Is it better to use unscented or fragrance-free products?

When I first started my clean beauty journey, I felt like I was constantly being bombarded with stern warnings about products with fragrance in everything from hair products to skincare. It made me curious because I didn’t quite understand what made fragrance “bad" and fragrance-free "good." Fast forward to many years (and hours of research) later -- I’ve done my homework and want to share what I’ve learned about fragrance.

Are fragrances really bad for you (and your skin)?

Whether we like it or not, we’re all being exposed to fragrances all the time. According to a report by the Environmental Working Group, the average adult uses12 personal care products/day with exposure to as many as 112 unique chemical ingredients. Yikes!

I've poured over my fair share of articles and research papers studying the effects of fragrance chemicals. The key takeaway from all my research? Exposure to fragrance chemicals can have harmful health implications, including disrupting your hormone system, causing allergic reactions, harming your reproductive system, and potentially causing cancer. So, the health warnings against using fragrance appear valid. 

If you needed more reasons to be skeptical of fragrances, here's another: fragrance chemicals release volatile organic compounds (VOC's) that are terrible for the environment and can cause ozone pollution.

What's the difference between unscented and fragrance-free?

Are unscented or fragrance-free products the answer? The answer isn't as straightforward as you might think, and lies in your personal preferences and sensitivities. I was really surprised to learn that “unscented” products can often contain harmful chemicals that are added to mask any smell. Moreover, these masking chemicals can create issues for those with sensitive skin. Before doing this research, I had just assumed that "unscented" meant less chemicals. Now I know better.

On the other hand, a “fragrance-free” product can’t contain chemicals that are added for the sole purpose of giving it a scent. That being said, they can still include ingredients that have a smell provided that the ingredients were added for other reasons than to give it a scent. [Read that sentence again if it was confusing]. In other words, a “fragrance-free” product can still contain scents that might cause havoc on sensitive skin. 

How to choose between unscented and fragrance-free products

So, how are we to decide which type of product to use? Regardless of what the label on a product says, doing a patch test on your skin is an easy way to see how your skin reacts to a specific product. To get started, apply a quarter-sized amount of product on the same spot on your skin 2x/day for a week. If you don’t see a skin reaction after a week, it’s likely safe to use. If you do experience a skin reaction, wash off the product and stop use immediately.

Given everything I've learned, my go-to strategy now is to prioritize fragrance-free products over unscented because at least I know that there weren't any extra chemicals added simply to mask any existing scents. And, to be fully transparent, I don't have particularly sensitive skin so I don't always exclusively buy fragrance-free products. While I certainly try to prioritize fragrance-free products, I still sometimes buy products with fragrance as long as the manufacturer is honest and transparent about the fragrances being used AND if I feel that the product is functionally better/produces better results than the fragrance-free alternatives that are out there. Because a personal mantra of mine is that clean beauty shouldn't mean you are compromising on efficacy!

What has been your experience with fragrance? Would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!