What Is EWG Rating / EWG Verified?
In plain English: EWG (Environmental Working Group) is a U.S. nonprofit that rates products for ingredient hazard. Its databases score items 1-10 (Skin Deep) or A-F (Healthy Cleaning), while the separate EWG VERIFIED mark means a product met EWG's strictest ingredient and transparency standards.
Also listed as: EWG score, Skin Deep rating, Guide to Healthy Cleaning grade, EWG VERIFIED mark
The honest science
EWG is a nonprofit research and advocacy group, not a government agency. It runs two consumer databases: Skin Deep for personal-care products and the Guide to Healthy Cleaning for cleaners. The Skin Deep hazard score runs 1 to 10, where a green 1-2 signals low concern and a red 8-10 flags higher concern based on known and suspected ingredient hazards 1. The cleaning guide uses a comparable A-to-F letter grade.
A rating carries a second signal, a data-availability rating, that reflects how much published scientific literature exists on an ingredient, so a low hazard score with thin data is a softer claim than one backed by lots of studies 1.
The EWG VERIFIED mark is a stricter, separate thing. It's a paid certification a brand applies for, and to earn it a product cannot contain anything on EWG's "unacceptable" list, must fully disclose its ingredients (including fragrance components), and must follow good manufacturing practices 2. For a label-reader, the practical takeaway: an EWG score is EWG's independent hazard opinion, useful but reflecting one organization's methodology and sometimes debated; the VERIFIED seal is a higher bar the company opted into. Neither is an FDA or EPA safety approval, so treat them as informed guidance, not government clearance.
Where you'll find it
- cleaning-product labels and marketing
- personal-care and cosmetic packaging
- brand websites and retailer filters
The safer-swap angle: EWG ratings are a useful starting filter for label-readers, but they're one nonprofit's methodology, not a government verdict. Read the actual ingredient list too, and remember a low score with little data is a weaker claim than a well-studied one.
Frequently asked questions
What does an EWG score of 1 mean versus 10?
On EWG's Skin Deep 1-10 scale, 1-2 (green) means low expected hazard from the ingredients and 8-10 (red) means high concern. The Guide to Healthy Cleaning uses an A-F letter grade for the same idea on cleaning products.
Is EWG VERIFIED the same as a good EWG score?
No. A score is EWG's hazard rating of a product's ingredients. EWG VERIFIED is a separate mark a brand pays to apply for, requiring no ingredients from EWG's unacceptable list, full ingredient disclosure, and good manufacturing practices. It's a higher, opt-in bar.
Is EWG an official government safety rating?
No. EWG is an independent nonprofit, not the FDA or EPA. Its ratings are informed guidance based on its own methodology, which experts sometimes debate, so use them alongside the ingredient list rather than as official clearance.
Sources
- Understanding Skin Deep ratings — EWG Skin Deep
- EWG VERIFIED: A mark you can trust — EWG
Ingredient safety data changes as new research is published, and product formulas change over time. Always read the current label and check primary sources.
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