Ingredients & materials
This area explains ingredients and label wording. The pages summarise what regulators, reference sources and journal abstracts say, and they label each source by type. They do not give medical advice.
Start with [fragrance-free vs unscented](/guide/fragrance-free-vs-unscented/), then [how to read an ingredient list for fragrance, parfum and aroma](/guide/how-to-read-an-ingredient-list-parfum-aroma/). For the legal wording, see [what parfum and aroma mean](/guide/what-is-parfum/) and [why "fragrance" hides ingredients under US labelling rules](/guide/fda-fragrance-labeling-trade-secret/).
Individual fragrance chemicals have their own explainers, including [linalool](/guide/what-is-linalool/) and [limonene](/guide/what-is-limonene/). For allergen labelling, see [the EU fragrance allergen list](/guide/eu-26-fragrance-allergens/).
Other pages cover preservatives that are not fragrance, such as [phenoxyethanol](/guide/what-is-phenoxyethanol/) and [parabens](/guide/parabens-in-skincare/), and essential-oil questions such as [tea tree oil](/guide/tea-tree-oil-in-skincare-products/). Several pages also explain what "natural fragrance" and "hypoallergenic" do and do not mean on a label.
Three picks to start with
Fragrance-free vs unscented, and what masking fragrance is
They are not the same thing on a label. The FDA says even some products labeled "unscented" may contain fragrance ingredients, added to mask the smell of other ingredients, so the ingredient list is the better evidence than either front-of-pack word.
How to read an ingredient list for fragrance, parfum and aroma
Read the full list, not just the top. US labels may say "fragrance"; EU labels use "parfum" or "aroma". Scan every position for Fragrance, Parfum, Aroma, Perfume or essential oils, because order and the 1 percent rules do not make position a safe guide.
What do "parfum" and "aroma" mean on an ingredient list?
Under Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, perfume and aromatic compositions and their raw materials are referred to by the terms "parfum" or "aroma", with certain Annex III substances listed in addition. US rules let fragrance be listed simply as "Fragrance". Per the sources, fragrance formulas are complex mixtures, so one entry can cover many ingredients.
How we check products in this category
Explainers here cite regulators, reference sources and journal abstracts, each labelled by type, and report only what the source says. Where a source could not be found, the page says so. Product pages elsewhere use this site's fragrance-free definition: listed ingredients contain no fragrance, parfum, aroma, perfume, essential oils or fragrance chemicals, as of the date shown. "Unscented" is not fragrance-free. The full rules are in the review criteria.
Guides
- Are essential oils fragrance-free?
We found no regulator or society statement that equates essential oils with fragrance. DermNet says perfume is formed from fragrant essential oils and that essential oils can cause allergic contact dermatitis. Our own rule: a product listing essential oils is not fragrance-free. - The EU fragrance allergen list, explained
The official text of Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 says 24 fragrance allergens are individually labelled today, that the SCCS identified 56 more, and that the new labelling duty applies above 0.001% in leave-on and 0.01% in rinse-off products. The older "26" comes from a 1999 committee opinion. - Why "fragrance" hides ingredients: US labelling rules
US regulations let cosmetic makers list fragrance ingredients simply as "Fragrance". The FDA page explains that the labelling law cannot be used to force companies to reveal trade secrets, and fragrance formulas are the components most likely to be treated as such. - Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, explained
Formaldehyde releasers are preservatives that give off formaldehyde, a known skin sensitiser. They are not fragrance ingredients, so fragrance-free does not mean releaser-free. A 2026 meta-analysis puts contact allergy to individual releasers at roughly 1.2% to 2.8% of dermatitis patients tested. - Fragrance allergen names on ingredient labels
This guide covers citronellol, geraniol, coumarin, eugenol, benzyl salicylate, hexyl cinnamal and benzyl alcohol. For each we give what PubChem and PubMed abstracts say, and where a source is missing we say so. We found no source for how any of them is spelled on a label. - Fragrance-free vs unscented, and what masking fragrance is
They are not the same thing on a label. The FDA says even some products labeled "unscented" may contain fragrance ingredients, added to mask the smell of other ingredients, so the ingredient list is the better evidence than either front-of-pack word. - How to read an ingredient list for fragrance, parfum and aroma
Read the full list, not just the top. US labels may say "fragrance"; EU labels use "parfum" or "aroma". Scan every position for Fragrance, Parfum, Aroma, Perfume or essential oils, because order and the 1 percent rules do not make position a safe guide. - Is lavender oil a fragrance?
