10 Best Fragrance-Free Skincare Products, According to Dermatologists

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Chanel Noº5. Le Labo Santal 33. There’s just something about perfume, whether that be from a scented candle or your latest body wash, that gives us all a unique sensorial experience. It’s shown to potentially help enhance mood and relieve stress, and this is true not just of natural scents from essential oils or botanicals, but from synthetic perfumes as well. That being said, there’s nothing worse than layering on a new moisturizer or dabbing on a fancy serum and feeling your skin start to redden and itch. If you notice this happening more often than not with scented products, the good news is you don’t have to give up your twelve-step skincare routine for good.

While there are certainly more than a few factors that could play into skin sensitivity such as hormones or lack of sleep, your allergies or skin type may just be more prone than others to irritation from certain fragrances (synthetic or otherwise). This might be where you turn to a whole new — unscented — world of products. Given that as many as 60% of us describe our skin as “sensitive”, the best fragrance-free skincare features active ingredients that deliver results that you can actually see (as opposed to just smell).

Though you should always consult a dermatologist first to determine any underlying issues, if you want to avoid fragrance in your products anyways, there are more formulas and luxe alternatives available now than ever before. From brands like Avène Cicalfate and La Roche Posay Toleriane, which have long boasted cult followings, to organic beauty brands like Green People, and affordable picks like Aveeno, fragrance-free options are as standard as lip balm in a purse now. Our picks for the very best fragrance-free skincare buys are all top-rated, 4+-star reviewed products, or dermatologist-recommended choices we’ve spotted online.

The Best Fragrance-Free Skincare Products

From cleansers to moisturizers, exfoliators and more, these are the top-recommended unscented products from enthusiastic reviewers and dermatologists alike to create your own fragrance-free routine.

Editor’s picks

Best Cleanser: Vanicream Unscented Gentle Facial Cleanser

Best Moisturizer: Avène Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Cream

Best Serum: Aveeno Calm + Restore Triple Oat Hydrating Face Serum

Best Cleansing Water: Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water

Best Body Spray: Aquaphor Healing Ointment Body Spray

Best Scrub: First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub

Best Body Wash: Cetaphil Restoraderm Soothing Body Wash

Best Lotion: La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Balm B5

Best Bar Soap: Dove Sensitive Skin Beauty Bar

Best Sunscreen: COTZ Sensitive Non-Tinted Zinc Oxide Mineral Sunscreen

1. Vanicream Unscented Gentle Facial Cleanser

Gentle yet effective, Vanicream is the gold standard when it comes to cleansers for sensitive skin. Not only is it fragrance-free, but the simple formula is so gentle that it was awarded the Seal of Acceptance from the National Eczema Association. It’ll help wash away all the dirt, makeup, and excess oil that builds up throughout the day, all without drying out your skin.

Dermatologist Recommended: “I never ever don’t bring Vanicream up — I think it’s a great cleanser for sensitive skin, and it’s free of pretty much everything. It’s got masking fragrance [to make it] unscented, and lanolin which is a wool alcohol found in Aquaphor. It’s really, really gentle.” — Dr. Shereene Idriss, Board-certified dermatologist and cosmetic expert based in New York, NY

2. Avène Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Cream

If you’ve had allergic reactions to your moisturizer in the past, then you may want to make the switch to Avéne’s Tolerance Control Soothing cream, meant for particularly hypersensitive skin. Beyond calming visible redness and tightness with a cooling, hydrating formula, it’s preservative-free and fragrance-free. The brand says it’ll help to restore your skin barrier in 48 hours, even if you’re not prone to skin-related reactions.

Dermatologist Recommended: “One of my all-time favorite moisturizers for sensitive skin and one of the most popular moisturizers amongst my patients is Avène’s Tolerance Control cream. This moisturizer is quite a thick cream, but one of the things I love about it…is that it doesn’t have very many ingredients, so it really eliminates anything that could potentially be an allergen or an irritant.” — Dr. Sam Ellis, Board-certified dermatologist and clinical instructor based in Danville, CA

3. Aveeno Calm + Restore Triple Oat Hydrating Face Serum

Aveeno is well-known by now for their beauty products that go gentle on your skin, and the Calm + Restore Oat Gel Serum is a great fragrance-free pick that lives up to its name. Thanks to a blend of two soothing, nourishing extracts (oat and feverfew), it can help your skin feel instantly smooth, supple and fortified. It’s also backed by testing on sensitive skin, and is free of fragrances, parabens, phthalates, dyes and alcohols.

Dermatologist Recommended: “A nice alternative [to traditional serums] is Aveeno’s Calm + Restore Oat Serum. It is extremely calming and soothing, especially if you have eczema, and it’s really geared towards sensitive skin. If you’re looking for a hydrating serum I strongly suggest you look into this one.” — Dr. Shereene Idriss

4. Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water

If you want to wipe away stubborn dirt, oil, and makeup without doing a full facial cleanse, try Bioderma’s Sensibio H2O. The company actually invented dermatological micellar water, and this one has no artificial perfume or dye, formulated at skin pH to help reveal your brightest, purest skin texture — no harsh rubbing or excessive rinsing necessary.

Dermatologist Recommended: “I like this one a lot because it’s formulated for sensitive skin, and it does not contain fragrance whereas a lot of other French products do. It’s hypoallergenic and it’s extremely gentle. The combination of this and Vanicream works well especially if you’re wearing as much makeup as I do.” — Dr. Shereene Idriss

5. Aquaphor Healing Ointment Body Spray

Another one of our favorite fragrance-free products is Aquaphor’s Ointment Body Spray, which is the spray-on version of their best-selling Healing Ointment. It’s super lightweight and makes moisturizing anywhere on your body as simple as can be (I personally use this in my dry home office space). The formula is essentially the same as the original ointment, so you’ll get the same conditioning power of petrolatum and glycerin.

