The World of Fragrance-Free Products Is Actually Pretty Vast

SkinCare

CeraVe is often recommended by dermatologists because it works well for most everyone: It doesn’t contain lots of sensitizing ingredients, is readily available at most drugstores, and is relatively inexpensive. It’s also fragrance free. Thiscream-to-foam cleanserwas my longtime wash before I swapped it for the Prequel Gleanser, but it does a solid job of cleaning the skin without totally stripping it. We’ve named this the best option for combination skin because of its consistency, which helps remove oil without drying, and it contains ceramides, which help support the skin barrier.

Also from CeraVe,this cleanserwith active ingredients can be helpful for addressing skin issues likeacnewhile cleansing. It contains salicylic acid, a go-to for clearing pores and keeping breakouts to a minimum. Writer Arielle Avila has used it daily in the summer and every other day in winter and says it didn’t irritate her skin yet kept her pores clear.

This has become my holy-grailcleanserand what I recommend to anybody in search of a new one. It’s 50 percent glycerin, so it has a slick, viscous texture that reminds me a bit of aloe, and it contains inulin, a humectant that helps draw water into the skin, and citric acid, which exfoliates dead skin cells. It’s fragrance free and allergy tested, making it a good option if CeraVe is sensitizing for reasons other than fragrance.

For the very sensitive,Vanicreamis the standard for dermatologists and aestheticians. It’s formulated without common irritants and has zero fragrance. Because of this, we’ve recommended it for combination skin, dry skin, Accutane users, and general face washes, too. It has also been co-signed by cosmetic chemist Dr. Julian Sass, who says it’s “honestly as good as any expensive one.”

A Strategist staffer favorite, thismoisturizerfrom Aestura is designed for sensitive skin. It’s the one I use most frequently, and I credit it with helping me avoid my usual bout of midwinter eczema. Fellow Strategist writer Erin Schwartz has also been using it for a while after searching for an alternative to CeraVe. “It stands on its own two feet as a moisturizer even for the non-allergy-afflicted among us,” they say. “I notice a difference when I don’t use it.”

I’m also a fan of this moisturizer from CosRx, which I’ve previously said replaced my pricy Dieux Instant Angel moisturizer. It’s specifically designed for dry, sensitive skin and packed with ceramides that help support the skin barrier. I like that it also contains squalane, hyaluronic acid, and glycerin. It’s ultramoisturizing and affordable and nourishes without feeling heavy or greasy.

“You know you’ve gone far down the allergen rabbit hole when you land on an oat emulsion with no product photo,” says Schwartz of this moisturizer from Garden of Wisdom that they’ve been using since 2023. While it is fragrance free, it isn’t unscented. It contains a high percentage of glutathione, an antioxidant that helps to brighten skin, and it sort of stinks. Even the brand calls it “extremely pungent.” Schwartz agrees: “It does smell kind of insane, like a lab experiment gone awry in a way my primate brain can’t entirely parse,” but despite that, it works really well and is one of few products their skin can tolerate.

The name Sofie Pavitt has become synonymous with acne care in New York facialist circles, and her eponymous skin-care line is a staple in the medicine cabinets of beauty veterans. Her Omega Moisturizer is a standout and has received a stamp of approval from aesthetician and author of the seminal Skin Care Google Doc Rio Viera-Newton and Strategist senior editor Hilary Reid, who is now on her third jar. She first tried it after Viera-Newton mentioned it in her latest update of the doc, where she called it the “moisturizer to end all moisturizers.” Reid agrees: “The formula feels luxuriously dense when you rub it into your skin but hasn’t caused any breakouts.”

My longtime favorite Black Girl Sunscreen is fragrance free and doesn’t contain any essential oils. I’m on my sixth bottle of this stuff and will be buying another at the start of summer. I use this on my face and body and haven’t had any negative reactions as a result. Cosmetic chemists Ron Robinson and Talima Davis are also fans. “It’s a great balance of hydrating without looking and feeling oily or greasy, which can be a difficult feat for a chemical-based sunscreen,” says Robinson. It’s also vegan and reef safe so I can travel with it and think nothing of it.

This gel-texture sunscreen is a go-to for Schwartz, who says it works really well. It’s fragrance free, contains collagen and hyaluronic acid, and has an SPF of 50.

During a recent bout of cleansing-balm testing, Stratgist writer Kitty Guo named this one from Farmacy her top pick. “It performed excellently, gently melting my makeup into frothy streams that washed away with no leftover residue,” she says. The brand recently reformulated the popular product and also released a fragrance-free version, which has all the benefits but skips the bergamot and lime scent.

Most lip balms have some kind of added fragrance, but this one from Elizabeth Arden does not. It also contains SPF and leaves a bit of shine on the lips. I add this to my rotation in the summer months and am pleased to report I haven’t experienced any pimpling or rashes on my mouth.

BodyCare

A good tip if you’re on the hunt for truly fragrance-free products: Buy the baby stuff. Even if there’s a scented option available, baby products often come fragrance free and are gentle, too. Strategist writer Liza Corsillo mentioned this Eucerin Baby Wash and Shampoo two-in-one to me, which can be used all over and is eczema safe.

Shave gels often have a scent, and even ones that are “unscented” are often neutral but not necessarily fragrance free. This one is but still offers the cushion needed to achieve a close shave. Fans include chef and baker David Lebovitz and Robinson, who says despite its being fragrance free, it still smells pleasant.

