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During the pandemic, everyone learned to wash their hands, and most of us continue to do as recommended – if we didn’t already. And as we are washing our hands more than ever, it’s more important to avoid perfumed hand soaps and irritating skin or upsetting sensitive snouts. Avoiding fragrances is important not only for people who suffer from acute allergic skin reactions caused by scented products. Perfume allergies can develop after repeated exposure.
And being allergic affects more than just your skin. It can cause headaches as well as a variety of other symptoms. So it’s time to move away from perfumed and find the best unscented and fragrance-free hand soaps.
However, fragrance-free hand soaps are surprisingly difficult to find. It’s even harder to come by if you don’t want to spend 30 dollars on a tiny bottle of artisanal fragrance-free soap.
Another issue is that many hand soaps on the market are labeled as having no added fragrance but instead contain natural scents and oils that can also irritate the skin. Learn more about the differences between hypoallergenic, unscented, and fragrance-free.
What to Look For in a Fragrance-Free Hand Soap?
Being allergic to perfume and scents has led us through endless hand soap testing throughout the years. From expensive high-end brands to drugstore brands and small specialty brands. We have sorted through the best, completely fragrance-free and budget-friendly hand soaps and hand-picked the best options on the market in 2023. Below, we present the 3 best perfume-free liquid hand soaps that:
- Are completely fragrance-free without ‘natural’ scents and oils
- Cleanse without irritating the skin or upsetting sensitive noses
- Do not dry out the skin – even when used excessively
- Are reasonably priced with no or only a small premium compared to fragrance-full hand soap
So if you are sensitive to ‘traditional’ hand soaps and struggle to find good perfume-free hand soap, then go ahead and try our picks for the best fragrance-free budget-friendly liquid hand soaps on the market in 2023.
Please note that you should always read the full list of ingredients before purchasing and using them if you have a particular allergy.
Below are our top 3 best unscented and fragrance-free hand soaps that are both inexpensive, excellent quality and free of perfume and fragrances.
Everspring Free & Clear Fragrance-Free Liquid Hand Soap
- Fragrance-free
- Not tested on animals
- Non-toxic
- USDA-certified 97% biobased product
- Bottles are made with 100% post-consumer recycled plastic
First on our list of the best fragrance-free hand soap is this little incredibly affordable gem. At just $2.99 per bottle at Target, this fragrance-free hand soap from Everspring (Target’s own brand) comes at a fantastic price point.
We like the consistency of this unscented formula (it’s neither too liquidy nor too thick), as well as the fact that it’s made with plant-based ingredients and cleans and rinses well without stripping the skin or leaving a residue on your hands. In addition, we like the dispenser bottle’s simple and stylish design.
That’s why the Everspring Free & Clear hand soap is the best unscented and fragrance-free hand soap in 2023.
Ginger Lily Farms Botanicals Fragrance-Free Hand Soap
- This fragrance-free formula is made with naturally derived ingredients
- Enriched with a blend of vitamins, antioxidants, and botanical extracts to protect and hydrate skin
- The toxin-free formula is sulfate, paraben, phosphate, and gluten-free
The second on our list of the best unscented and fragrance-free hand soaps in 2023 is the Ginger Lily Farms Botanicals Fragrance-Free Hand Soap. The liquid hand soap comes in an environmentally-friendly 1-gallon refill size that is perfect for refilling soap dispensers at home. And much cheaper!
We particularly like that the fragrance-free hand soap doesn’t dry out the skin. And on top of that, Ginger Lily Farms’ hand soap is vegan and PETA-certified, which is an assurance that the hand soap has never been tested on animals.
Read our full Ginger Lily Farms Botanicals Fragrance-Free Hand Soap review.
Seventh Generation Hand Wash, Free & Clean Unscented and Fragrance-Free Hand Soap
- No fragrances, dyes, triclosan, chlorine, or phthalates
- USDA certified biobased 97%
- Cruelty-free
- Bottles are made with 100% post-consumer recycled plastic
The Seventh Generation fragrance-free hand soap lathers well and cleans your hands thoroughly. We like that the hand soap is made using plant-based ingredients and does not contain any fragrances, dyes, triclosan, or chlorine. On top of that, bottles are made with 100% post-consumer recycled plastic (without phthalates), and the fragrance-free hand soap also comes in a convenient 24 fl oz refill bottle.
That is why the fragrance-free hand soap from Seventh Generation is one of our picks of the best unscented and fragrance-free hand soaps in 2023.
Top 3 Best Unscented and Fragrance-Free Hand Soaps
Summary
We almost like all three fragrance-free hand soaps equally, and they all excel when it comes to soap quality and allergy-friendliness. Only one stands out for its sub-par packaging, but we still recommend all three. There really is no reason to use perfumed hand soaps if you pick any of our top-rated best unscented and fragrance-free hand soaps. We recommend you switch to fragrance-free hand soaps immediately.
Reviews of the best perfume-free and fragrance-free products
Looking for more reviews of fragrance-free products? We are constantly testing perfume-free and fragrance-free products to help you live life fragrance-free.
Your #1 is definitely the best choice for our family, and I can’t wait to get some. It does not have Aloe in it. My daughter is extremely sensitive to fragrances, but so many hand soaps contain Aloe, as do your #2 and #3 choices. Although Aloe is apparently a rare allergy my eldest son is allergic and his skin will itch and peal if he is exposed.
Hi Victoria,
Thanks for sharing your experiences with our recommended fragrance-free hand soaps. You are absolutely right. So many products contain Aloe. Unlike many additives, Aloe has a beneficial and active purpose but is also a well-known allergen. We are sorry to hear about your son’s Aloe allergy, but we’re glad that you are aware so that you can avoid exposure. But it does require being extremely cautious, reading many labels, and always performing safe tests.