The shelves are full of products that promise “fresh,” “gentle,” “natural” and even “unscented,” and those words promise far less than they seem to. Here’s how to shop around the marketing and bring home things that are actually fragrance-free.
Evidence key Strong Moderate Weak How we grade
Ignore the front of the bottle
In the US, "fragrance free", "unscented" and "free and clear" have no legal definition, so each company picks its own meaning; some "unscented" products contain a masking fragrance added to hide the product's smell. Strong evidence. Rodriguez 2024
Treat vague words like 'natural', 'green', 'eco-friendly' or 'for sensitive skin' as marketing, not evidence: read the ingredient list for parfum/aroma, essential oils and named fragrance allergens. Even 'fragrance-free' can allow essential oils and multifunctional allergens such as benzyl alcohol. Moderate evidence. Dahl 2010
The reassuring words are often the least reliable. Among the same best-selling US moisturizers, 15 of 18 labeled "hypoallergenic" (83%) and 95% of those labeled "dermatologist recommended" contained at least one common skin allergen; only 12% of all products contained none. Moderate evidence. Xu 2017 'For sensitive skin' is not a promise of no fragrance allergens: all 15 natural products named 'sensitive', 'soothing' or 'soft' listed between 1 and 7 of the EU's labeled fragrance allergens. Moderate evidence. Klaschka 2016
Read the back instead
Several hundred different label names can signal fragrance (chemical names, over 50 essential oils by common or Latin name, and synonyms such as aroma, parfum, perfume and scent), so dermatologists say allergic patients are very unlikely to find fragrance-free products by reading labels alone. Moderate evidence. Rodriguez 2024
That’s why we built tools to do the reading for you:
- Label decoder: paste or scan any ingredient list and it flags fragrance and allergens, plus ingredients banned in EU cosmetics, carcinogen and hormone-disruptor listings, and PFAS.
- EWG Skin Deep: look up shampoo, lotion, deodorant, makeup, sunscreen and baby products before you buy.
- EWG’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning: look up detergent, dish soap, surface cleaners and air fresheners.
Shopping outside the US
EU. Labels name more of the fragrance allergens, so the ingredient list tells you more and the label decoder can catch more. A 2023 EU rule expands the list of fragrance allergens that must be named on cosmetic labels from 26 to about 80 entries (56 substances plus related forms), phasing in from 2026 to 2028, above set concentration limits. Strong evidence. Sukakul 2024 Industry-funded
Canada. Named allergens are arriving on labels, but “unscented” still doesn’t mean what it says. Starting April 12, 2026, Canadian cosmetics must individually name 24 specific fragrance allergens (expanding to 81 by August 2026 for new products and August 2028 for existing products) when present above 0.001% in leave-on products or 0.01% in rinse-off products — a named, dated, threshold-based mandate the parallel US MoCRA fragrance-allergen provision (FFDCA section 609(b)) still lacks. Strong evidence. Health Canada 2026 In Canada, a cosmetic labeled 'unscented' or 'fragrance-free' can legally still contain a fragrance ingredient added specifically to mask another smell, declared only as 'parfum' or 'fragrance' on the ingredient list. Strong evidence. Health Canada 2026
Air fresheners. They’re the blind spot in the US, the EU and Australia. No law in the US, the EU or Australia requires air-freshener makers to list all their ingredients; a label can simply say 'fragrance'. Moderate evidence. Steinemann 2017 More on the rules country by country on our rights page.
Shopping by category
Skin, hair and body
If you have fragrance allergy or eczema, don't rely on "fragrance free", "hypoallergenic" or "dermatologist recommended": in best-selling US moisturizers these claims often coexisted with listed skin allergens, so check the full ingredient list or a dermatologist-checked product list. Moderate evidence. Xu 2017
If you are allergic to fragrance, check the full ingredient list of "fragrance-free" products and prescribed creams for benzyl alcohol, and ask for patch testing with your own products if reactions continue. Moderate evidence. Jacob & Barron 2007
Babies and kids
Pediatric dermatologists advise that products for children be mild, slightly acidic and fragrance-free. Moderate evidence. Melo 2020
Green, organic or natural labels on baby products did not mean fewer released chemicals, so choosing products labeled fragrance-free (without essential oils) is the more reliable way to avoid scent chemicals. Moderate evidence. Nematollahi 2018 More in our guide for parents.
Period products
Choose unscented tampons, liners and pads, and read "fresh" on the pack as "fragranced": the allergens inside will not be listed. Moderate evidence. Desmedt 2020
Laundry and cleaning
Fragrance-free cosmetics and laundry products cut the main routes by which synthetic musks enter the body: skin contact and washed clothing. Moderate evidence. Schmeiser 2001 Check them in EWG’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning.
The air at home
For fragrance-allergic people, dermatologists recommend removing diffusers, scented candles, room deodorizers, incense and wax melts, switching household cleaners, wipes and laundry products to fragrance-free, and bringing your own shampoo to the salon and your own oil to massages. Moderate evidence. Rodriguez 2024
The EPA’s general advice for chemicals indoors applies too. EPA's own first advice on indoor VOCs is to identify and remove the source, ventilate when products are used, and buy only what you will use soon, because even closed containers leak. Moderate evidence. US EPA 2026 See what air fresheners put in your air.
Tips from people who’ve done it
- Switch one product at a time, starting with the ones that cover the most air or skin: laundry detergent, cleaners, soap.
- Keep a note on your phone of products that worked, and of the words that tripped you up.
- Ask in the ihateperfume.com Discord‘s #product-finds channel. People post what actually worked for them.
- Read why “unscented” doesn’t mean fragrance-free before you trust either word.
Every claim above shows its evidence grade and names its source, with a link wherever one exists. We don’t take money from brands and don’t recommend specific products. Information, not medical advice.