Fragrances in Skin Care: What You Need to Know

Fragrances are one of the most common ingredients in many skin care and personal care products. While they can add a pleasant scent or even mask unpleasant scents in these products, fragrances can also be problematic for some people, particularly those with sensitive skin or fragrance allergies. In fact, fragrance is one of the leading causes of allergic contact dermatitis in cosmetics (3).

This is complicated even more by the fact that, in the United States, there are no official regulations surrounding the marketing claims that brands are able to make about products being “fragrance-free,” “unscented,” or even “hypoallergenic.” 

To help you sift through the confusion, we put together this guide explaining what each of these marketing terms means and how to find skin care products that will not irritate allergies or sensitivities for you.

Fragrances in skin care refer to a mixture of various aromatic compounds added to products to create a pleasant scent. These fragrances can be natural, meaning they are derived from essential oils, plant extracts, or animal-derived ingredients, or synthetic, meaning they are created in a laboratory setting.

Fragrances are found in a wide range of products, including:

• Moisturizers and lotions

• Cleansers and toners

• Sunscreens

• Shampoos and conditioners

• Deodorants and body sprays

• Makeup and perfumes

However, fragrances do more than just make products smell good. Some fragrance compounds can also act as preservatives or masking agents to cover up unpleasant odors from other ingredients. This is why understanding product labeling is important – just because a product claims to be “fragrance-free” doesn’t always mean it contains no fragrance-related ingredients.

While you might assume that “fragrance-free” means a product contains no fragrances at all, this is not always the case. There are no regulatory restrictions on what a product must or must not contain in order to carry the marketing term “fragrance-free.”

Generally speaking, “fragrance-free” means that there are no ingredients included in the formulation for the purpose of adding a scent. However, some fragrances can be used as preservatives rather than for their aromatic properties, which would mean that they might still be included in “fragrance-free” products.

Additionally, some botanical extracts like rose or lavender extract, for example, may be used for other therapeutic benefits and not solely for their scent. In this case, they might also be included in products labeled as “fragrance-free.”

The term “unscented” typically means that a product does not have a noticeable scent, but it may still contain fragrances or masking agents that neutralize unwanted odors. For example, a product may contain synthetic fragrances designed to counteract strong-smelling active ingredients.

It is important to note that this lack of transparency on ingredient labels is unlikely to cause a problem for most people. However, if you have very sensitive skin or a known allergy to particular fragrance ingredients, it can be problematic. 

As noted above, most people will not experience adverse effects from fragrances used in skin care products. For people with sensitive skin or allergies, however, fragrance ingredients can cause dermatitis or other symptoms related to allergies.

Fragrances are a leading cause of allergic contact dermatitis , a skin condition characterized by redness, itching, swelling, and irritation. Symptoms may appear where the product is applied and can range from mild irritation to severe rashes.

People with eczema, rosacea, or compromised skin barriers are particularly prone to developing fragrance-related reactions.

Certain fragrance compounds are more allergenic than others (5). Dermatologists use Fragrance Mix I and Fragrance Mix II in patch testing to identify fragrance allergies. These mixes contain common allergens like:

• Oak moss extract

• Isoeugenol

• Linalool and limonene (found in citrus and floral oils)

• Cinnamal (cinnamon-based compounds)

• Geraniol (rose oil derivative)

• Balsam of Peru

Some of these allergens have been banned in the EU , but they are still present in products sold in other parts of the world.

In the US, companies are not required to list individual fragrance components, so only the word “fragrance” or “parfum” may appear on ingredient lists. In Europe, on the other hand, stricter fragrance regulations require certain allergens to be labeled. This lack of transparency in the US makes it difficult for consumers to determine whether a product contains allergens.

If you have a fragrance allergy or sensitivity , you may need to use caution when using ingredients that contain “fragrance” or “parfum” – two catchall terms used to describe a number of fragrance ingredient combinations. Additionally, be on the lookout for specific fragrance ingredients that may also be listed on the label, such as:

• Linalool

• Limonene

• Eugenol

• Cinnamal (Cinnamaldehyde)

• Hexyl cinnamal

• Amyl cinnamal

• Geraniol

• Isoeugenol

• Coumarin

• Citral

• Benzyl alcohol

• Benzyl salicylate

• Benzyl benzoate

• Cinnamyl Alcohol

• Farnesol

• Citronellol

• Oakmoss and treemoss extracts

• Balsam of Peru (Myroxylon pereirae)

• Essential oils 

As with other skin care marketing terms, there are no regulations on “hypoallergenic” labeling on skin care or personal care products. Each brand tends to use its own definition of this term, often using it liberally. Thus, you cannot always take this term at face value and assume that it will be safe for sensitive skin.

That said, once you know your skin type, you can filter products based on sensitive skin to find the best hypoallergenic products. Some great choices for sensitive skin include:

Fragrances in skin care are not inherently bad, but the lack of transparency in ingredient labeling can make them problematic for those with allergies or sensitivities. While many people tolerate fragrances without any issues, others may experience allergic reactions. And because the US does not require full disclosure of fragrance ingredients on labels, it can be difficult or even impossible to know exactly what you’re putting on your skin.

If you have sensitive skin or fragrance allergies, read ingredient labels carefully and choose products specifically formulated for sensitive or allergic skin that are a match for your skin type.

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