Dermatologist Recommended: “Putting Vaseline all of my body is not something that I like to do. Instead Aquaphor has an ointment spray – this has been a game-changer and a life saver when it comes to winter time. It is much more lightweight and much easier to spread. You don’t get that tacky residue long after you’ve applied the ointment.” — Dr. Shereene Idriss

6. First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub

This body scrub promises to smooth away bumps, roughness and and scaly areas with all the benefits of a chemical peel treatment — all in one sensitive skin-friendly, fragrance-free package. This fast-acting KP body scrub that helps to loosen skin’s top layer and decongest pores, while Pumice Buffing Beads (not microplastics!) whisk it all away.

Dermatologist Recommended: “This is a real scrub with 10% Glycolic and Lactic Acids. It feels like sand at the beach, so I would not use this on your face at all — but on our body our skin is much thicker and able to tolerate it.” — Dr. Shereene Idriss

7. Cetaphil Restoraderm Soothing Body Wash

With most body washes boasting intense fruity, woodsy, or floral scents, Cetaphil’s stands out from the pack with an unscented wash that gives you all the hydrating power without any of the stuff you don’t want. This creamy body cleanser is made with a blend of nine moisturizers and vitamin E to provide soothing relief for dry, sensitive skin and will continue to hydrate your skin for a full 24 hours after washing, according to the brand. Now that’s a win-win.

Dermatologist Recommended: “A body wash that does not contain a lot of the common allergens and irritants, it’s soap-free, fragrance-free, etc, is the Cetaphil Restoraderm Soothing Body Wash. It can be really hard to find a body wash if you have super sensitive skin, because so many of them have fragrance or other irritant or allergenic components to them. This one is free of those and I find that it’s very well-tolerated by a ton of my patients.” — Dr. Sam Ellis

8. La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Balm B5

If you’re in need of a gentle, fragrance-free lotion, grab a bottle of this top-rated La Roche Posay Cicaplast Balm B5. This mild, creamy-textured hand and body cream was practically made to help relieve and protect dry skin, with a formula based on moisture-rich shea butter and glycerin, and zero added fragrances. It’s also particularly helpful for cracked and flakey skin during the cold winter months.

Dermatologist Recommended: “Consider La Roche Posay Cicaplast Balm B; this is a great product that you can get a the store, but it has been selling out. People on TikTok are using this on their acne because it helps with wound-healing. It has glycerin, panthenol, shea butter — very soothing, doesn’t irritate my skin. This has been a staple in my household ever since I discovered it.” — Dr. Daniel Sugai, Board-certified and Harvard-trained dermatologist, based out of Bellevue, WA

9. Dove Sensitive Skin Beauty Bar

For those who want a bar soap option over a regular cleanser, this fragrance-free bar from Dove won’t dry out your skin or strip it of its natural oils. Formulated with ultra-mild cleansers and ¼ moisturizing cream, it’ll help leave your skin soft and smooth with no fragrances, and it’s even gentle enough to use on both your face and your body.

“Cleansing bars have more what we call synthetic surfactants, which are less harsh than true soap, which is very alkaline and can be very damaging to the skin barrier. One brand that I pretty much use exclusively is Dove — I’m a big fan of their sensitive bar soap.” — Dr. Jenny Liu, Board-certified Dermatologist and Assistant Professor

10. COTZ Sensitive Non-Tinted Zinc Oxide Mineral Sunscreen

Just because your sunscreen is gentle on your skin and fragrances or oils, doesn’t mean it won’t be effective — enter COTZ’s SPF 40 mineral sunscreen, which will not only protect you from harsh UV rays, but it can help soothe you if you’ve got sensitive or easily-irritated skin. The best part? It’s also reef-friendly, with a non-tinted formula that blends in with no streaks.

Dermatologist Recommended: “If you haven’t already, give the COTZ’s SPF 40 mineral sunscreen a try. This is a super gentle sunscreen with low allergen or irritant potential. I would use it on a baby, I would use it on someone’s post-procedure skin, or if you just have sensitive skin in general and haven’t been able to tolerate a lot of sunscreens, try this one.” — Dr. Sam Ellis

Buying Guide: How We Chose the Best Fragrance-Free Skincare

If you’re looking to get started with fragrance-free skincare, figuring out where to start is tough. Below are some things we kept in mind while searching for the best unscented skincare products — and key considerations for any shoppers.

Dermatologist Reviewed: We feel more confident knowing that there’s a professional who’s approved of these products or have recommended them to their own patients. That’s why we look towards board-certified dermatologists and licensed estheticians for their top recommendations here.

Skin Type: Most skincare is formulated to work with as many skin types as possible, but if you have eczema or rosacea you may want to consider going fragrance-free. Many of these unscented products are inherently formulated for super-sensitive skin, or allergies in general.

Ingredients: A few key ingredients we do look for (besides a lack of fragrance, added scents, or perfumes) are vitamin E for protection, aloe or a similar soothing ingredient, or natural moisturizing extracts.

Brand: Although advertising does play a large role in the initial success of a brand, the best fragrance-free skincare separate themselves by a devoted following of pleased customers. Now that several brands have unscented products that have been a large market for a while, we’ve been able to select 4+-star customer rated items that proven themselves worthy of your mug.

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