Best fragrance-free moisturizer

How we chose

We read the manufacturer’s own ingredient list for each moisturizer, retrieved 2026-11-11, and kept only products where that list names no fragrance, parfum, aroma, perfume, essential oil or fragrance chemical. We have not tested products ourselves; this is document research. Products whose list we could not read for the exact size are named in the unknowns section and are neither recommended nor rejected.

The reason for reading the list rather than the front label is regulatory. The FDA notes that fragrance ingredients are common in body lotions and that even some products labeled “unscented” may contain them, because a maker can add just enough to mask the smell of other ingredients. It also says fragrance can be listed simply as “Fragrance”. Our test therefore looks for those words, not for a claim. The FDA adds that it keeps no list of approved claims for cosmetics, so a front-of-pack phrase is not a verified standard. For the longer version of this distinction see fragrance-free vs unscented.

What to look for in a fragrance-free moisturizer

Start with the last third of the list, where fragrance and preservatives usually sit. Look for Fragrance, Parfum or Aroma, and for essential oils or plant extracts you want to avoid; our guide to reading an ingredient list covers the naming. Then decide what else you are avoiding. Three of the five products below list phenoxyethanol, one lists benzyl alcohol, and one carries botanical extracts besides oat. None of these is a fragrance, but they are the other items people commonly screen for.

A fragrance-free list is also not the same as an eczema-oriented certification. The National Eczema Association says products carrying its Seal are free from ingredients on its Ecz-clusion List and passed independent review of ingredients, formulation and testing data. We did not check these products against that directory, so see the NEA Seal guide if that is your standard. For wider category context, see our fragrance-free skincare roundup and the face moisturizer page.

Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer

Per the maker’s ingredient disclosure, retrieved 2026-11-11, Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer lists 21 entries and no fragrance, parfum or aroma. After water the list runs squalane, glycerin and pentylene glycol, then the emulsifiers polyglyceryl-2 stearate and glyceryl stearate. It also lists hyaluronic acid, five ceramide entries (EOP, NG, NP, AS and AP), carnosine, hydrogenated lecithin and phytosterols. The preservative-type entries are caprylyl glycol and 1,2-hexanediol; phenoxyethanol does not appear.

It suits someone who wants a face product and prefers a list without plant extracts or the common EU-26 allergen names. The caveat is that the list ends with an “Ingredient Information” entry copied from the maker page, which is not an ingredient; the substantive list is the 20 before it. The 3 fl oz size is the one we verified; other Vanicream sizes and creams are listed under unknowns. For how the brand’s range compares, see is Vanicream fragrance-free and Vanicream vs CeraVe.

Lubriderm Advanced Therapy Hand & Body Lotion

Per the maker’s ingredient disclosure, retrieved 2026-11-11, Lubriderm Advanced Therapy Hand & Body Lotion (16 fl oz) lists 23 entries and no fragrance. It is a conventional emollient formula: glycerin, mineral oil, cetyl and cetearyl alcohols, sorbitol, caprylic/capric triglyceride, oat kernel oil, panthenol and dimethicone. Phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol are the preservative-type entries, and titanium dioxide appears near the end.

It suits larger areas of skin and people comfortable with mineral oil and silicones. It is sold as a hand and body lotion, so it is not the first choice if you want a product made for the face. Lubriderm also sells a lotion named Daily Moisture, which we could not verify; see the unknowns. For more body options see our fragrance-free lotion roundup.

Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Face Lotion

Per the maker’s ingredient disclosure, retrieved 2026-11-11, Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Face Lotion (5 fl oz) lists 17 entries and no fragrance. Water, glycerin and dicaprylyl ether lead, followed by oat kernel flour, caprylic/capric triglyceride, cetyl and cetearyl alcohols, palmitic and stearic acids, and dimethicone. Phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol are the preservative-type entries.

It is the shortest face-lotion list here, which makes it simple to check against your own avoid list. The trade-off is the oat flour (a plant-derived ingredient) and phenoxyethanol. This page makes no claim about how skin responds; if oat or a preservative has bothered you before, choose differently. See is Aveeno fragrance-free for how the brand’s other products fare.

Aveeno Calm + Restore Oat Gel Face Moisturizer

Per the maker’s ingredient disclosure, retrieved 2026-11-11, Aveeno Calm + Restore Oat Gel Face Moisturizer (1.7 fl oz) lists 22 entries and no fragrance. It is a gel-type formula built on water, glycerin and dimethicone, with cetearyl olivate and sorbitan olivate as emulsifiers, oat flour and oat extract, and panthenol. Its preservative-type entries are phenoxyethanol, chlorphenesin and ethylhexylglycerin.

Unlike the other Aveeno lotions, it lists two plant extracts besides oat, feverfew juice and centella asiatica extract. Those are not fragrance, but if you are avoiding botanicals as well as fragrance, this one asks more of you than the others. It also lists three preservative-type entries, the most on this page. It suits someone who wants a lighter gel texture and has no objection to those extras.

Aveeno Skin Relief Moisturizing Lotion

Per the maker’s ingredient disclosure, retrieved 2026-11-11, Aveeno Skin Relief Moisturizing Lotion (18 fl oz) lists 14 entries, the shortest here, and no fragrance. It is built on glycerin, petrolatum, isopropyl palmitate, cetyl alcohol and dimethicone, with three oat entries (flour, oil, extract) and shea butter.

The detail to weigh is benzyl alcohol. Our facts record describes it as a preservative that is also on the EU list of 26 fragrance allergens, which EU rules require makers to name. It is not “Fragrance” and does not make the product fail our test, which looks for fragrance as such; but if you avoid every named fragrance allergen, this is the one product here that does not clear that stricter bar. The maker page does not say why it is included. It also has no phenoxyethanol, which matters if that is on your list.

What the label does not tell you

An ingredient list says what is in the product, not how much, and it does not tell you how skin will respond. We hold no data on irritation, patch testing or allergic reactions for any of these products, so the picks are about the contents of the list only. Fragrance-free also does not mean free of other common irritants; if a given ingredient has caused you trouble, use the lists above to rule it out, and talk to a dermatologist or allergist about persistent reactions.

For related decisions, see the dry skin and itchy skin pages, and the face cream roundup for richer textures. Pair a moisturizer with a fragrance-free cleanser if the rest of your routine is scented.