What does fragrance-free mean compared with unscented?

Why the two terms differ

A product can be called unscented when it has little or no noticeable smell. That does not tell you whether a masking ingredient was added to cancel out the odor of the other ingredients. Fragrance-free is the stronger wording, because it says no fragrance was added.

Neither term has a single legal definition that applies to every kind of product. Brands use them in slightly different ways, so the front label is a starting point and not a guarantee.

What FDA labeling rules cover

For cosmetics, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires ingredients to be listed on the label of products sold to consumers. Fragrance may appear simply as the word fragrance or parfum, and the FDA notes that individual fragrance components do not have to be itemized.

That is useful for shoppers: if the ingredient list has fragrance or parfum, a fragrance has been added, whatever the front says. Laundry detergents and household cleaners fall under different rules than cosmetics, so check the maker's site if the list is short.

How to check a label

1. Read the full ingredient list, not just the front panel.
2. Look for fragrance, parfum, aroma or perfume.
3. Note any essential oils or plant extracts listed by name, which can add scent even in a product with no listed fragrance.
4. If you are sensitive to scented products, try a small size first.

Common misunderstandings

Many shoppers assume that a natural scent from essential oils is the same as no scent. A product can be free of synthetic perfume and still smell of plant oils, and those oils are listed by name on the ingredient list. Another common assumption is that a product with a mild smell has no fragrance. Smell and ingredients are separate questions, and only the list answers the second one.

It also helps to compare a product with its own earlier version. Makers sometimes reformulate, and a label that once said one thing may now say another, so read the package in your hand and not the one you remember.

If you react to products

If a product bothers your skin, stop using it and talk to a doctor or pharmacist. Labels cannot tell you what suits your skin.

Sources

• FDA cosmetics labeling guidance
• Product ingredient lists