“I use this soap for everything: face, hair, body,” says Schwartz. They bought it when they were eliminating products and chose this because it has just one ingredient, olive oil, which they knew was a safe option for their skin. It’s still essential to their skin-care routine even as they’ve found other products that don’t irritate. “It doesn’t dry my hair or skin out at all, while the hypoallergenic stuff with complicated formulations can be kind of drying,” they say. “At this point, I prefer this one to other shampoos and face washes.”

Unscented deodorant may feel a bit unexciting because it can be nice to lift your arm and smell something pleasant, but that fragrance can be triggering to skin conditions. Schwartz knows this firsthand: “The smelly stuff literally gives me red itchy patches in my armpits.” They swear by this roll-on from Kiss My Face, which they found at the Park Slope Coop; it’s aluminum free and uses mineral salts to fight odor. “Ihave describedthe scent as “clean body,” which I stand by. “I just smelled my pits and they smell unfragranced but not stinky.”

For other unscented-deodorant fare, we’ve long loved this one from Real Purity, which convertedNew YorkMagazine deputy editor Alexis Swerdloff into a natural-deodorant evangelist. We first wrote about it in 2017 when Aubrey Plaza introduced it to us. Since then, it has made fans of Strategist deputy editor Simone Kitchens (she has been using it since 2018), who says it’s the only natural deodorant she has tried that hasn’t stopped working. The lack of a scent is also a plus for Kitchens: “It doesn’t have some like cedary, sagy, geranium-y, whatever-y smell. It smells like nothing.”

It doesn’t get much more hypoallergenic and fragrance free than Vaseline. Petroleum allergies are exceedingly rare. “It is basically biologically inert,” says Schwartz, who uses it as a lip balm. They are allergic to fragrance and beeswax, so many popular lip products are a no-go. “They just make my lips crustier and crustier,” they say. “I am sorry to the dinosaurs whose bone juice was used to make this paste, but it keeps my lips healthy.” I am also a Vaseline fan and keep a small tub in my bag at all times. I too am sensitive to fragrance and essential oils, so whenever my lips decide to stop tolerating peppermint oil or whatever else, I can use this and within days my lips are back to normal.

Aquaphor has similar appeal but also contains glycerin and lanolin, which give it a slightly smoother feel. Which one works best is really a matter of preference. Nutritionist Daphne Javitch uses it daily on her face and lips. “It doesn’t make my lips more chapped and leave a residue or aftertaste,” she says.

Strategist writer Dominique Pariso swears by Megababe’s Thigh Rescue stick, which helps reduce the irritation from chafing. While Pariso likes its fresh scent, she also recommends the unscented version. It has the same benefits as the original, just fragrance free.

Senior editor Winnie Yang relies on this ointment to help soothe eczema flare-ups. She was previously using topical over-the-counter steroids and has since fully transitioned to using this in place of them. She uses it on her dry patches but also on her face. “I’m going to finish tubs of this ointment while a jar of La Mer sits half full in my medicine cabinet,” she says.

Sleep writer Amelia Jerden named this as the product she bought on repeat last year. It helped keep her skin moisturized while she used tretinoin, and even though it’s designed for the body, she also uses it on her face. I’ve named it the best body lotion for irritated skin, noting that it’s approved by the National Eczema Association and contains other nice-for-skin ingredients like niacinamide and glycerin.

For a lighter option, I recommend the Aveeno body lotion. All of Aveeno’s products are designed with sensitive skin in mind, so fragrance-free formulas are standard for the brand. The body lotion is truly excellent — it isn’t too thick, sinks in quickly, and keeps skin hydrated for hours. Robinson name-checked it when sharing his favorite drugstore products; he likes that it’s glycerin-rich and contains soothing oat.

For thicker fare, I adore the Clinique Body Butter, which has a rich consistency but doesn’t leave my skin greasy. It contains a mix of shea butter, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid. It also contains a little silicone, which makes it a bit more spreadable than the thick blocks of shea butter I used to warm up in my hands as a kid.

This chemical sunscreen may smell of SPF, but it contains no added fragrance. It has a convenient spray nozzle and quickly dries upon application. That’s why it’s a favorite of Robinson, who likes to use it on the go.

DentalCare

Schwartz recently wrote about this hypoallergenic, unscented toothpaste, which helps them avoid perioral dermatitis flare-ups. It’s formulated without lots of common toothpaste ingredients like fluoride and sodium lauryl sulfate, which creates that foamy sensation and helps to remove plaque. It does contain xylitol to prevent cavities; this gives the toothpaste a slightly sweet taste, but Schwartz says they don’t notice: “It doesn’t taste good or bad.”

LaundryCare

Zach Pozniak, a fourth-generation dry cleaner who has become a laundry influencer, named Tide Free & Gentle the best detergent for stain removal, which convinced Schwartz to give it a try. “It’s so solid: good at stain fighting but didn’t give me a rash,” they say. I’m also no stranger to Tide Free & Gentle, which is what I use on my own clothes. When I send them out for wash and fold, I even supply it to make sure my clothes come back itch free.

Currently, Schwartz is using Seventh Generation because it’s what they have at the Park Slope Food Coop. “Also solid,” they say. “No significant difference from Tide that I’ve noticed, though maybe Tide is slightly better at removing stains.”