How we research

We read documents; we do not test

We have not tested any product ourselves, and each page says so. Every product fact comes from a document we can cite and date.

Where facts come from

1. Ingredient lists. We use the ingredient list on the maker’s own website or label page. Each product record stores the list, the source address and the date retrieved. Where a maker’s page cannot be read by an automated fetch, the list may be captured with a browser; the capture is then checked by fetching the page again, and the page labels the list as browser-captured. A list we could not confirm is not used.
2. Background and regulation. Definitions, regulation and allergy information come from regulators (for example the US FDA and the EU Official Journal), standards bodies, certifiers such as the National Eczema Association, professional societies and peer-reviewed research. Each is labelled by type (regulatory, certification, guidance, reference, study type and so on) and dated.
3. Certifications. A certification is checked against the programme’s own published page and the check is dated. We state what the seal covers and what it does not.

Evidence levels

Pages use one of these levels and say which in the text:

• Maker ingredient list confirmed, retrieved on a stated date. This is the strongest level used.
• Maker states fragrance-free, attributed and dated, when the maker makes the claim but we have not read a full list.
• Browser-captured maker page, labelled and dated.

Claims that appear only on Amazon or another seller’s listing never count on their own. If a readable ingredient list contradicts a fragrance-free claim, the product does not pass. A negative or contrast example needs two independent captures. Ingredient databases can corroborate a list but are never the only source.

The check itself

We compare each list with the definition on What “fragrance-free” means here: no fragrance, parfum, aroma, perfume, essential oils or common fragrance chemicals. The full rules are in the review criteria.

What this cannot tell you

A dated list shows what the maker published on that date. Formulas change without notice, and the label on the product in your hand is the one that applies. A list does not tell you how a product will affect you personally.

Corrections

Pages carry a changelog and a real updated date; see the corrections policy and editorial policy.