulation and packaging or to submit the appropriate substantiating documentation. After the 18 month period, companies may no longer manufacture or distribute products with the EWG Verified mark that do not comply with the new "unacceptable" or "restricted" lists.
My product is no longer in the eligible score range for EWG Verified. What can I do?
EWG conducts an annual science and criteria update and review. During this time, we may add new references and findings to ensure that ingredient and product scores reflect the latest scientific understanding. If this update causes your product's score to increase outside the eligible scoring range for the EWG Verified program, it will no longer be in compliance with the EWG Verified criteria. Should this happen, EWG will notify you of this status change and you will have 18 months either to reformulate and resubmit your product to regain compliance, or to remove the EWG Verified mark from your product packaging and associated materials.
Not all of the ingredients in my products score green on Skin Deep. Is it still eligible for EWG Verified?
Yes. For a product to be eligible for EWG Verified, the overall product score must be green, scoring below our hazard threshold. Depending on the specific ingredients, it is possible to have a product that scores green with ingredients that are outside of the green range.
Are there EWG Verified products with ingredients that score yellow on Skin Deep?
Yes. To achieve verification, products must score below our threshold for hazard concerns, and companies must demonstrate that their ingredients and products meet all of EWG’s strict criteria. Depending on several factors, including the number of ingredients and the hazards associated with them, it is possible for the overall formulation to be verifiable with an ingredient that scores yellow.
Do third-party certifiers exist for EWG Verified or EWG Reviewed for Science?
No. We are aware of misleading statements from third parties providing services to assess and review formulations against leading safety standards including EWG Verified standards. EWG does not use or have accredited third party organizations for our EWG Verified or EWG Reviewed for Science programs, and we continually update our science, standards and algorithms. For brands and formulators seeking adherence to EWG’s strictest standards, whether seeking certification or Skin Deep score improvement, our EWG Reviewed for Science consultancy program is the safest option to ensure compliance.
Does EWG conduct audits of products to make sure they continue to meet the criteria?
The EWG Verified mark is valid for only up to three years. After three years, a company must resubmit its product information and complete the verification process again if it wants to keep the mark on its product. In addition, EWG reserves the right to test products carrying the mark at any time to ensure they still meet our strictest standards, as outlined in the EWG Verified criteria.
Are all sun protection factor, or SPF, products, including sunscreens, eligible for EWG Verified?
Yes. Recreational sunscreens as well as certain personal care products that provide sun protection, such as moisturizers and lip balms with SPF, are eligible for EWG Verified.
Does EWG Verified account for the efficacy of SPF products?
Yes. With the launch of EWG Verified sunscreens, our standards include key performance efficacy metrics for recreational sunscreen products. SPF products are now evaluated for their protection against ultraviolet rays.
EWG's Skin Deep Database
What Is Skin Deep?
Launched in 2004, EWG's Skin Deep database is an online guide for cosmetics and other personal care products that consumers use to find products with fewer ingredients that are potentially hazardous or haven't been thoroughly tested. Skin Deep combines product ingredient lists with information from dozens of toxicity and regulatory databases to calculate a score for each product and ingredient.
The database provides easy-to-navigate hazard ratings of personal care products. For more information about Skin Deep, visit https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/.
See https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/site/about.php to find out how products are scored.
How does EWG Verified differ from Skin Deep? Does it make Skin Deep obsolete?
EWG's Skin Deep is here to stay and will remain an important tool for consumers, as well as serving as the basis for EWG Verified.
Skin Deep is an educational tool for consumers that rates personal care products based on their ingredients. EWG Verified goes one step further by requiring companies to submit additional information that is not available on product labels. The EWG Verified program also offers an easily recognizable mark for companies to use on their products at point of sale to help them easily identify products that meet EWG's strict criteria.
How to contact us
I have additional questions and/or comments. How do I submit them?
Consumers: [email protected]
Companies interested in applying for EWG Verified: [email protected]