Fragrance free and unscented are not the same thing — and on a wipe label, the difference genuinely matters. Fragrance free means no fragrance ingredients were added at all. Unscented means the product may still contain masking fragrances designed to neutralise other smells, so it can legally say it has no noticeable scent while still containing parfum. For sensitive skin, eczema-prone skin, or newborns, fragrance free is the safer choice.
Why does this label confusion exist in the first place?
Both terms sound like they mean the same thing, and manufacturers are not always rushing to correct that impression. In EU and UK cosmetics regulation, "fragrance" or "parfum" on an ingredient list refers to any aromatic ingredient added for scent — including masking agents. A product can omit the word "fragrance" from its marketing while still listing parfum in its INCI ingredients. Unscented products often use these masking ingredients to give the wipe a neutral, non-smell rather than a genuinely scent-free formulation.
Fragrance free products, by contrast, contain no parfum, no masking fragrances, and no aromatic ingredients added for scent purposes. That's a stricter standard — and a more meaningful one for anyone with reactive skin.
What do fragrances in wipes actually do to skin?
Fragrance is one of the most common contact allergens in cosmetic and personal care products. The British Association of Dermatologists lists fragrance mix as a leading cause of allergic contact dermatitis. On intact adult skin, the risk from a single wipe exposure is relatively low for most people. But wipes are often used in circumstances where skin is already compromised: nappy area skin under occlusion, raw hands, inflamed or eczema-prone patches, or the delicate skin of a newborn.
Repeated exposure to fragrance ingredients on compromised skin is where sensitisation can occur — meaning someone who showed no reaction initially can develop one over time. For babies especially, whose skin barrier is thinner and still maturing, fragrance-free is the standard recommended by most UK paediatric dermatology guidelines. If your child has eczema or your GP or pharmacist has flagged skin sensitivity, fragrance free wipes are the sensible default.
We should be clear: if your child or you have a diagnosed skin condition like eczema or contact dermatitis, the right person to advise on wipe ingredients is your GP or pharmacist, not a wipes brand.
Are there other ingredients to watch out for beyond fragrance?
Fragrance gets the most attention, but it's not the only thing worth scanning for on a wipe's ingredient list. A few others that crop up in more common formulations:
Phenoxyethanol — a preservative that has raised questions in products used on newborns and infants, though it's approved for use at low concentrations in UK and EU cosmetics. Some parents prefer to avoid it as a precaution.
EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) — used as a preservative chelating agent. Again, not banned, but some people prefer to sidestep it.
Plastic fibres — not a skin irritant per se, but relevant context: most mainstream wet wipes contain polyester or polypropylene fibres, which are plastic. From 2027 the UK will ban plastic-fibre wet wipes outright. Cotton wipes are the plastic-free alternative.
None of those four — parfum, phenoxyethanol, EDTA, or plastic fibres — appear in any dinky wipes product. That's a deliberate formulation choice, not an afterthought. Our sensitive wipes are 100% cotton and fragrance free, which is also why they're suitable as everyday wipes for adults with sensitive skin, not just for baby changes.
Does fragrance free mean a wipe will smell strange or chemical?
This is the most common worry, and it's worth addressing directly. A well-made fragrance free wipe should smell of very little — perhaps faintly of the cotton itself, or the mild preservative in the solution. It should not smell chemical, sour, or unpleasant. If a fragrance free wipe smells off, that's a formulation or freshness issue, not an inherent property of being fragrance free.
The reason some brands reach for masking fragrances is that they're covering something in the base formulation. A wipe that needs no masking typically has a simpler, cleaner ingredient list to begin with.
Which should you actually buy: fragrance free or unscented?
For most use cases — baby wipes, intimate hygiene, sensitive or eczema-prone skin, or anywhere you're using wipes on broken or reactive skin — fragrance free is the better choice. It's not that unscented wipes are dangerous, but fragrance free gives you certainty that no aromatic ingredients are present, masked or otherwise.
For general hand or surface use on robust adult skin, either is probably fine, but fragrance free costs you nothing in performance and eliminates a variable.
If you're shopping for a newborn, the NHS recommends using plain water on cotton wool for the first few weeks, and fragrance free wipes when you do move to wipes. That's good advice. A 100% cotton, fragrance free wipe is about as close to a cotton wool pad as a disposable wipe gets.
Common questions
Can a wipe be labelled unscented but still contain fragrance?
Yes. Unscented means the product has no perceptible smell, but it may still contain masking fragrances — aromatic ingredients used to neutralise other odours rather than add a pleasant scent. These still appear as parfum on the ingredient list. If you want to be certain no fragrance ingredients are present, look for "fragrance free" (or check the INCI list for the absence of parfum).
Are fragrance free wipes better for babies and newborns?
Yes, fragrance free wipes are generally recommended for baby skin, particularly for newborns and children with eczema or sensitive skin. Fragrance is one of the more common causes of contact dermatitis, and baby skin has a thinner, less mature barrier than adult skin. If your child has a diagnosed skin condition, check with your GP or pharmacist before choosing a product.
What's the difference between fragrance free and hypoallergenic wipes?
"Hypoallergenic" is not a regulated term in the UK — any brand can use it without meeting a specific standard. Fragrance free is more meaningful because it refers to a specific formulation choice (no fragrance ingredients added). A wipe can be labelled hypoallergenic and still contain parfum, so it's worth reading the ingredient list rather than relying on front-of-pack claims alone.