Have you ever been in search of products without a smell, bought fragrance-free products, and became really upset that you have been deceived because the so-called “fragrance-free” product was chock full of smell, albeit an amazing aroma? I bet you are not alone on this table but wait a minute, what exactly do these terms mean and how do we ensure disappointments are put at bay going forward? Why is it also important to understand the differences between these terminologies?
According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, scents “usually mean the smells or odours from ingredients and chemicals in cosmetics (perfume, make-up, shampoo, deodorant, etc.) or from other products such as air fresheners, cleaners, etc.” The truth is that there is no exact definition for scent-free, fragrance-free or unscented and products labelled as unscented may actually contain ingredients that are used to mask or hide the smell of other ingredients.
Fragranced products are a no-brainer. These are products that include materials specifically designed to provide the products with a certain aroma. So, what then do fragrance-free and unscented mean?
A fragrance-free product simply means that no ingredient has been added to the product specifically to provide a scent or smell but it does not mean that the product itself will not have any smell if the ingredients used have their characteristic smells. For example, we all know that cocoa butter has a chocolatey smell. If a product contains cocoa butter, the product will definitely have that smell but the product will still pass off as it being fragrance-free because the cocoa butter was not included in the product for its scent but rather, for its moisturizing properties. And while it can be labelled as fragrance-free, it cannot be labeled as “unscented”. What then does “unscented” mean?
Unscented products are formulated to have no smell. They can contain ingredients that have a smell, but the smell would be masked by other components such that no scent is perceived by the consumers.[1]
It is important to understand the differences between these terminologies and to always read product labels especially by those who have sensitive skin and are prone to allergies. This is because someone who is allergic to lavender, for example, can still be allergic to a product in which the smell is masked, but they may not realize that the allergen is present because of the unscented designation.
[1] https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/quirky-science-you-asked/what-difference-between-unscented-and-fragrance-free-products