Fragrance free vs unscented: what the labels mean

Two different claims

Unscented is about smell. The FDA notes that even some products labelled unscented may contain fragrance ingredients, because the maker may add just enough to mask the unpleasant smell of other ingredients without giving the product a noticeable scent.¹

Fragrance free is about content: it says the product contains no fragrance. For people concerned about fragrance sensitivities, the FDA suggests choosing fragrance-free products and checking the ingredient list carefully.¹

Neither term is defined

Neither phrase appears in the FDA's cosmetic labelling regulations² or in the EU cosmetics regulation.³ In the EU the general rule on claims applies instead: labelling must not imply that a product has characteristics or functions it does not have.³ Where a brand draws the line is its own reading of the words, which is why the ingredient list is the better check.

Masking fragrance

Some ingredients are there to cover an odour, not to add one. On a US label, an ingredient that masks an off-odour without adding a noticeable scent may be listed by its own name or as fragrance, and if it is present only at an insignificant level it may count as an incidental ingredient and be left off the label altogether.⁴ The INCI naming guide likewise describes Fragrance and Parfum as names for materials used to produce or to mask an odour.⁵

So an unscented product can list Fragrance or Parfum. If you are avoiding fragrance, the word on the list matters more than the word on the front.

Plant oils and extracts carry scent too

The FDA says there is no regulatory definition of essential oils, and that the law treats ingredients from plants the same as those from any other source.¹ Plant oils are also where many fragrance substances come from: lavender oil is mainly linalool and linalyl acetate, and limonene is the main component of citrus oils.⁶

Since 2023 the EU has listed several plant oils themselves among the fragrance allergens that labels must name, including Citrus Limon Peel Oil from lemon peel, Mentha Piperita Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, and lavender oils, which are named Lavandula Oil/Extract.⁷

Fragrance substances that EU labels name

On EU labels, Parfum covers the whole scent mixture, but certain fragrance substances must also be named when they exceed 0.001% in a leave-on or 0.01% in a rinse-off product.⁸⁷ Linalool, Limonene, Citronellol and Citral are on that list, and must be named whether they come from a fragrance blend or a plant oil.⁵

One caution: a name on that list is not always there for its scent. Benzyl Alcohol, for example, is also an approved preservative.³ For the full picture, see EU fragrance allergen labels.

How to check a label

• Parfum, Aroma, Fragrance or Flavor means a scent or flavour mixture is in the product.⁸²
• Named fragrance substances after it, such as Linalool or Limonene, were above the labelling threshold on an EU product.
• Plant oils and extracts, especially citrus peel, lavender, mint and eucalyptus, can carry scent with or without the word Parfum.
• The claim on the front comes last. Unscented and fragrance free are both the brand's description, not a defined standard.

If you know you react to a specific fragrance substance, look for its name. A list that says only Parfum cannot confirm that the substance is absent, and below the labelling threshold it need not be named at all. The ingredient checker marks every fragrance ingredient and named fragrance allergen in a list you paste.