I recently wrote about the issues with fragrances, which are often unlabeled and leave consumers in the dark about which ingredients they are putting on their body. This is of particular concern for people with very sensitive skin or known chemical sensitivities, as the scents often include known allergens.
Over the years there has been a big shift away from synthetic fragrances to essential oils, which in some cases is a good thing. I outlined the complexities of the synthetic fragrance vs essential oil debate here, but at the end of the day there are people who don’t want ANY fragrances in their products. [Note: Some companies have “unscented” products, which often still contain fragrances to cover up the smell of the actual product.]
There are more non-toxic, clean skin care lines coming to the market to meet this growing demand.
My favorite fragrance-free skin care products include:
The Countermatch line
This line delivers breakthrough technology and doesn’t include any added essential oils or fragrances. The result is a skin care regimen that is wonderful for sensitive skin.
You’ll note that truly fragrance-free products still have a smell, and you’re experiencing the actual ingredients used to make up the product rather than a masking agent. For example, the Countermatch Adaptive Moisturizer (my new go-to daily moisturizer), smells like plum since plum extract is a key ingredient. This product also adapts to your skin’s needs throughout the day, making it the only moisturizer like it on the market. Typically get dry or oily throughout the day? This moisturizer can help.
The Recovery Sleeping Cream in this line has virtually no scent and is deliciously thick without making my skin greasy. It also comes in a cool airless pump jar, which means you don’t need to dip your fingers into the product, keeping it much more sanitary than most night creams. The Eye Rescue Cream in this line is also great and doesn’t have any scent at all. The Intense Moisture Serum does have a slight scent, mostly of the hydrating ingredients in the product.
The brilliance of this line extends far beyond the fact that it’s fragrance-free. The philosophy of this skin care line is that it only uses ingredients that are needed for the skin, and nothing it doesn’t (fillers). The line features natural preservative systems and you can trust the ingredients were screened carefully for safety.
Peet Rivko
Photo credit: Pedro Correira for Peet Rivko
This is a new line based out of New York by Founder Johanna Peet. She has sensitive skin and noticed there wasn’t a non-toxic version of Cetaphil and other brands highly recommended by dermatologists. So she rolled up her sleeves and created her own skin care line.
I personally enjoy the Gentle Cleanser and Balancing Face Oil, both of which are formulated without fragrance. As noted above, products that don’t have fragrance still have a smell, albeit not a bad smell. You can check out her whole line here and read more about celebrity backing by Aubrey Plaza.
As more truly fragrance-free products come to the market place, I’d love to hear your favorites in the comments below.
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Lindsay, you should really check out Ambre Blends. So many of us who work with BC are users and this Indy-based company ONLY uses 100% organic essential oils. Because they keep 1 ingredient proprietary, FDA made them repackage everything to say Fragrance instead of 100% Organic Essential Oils. But they’re doing it the RIGHT way. I know the owner personally and have spent time in their facility. They offer samples of their products and you would LOVE them. When Gregg was in Indy, I gifted her with one. I’ve always wondered if she loves it as much as we do. Have a great day!
Thanks Ellie! Will check them out :)
Also loving Biossance’s Squalene Oil as an unscented option!
Hello, thank you for the recommendations. I love my current skincare’s clean ingredients and effectiveness. But it has (natural) fragrance. Do you have an updated list of recommendations? Thank you!