Lavender oil is an essential oil, and the FDA says there is no regulatory definition of "essential oils". We found no source that settles whether it counts as "fragrance" on a label. On this site, a listed essential oil means a product is not fragrance-free. - Why laundry scent lingers: encapsulated fragrance
A review and a 2024 industry abstract say fragrance is encapsulated to slow evaporation and give controlled release, and that encapsulates are used in fabric softeners and liquid laundry products. The capsule holds fragrance, so it is still fragrance. - National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance: what it is and what it does not tell you
The Seal of Acceptance is a mark from the National Eczema Association. Its pages say a product must avoid Ecz-clusion List ingredients, pass safety testing and panel review, and be fragrance free. It is a programme decision, not a verdict on your skin. - Parabens on ingredient lists
Parabens are a group of preservatives. EU law sets maximum concentrations of 0.4% for a single ester and 0.8% for mixtures. They are not fragrance and are not on this site's fragrance list, which is our rule, not a regulator's. - Sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate in fragrance-free products
The sources we read describe sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate as antimicrobial preservatives. Neither is listed as a fragrance ingredient, so on this site they do not fail a fragrance-free check. A few clinical sources do name sodium benzoate as an emerging allergen, so they are not risk-free for everyone. - Tea tree oil in skincare products: what the sources say
NCCIH describes tea tree oil as an essential oil, and PubMed abstracts report contact allergy to it, with stronger reactions to oxidised oil in some reports. Our own rule: a product listing essential oils is not fragrance-free. - "Unscented" and "sensitive" don't mean fragrance-free: what the ingredient lists show
A word on a product name or maker page is not the ingredient list. On six maker pages we re-read on 14 November 2026, three products use "unscented" wording and four carry "sensitive" in the name or description (one has both), and every one lists "Fragrance" or "Fragrance (Parfum)" among its ingredients. The FDA says even some products labeled "unscented" may contain fragrance ingredients. - What "hypoallergenic" means on a label (and what it doesn't)
On cosmetics, "hypoallergenic" has no Federal definition; the FDA says it means whatever a company wants it to mean, and makers need not send the FDA proof. It also does not mean fragrance-free, so read the ingredient list. - What is in dryer sheets?
A dryer sheet is a fabric sheet coated with softening agents, and some also list a clay (bentonite) or fatty acids. The two fragrance-free sheet lists we read name a sheet and a softener coating, and no fragrance. Scented sheets can add fragrance, so read the maker list. - What is limonene in skincare and fragrance?
Limonene is a fragrance chemical that DermNet NZ says is extracted from citrus peel; PubChem lists it as a monoterpene. Reviews say its air-oxidised form is the main allergen concern, and a label cannot show how oxidised it is. - What is linalool?
PubChem describes linalool as a monoterpenoid with a role as a fragrance. DermNet and several journal abstracts say it is an occasional sensitiser itself and, once exposed to air, forms hydroperoxides that are much stronger ones. - What is methylisothiazolinone? What EU, US and journal sources say
Methylisothiazolinone (MI) is a preservative, described by PubChem as a powerful biocide. EU Regulation 2016/1198 says the SCCS concluded 100 ppm in cosmetics is not safe for the consumer, and journal abstracts report contact allergy. It is not fragrance. - What is "natural fragrance"?
"Natural fragrance" means a scent ingredient from a natural extract rather than a synthesised one. It is still fragrance: DermNet says natural extracts are among established contact allergens, and a "natural" label can hide fragrance. - What do "parfum" and "aroma" mean on an ingredient list?
Under Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, perfume and aromatic compositions and their raw materials are referred to by the terms "parfum" or "aroma", with certain Annex III substances listed in addition. US rules let fragrance be listed simply as "Fragrance". Per the sources, fragrance formulas are complex mixtures, so one entry can cover many ingredients. - What is phenoxyethanol? What EU, PubChem and PubMed sources say
Phenoxyethanol is an ingredient described by PubChem as a preservative that is also used as a perfume fixative. The EU committee SCCS, in 2016, considered it safe as a preservative at a maximum of 1.0%. It is not on this site's fragrance flag list; that is our rule, not a regulator's. - Why drug-labelled products are not on this site
This site does not recommend or rank any product that carries a drug claim or a Drug Facts panel. Such products may be named only as examples. That is our own editorial rule; FDA pages explain why these products fall under drug rules.