We read the label so you don't have to.
WithoutWith was born from a simple, frustrating experience: trying to find a sunscreen that was safe for my kids and didn't contain a specific list of chemicals my doctor said to avoid.
From Personal Need to Public Mission
Hi, I’m Ali Hassan, a data analyst, parent, and the founder of WithoutWith. My journey started not in a boardroom, but in the brightly lit aisle of a pharmacy. I was trying to find a sunscreen for my family, armed with a list of ingredients our pediatrician recommended we avoid. I spent nearly an hour comparing dozens of products, my phone screen glowing as I cross-referenced unpronounceable chemical names with confusing search results. I left feeling frustrated, powerless, and without a sunscreen.
That experience was a turning point. I realized the internet was full of information, but none of it answered my very simple, direct questions: "Which shampoos at this store are free of sulfates?" or "Which moisturizers actually contain a high concentration of hyaluronic acid?" The existing resources were either dense scientific papers or marketing-driven blogs. There was no practical tool for the everyday consumer.
That's the gap WithoutWith exists to fill. We are not another blog or a review site swayed by brand partnerships. We are a relational directory — a structured, searchable, and ever-growing database built to give you fast, accurate, and unbiased answers about the products you use every day. We do the tedious work of reading the fine print so you can make confident choices in seconds.
The "Without" Philosophy
This is about empowerment and safety. It's for when you need to avoid something specific — whether it's a known allergen, a potential irritant, a hormone disruptor, or simply an ingredient you prefer not to use. We give you the clarity to eliminate products that don't meet your standards.
The "With" Philosophy
This is about targeted discovery. It's for when you're actively seeking a product containing a beneficial, evidence-backed ingredient. Whether you're looking for Vitamin C for brightness or ceramides for barrier repair, we help you find the products that deliver what you're looking for.
Our Unwavering Commitment to Trustworthy Data
In an industry filled with "greenwashing" and marketing hype, we know that our value lies in our trustworthiness. Our process is meticulous, transparent, and designed to put the user first. Every product in our database has been processed through our rigorous, human-supervised verification pipeline.
We source the physical product and photograph its ingredient label—this is our non-negotiable source of truth. We then use AI-powered tools to perform an initial transcription, which is then handed off to our team of human analysts. These analysts meticulously review and correct every single ingredient, ensuring our data is an exact match to the physical label. Only after this human verification step is a product's analysis published. Our master "Without" and "With" lists are curated based on data from regulatory bodies, environmental groups, and independent researchers. We do not accept payment to add or remove any ingredient from either list. You can read our full Editorial Guidelines to learn more about our process.
Our Promise of Transparency
We are not doctors or dermatologists. The information on this site is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Our goal is to provide accurate information to help you make informed decisions, but you should always consult a qualified professional for health concerns. Our full disclaimer provides more detail.
We are brand-agnostic and unbiased. We do not accept payment from brands for product placement, favorable reviews, or to alter our analysis. To support our operations, we may use affiliate links for some products, which means we may earn a small commission if you make a purchase. This financial model never influences which products we include, our analysis of them, or their visibility on the site.
WithoutWith — without the noise, with the answers you can trust.