Fragrance-free vs unscented: parfum, essential oils and the new EU allergen labelling
“Fragrance-free” and “unscented” sound alike but are not the same thing, and neither is a legal term. How to check the INCI list for Parfum, essential oils and fragrance allergens – and what changes with Regulation (EU) 2023/1545.
Updated: 31 October 2026 · Reviewed by: Kamil Pyziak
Two claims, no legal definition
Many people who react to fragrance, or simply dislike it, look for “fragrance-free” or “unscented” on the front of the pack. In EU cosmetics law neither phrase has a fixed definition. Claims must be truthful and not misleading, but the label does not tell you what exactly the manufacturer meant.
In everyday use the difference is roughly this: “fragrance-free” usually suggests that no ingredient was added to give the product a scent, while “unscented” usually describes how the product smells – neutral – which can be achieved by adding a small amount of masking fragrance to cover the smell of the raw materials. That is why the INCI list is a better guide than either word.
Where fragrance hides on the INCI list
Fragrance mixtures are declared with a single INCI name: Parfum (in some markets also Fragrance or Aroma for flavours). One word can stand for dozens of individual substances, and their composition does not have to be disclosed.
Scent can also come from ingredients that are not called Parfum. Essential oils appear under their botanical INCI names, for example Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil or Mentha Piperita Oil. Plant extracts, floral waters (such as Rosa Damascena Flower Water) and some ingredients with other main functions – Benzyl Alcohol, a preservative, is one example – may contribute a smell as well. A product can therefore carry no “Parfum” and still be noticeably scented.
Fragrance allergens: the names after “Parfum”
EU rules require certain fragrance substances known to cause contact allergy in some people to be named individually on the label when they exceed set thresholds: 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products. That is why you often see names like Linalool, Limonene, Citral, Geraniol, Citronellol, Coumarin, Eugenol or Hexyl Cinnamal at the end of the list.
This obligation applies regardless of where the substance comes from. Linalool from lavender oil must be declared just as synthetic linalool would be. So a product scented only with essential oils and labelled “no added perfume” may still list several allergens.
What Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 changes
For many years, the labelling list covered 26 fragrance allergens. Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 amended Annex III of the Cosmetics Regulation and considerably extended this list, adding a large number of further fragrance substances and some natural extracts. The labelling thresholds of 0.001% and 0.01% remain the same.
The new rules apply in stages: products placed on the EU market from 31 July 2026 must follow them, while products placed on the market earlier may still be sold until 31 July 2028. During this period you will see both older and newer labels side by side, so two batches of the same product may show different allergen lists without any change in the formula.
Reading the list if you avoid fragrance
Check the whole list, not just the front. Look for Parfum, Fragrance or Aroma; for botanical names ending in “Oil” that describe essential oils (often peel, leaf or flower oils); and for allergen names at the end of the list. Ingredients with the CosIng function “masking” are used to reduce or hide an odour.
If you have been diagnosed with a contact allergy to a specific fragrance substance, its INCI name is what to look for. A dermatologist can identify the relevant substances through patch testing and tell you which names matter for you.
What the label does not tell you
The label names allergens only above the thresholds; smaller amounts do not have to be listed. It does not reveal the rest of the Parfum composition, nor whether an ingredient was added for scent or for another reason. And “fragrance-free” or “unscented” on the front is no substitute for reading the INCI list.
If you notice redness, itching or a rash after using a product, stop using it and talk to a pharmacist or doctor rather than guessing which ingredient is responsible.