Cookie Policy
Effective date: 28 August 2026 · Version 1.0
Governing law: Republic of South Africa · Contact: legal@skinlabs.co.za
1. Introduction
This Cookie Policy explains how SkinLabs® (“SkinLabs”, “we”, “us” or “our”) uses cookies and similar technologies on skinlabs.co.za and within our SKYNN AI skin-analysis tools and related services (collectively, the “Platform”). It should be read together with our Privacy Policy.
We are committed to transparency and to giving you meaningful control over non-essential cookies. Our cookie preference centre allows you to customise settings; those choices are stored in a first-party cookie so that they persist across browser sessions on the same device.
2. What are cookies and similar technologies?
Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. Similar technologies include local storage, session storage, pixels and software development kits (SDKs). They help the Platform function, remember your preferences, measure performance and (with your consent) deliver personalised experiences.
3. Categories of cookies we use
Essential cookies do not require consent. All other categories are disabled by default until you enable them via the cookie banner or preference centre (privacy by default).
Essential / Strictly Necessary
Required for the Platform to function: security, session management, load balancing, storing your cookie-consent choices, account login and payment initiation. Without these cookies core features (including login and SKYNN AI session state) cannot operate.
Examples:
- Session cookies
- Security / CSRF tokens
- Cookie-consent storage
- Load-balancing cookies
Analytics / Performance
Help us understand how visitors use the Platform (page views, navigation paths, feature usage, error rates) so we can improve performance and content. Data is aggregated or pseudonymised where practicable.
Examples:
- Aggregated usage metrics
- Page-view tracking
- Performance monitoring
Personalisation / Functionality
Remember choices you make (language, display preferences, previously viewed content, partial skin-analysis progress) and deliver a more tailored experience.
Examples:
- Preference storage
- Partial analysis progress
- Display / theme settings
Advertising / Targeting
Used only if you switch it on, to deliver relevant advertising on our Platform or third-party sites, measure ad effectiveness and limit ad frequency. When on, the TikTok Pixel loads and shares page views and key actions (such as signing up or starting a trial) with TikTok, together with a hashed email address if you are signed in. Photos and skin-analysis answers are never shared. Switch it off in the preference centre and the pixel stops immediately.
Examples:
- TikTok Pixel (_ttp)
- Ad-measurement cookies
- Frequency capping
4. First-party and third-party cookies
Most cookies set by SkinLabs are first-party cookies (placed by skinlabs.co.za). We may also allow carefully selected third-party service providers (for example analytics or payment processors) to set cookies. Any third-party cookies are activated only after you grant the relevant consent category. We require such providers to process data only for the agreed purpose and in accordance with POPIA and any applicable Data Processing Agreement.
5. Managing your cookie preferences (customisable & persistent)
When you first visit the Platform you will see a cookie banner that allows you to:
- Accept all non-essential cookies;
- Reject all non-essential cookies; or
- Open the preference centre and toggle individual categories on or off.
Your choices are stored in a first-party cookie (or equivalent local storage) so that they persist for subsequent visits from the same browser and device. You can reopen the preference centre at any time via the “Cookie Settings” or “Storage Preferences” link in the website footer or cookie banner. Clearing cookies through your browser may reset stored preferences.
Note: Essential cookies cannot be disabled through the preference centre. Blocking them via browser settings may make login, SKYNN AI analysis and payment unavailable.
6. Cookies and local storage used by SKYNN AI
The SKYNN AI skin-analysis feature uses local storage or session storage to hold your consent choices, your in-progress answers and your latest result on your own device, so you can continue where you left off. A photo you add is never written to storage and never leaves your device. Any longer-term storage of analysis results occurs only after you create an account or explicitly save results, and is governed by our Privacy Policy (including special personal information rules under POPIA).
7. Do Not Track and browser signals
Some browsers transmit “Do Not Track” (DNT) signals. Because there is no uniform industry standard for responding to DNT, the Platform does not currently alter its behaviour solely on the basis of a DNT signal. We rely instead on the explicit choices you make in our cookie preference centre.
8. Changes to this Cookie Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time. The “Effective date” at the top will be revised and, where material changes affect your rights, we will provide additional notice. Continued use after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the updated Policy, subject always to your rights under POPIA.
Manage your cookie & storage preferences
Update your choices below at any time — changes apply immediately on this device and persist across sessions.
Cookie categories
Essential
Always on — required for login, checkout and basic site function.
Analytics
Helps us see which pages and features are actually used.
Personalisation
Tailors recommendations and content to your skin profile.
Targeted advertising
Used to show relevant ads and measure campaign performance.
Storage preferences
Beyond cookies, SkinLabs stores a few things directly in your browser (not on our servers) to make the site work without an account — free-tier counters, liked briefings, podcast progress. Here's exactly what that is, and a way to clear it.
Cookie consent record
Remembers the cookie choices you've made so we don't ask again every visit.
Free-tier usage counters
Tracks how many free podcast plays, Shelf Showdowns and Spotlight profiles you've used this month.
Liked & saved content
Your liked and saved Daily Skinny briefings.
Podcast playback
Resume positions, likes and free-play counts for podcast episodes.
Display preferences
Your selected currency and whether you've already dismissed the maintenance banner.
Questions about cookies or your data? Contact us at legal@skinlabs.co.za