You do not need to replace every scented product at once. Start with the products you use most often or the ones that bother you most. Choose fragrance-free rather than relying on unscented, check the current ingredient list, and change one category at a time so it is easier to find a routine that works.

A simple way to get started

  1. Pick one place to begin. Choose your bathroom shelf, laundry routine, or home fragrance products, depending on what affects your day most.
  2. Look for “fragrance-free.” An unscented product may still contain fragrance used to mask another ingredient's smell.
  3. Read the current label. For US cosmetics, look for terms such as fragrance, perfume, or fragrance (parfum) in the ingredient list.
  4. Replace products gradually. Unless a product is causing a problem, you can finish it and choose a fragrance-free option next time.
  5. Keep track of what works. A short note with the exact product name can save you from repeating the same search later.

This is a practical order, not a rule. If one product or scent is the obvious reason you want to make a change, start there.

Why you should consider avoiding fragrance

Health concerns are an important reason to choose fragrance-free products. A 2019 analysis of four nationally representative surveys found that 32.2% of adults aged 18 to 65 across the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Sweden reported health problems when exposed to fragranced consumer products. Commonly reported effects included:

  • Respiratory problems, such as coughing and shortness of breath
  • Mucosal symptoms, such as congestion and watery eyes
  • Migraine headaches
  • Skin problems, including rashes, hives, and dermatitis
  • Asthma attacks

Fragrance-free, unscented, and hypoallergenic are different

Fragrance-free is the most useful starting label when you want to avoid added fragrance. Unscented usually describes the smell of the finished product, so masking fragrance may still be present. Hypoallergenic is a separate claim and does not mean that a product is fragrance-free.

Our guide to fragrance-free, unscented, and hypoallergenic labels explains the differences in detail. The short version is simple: use the front label to narrow your choices, then check the ingredient list.

A fragrance-free product can still have a smell of its own. Oils, plant extracts, and other ingredients may have a natural odor even when nothing has been added to perfume the product.

What should you check first?

Fragrance appears in more places than perfume and cologne. You may find it in skin care, shampoo, hand soap, deodorant, laundry products, cleaning sprays, candles, air fresheners, and many other everyday items.

Products used on your skin and hair

Start with the products that stay on your skin, such as moisturizer, deodorant, and sunscreen, or anything you already suspect is uncomfortable. Then check rinse-off products including cleanser, body wash, shampoo, and conditioner.

The FDA notes that fragrance ingredients in US cosmetics may be declared collectively as “Fragrance”, rather than listing every part of the fragrance mixture. That makes the main fragrance terms the easiest first check. If you are avoiding a specific diagnosed allergen, you may need more information from the manufacturer.

Laundry products

Check detergent, fabric softener, dryer sheets, scent boosters, and stain treatments. Start with the main detergent and leave out products added only for scent.

Our fragrance-free laundry detergent guide can help you choose an alternative when you are ready.

Cleaning products and home fragrance

Room sprays, plug-ins, diffusers, scented candles, and fragranced cleaning products are easy to overlook because they are not part of a skin care routine. If your aim is a less scented home, start with the products that create the strongest or longest-lasting smell.

Household products follow different labeling rules from cosmetics. For cleaning and related products, the US Environmental Protection Agency maintains a searchable list of Safer Choice products with a verified fragrance-free filter. The additional fragrance-free certification means the EPA has reviewed the product and confirmed that it contains no fragrance materials.

How to shop without memorizing every ingredient

A quick label routine is more useful than memorizing a long dictionary of fragrance chemicals:

  • Prefer a clearly labeled fragrance-free option.
  • Check the ingredient list for fragrance, perfume, or parfum.
  • Treat essential oils and natural fragrance as fragrance if your goal is to avoid scented ingredients.
  • Check the label on the product you actually receive, especially when buying online.

The word natural does not make an aromatic ingredient fragrance-free. The FDA explains that a natural or organic source does not by itself make a cosmetic ingredient safer, and the American Academy of Dermatology advises people reacting to fragrance to be cautious with plant-based botanical ingredients too.

You can also paste a cosmetic ingredient list into our fragrance and irritant ingredient checker. It highlights terms worth a closer look and explains why they were flagged.

Make the change manageable

Change one or two products, use them normally, and decide whether they work for you. Keep the exact names of the products you like. If a familiar product is reformulated, check the new package before buying it again.

If a skin care product causes redness, itching, or swelling, stop using it. For a reaction that persists or keeps returning, the American Academy of Dermatology explains how a dermatologist can use patch testing to help identify the cause and create a more specific avoidance plan.

Find products we have reviewed

We created Without Fragrance because it was hard to find fragrance-free products that were pleasant to use. We test products ourselves and also check their current labels.

The guide to our favorite fragrance-free products is a good next stop. You can also browse our reviews of skin care, hair care, and household products.

If there is a product category you would like us to cover, leave a comment below.

Bottom line

Start with one shelf. If the first change works, move to the next category.

Sources

We reviewed these sources on August 27, 2026: