'Fragrance free' and 'unscented' look like they mean the same thing on a wipe packet — they don't. A fragrance free wipe contains no added fragrance ingredients at all, while an unscented wipe may still contain masking fragrances to neutralise chemical smells. For sensitive skin, babies, or anyone prone to reactions, the difference genuinely matters.
Why do 'fragrance free' and 'unscented' mean different things?
In EU and UK cosmetics labelling, 'parfum' (the catch-all INCI term for fragrance) covers hundreds of individual compounds. A product labelled 'unscented' has had those smell-producing compounds masked or offset — typically with a separate fragrance ingredient that sits below the sniff threshold. You can't smell it, but it's there.
'Fragrance free' means no fragrance compounds were added in the first place. Nothing to mask, nothing to neutralise. The ingredient list simply doesn't include parfum in any form.
The practical upshot: if you or your child has a contact allergy to fragrance — and fragrance is one of the most common causes of contact dermatitis in Europe — an unscented product isn't necessarily safe. A genuinely fragrance free one is the safer starting point.
Which ingredients should you actually look for (and avoid)?
When you're scanning a wipe's ingredient list, here's what to look for:
Avoid if you're fragrance-sensitive:
- 'Parfum' — the blanket term; anything listed as parfum is fragrance
- Named fragrance allergens (the EU requires 26 to be listed individually above certain concentrations — things like limonene, linalool, citronellol)
- 'Aroma' — sometimes used interchangeably with parfum in natural products
Also worth checking while you're there:
- Phenoxyethanol — a preservative that some skin-sensitive individuals find irritating; common in 'natural' wipes that want to avoid parabens
- EDTA — a chelating agent (stops minerals binding to the formula) with some concern around skin barrier disruption
- PLA fibres — polylactic acid is marketed as 'plant-based' but it's still a plastic polymer and doesn't biodegrade in normal conditions; not a fragrance issue, but worth knowing if you're trying to avoid plastics
None of those appear in dinky wipes, for what it's worth — not because we're trying to sell you something right now, but because it's a useful benchmark when you're comparing labels at speed in a supermarket aisle.
Does 'natural fragrance' get a pass?
Not necessarily. 'Natural fragrance' or 'natural perfume' has no legal definition in UK or EU cosmetics law. It's a marketing term. Essential oils — lavender, chamomile, tea tree — are natural, and they're also among the most common contact allergens. Lavender oil, for example, contains linalool and linalool hydroperoxides, both known sensitisers.
For babies under three months, the NHS recommends avoiding all products with added fragrance, natural or synthetic. For older babies and children with eczema or known skin sensitivities, the guidance is similar: fragrance free is the default, and you introduce anything else carefully.
If you're dealing with a persistent rash or reaction and you're not sure what's causing it, a GP or pharmacist is the right call — patch testing for specific fragrance allergens is something a dermatologist can arrange.
Are 'sensitive' wipes always fragrance free?
No, and this is where it gets annoying. 'Sensitive' on a wipe packet is not a regulated term. It can mean fragrance free. It can mean 'we reduced the fragrance a bit'. It can mean the wipe is slightly thinner and the brand thought that sounded gentler. There is no legal requirement for a 'sensitive' wipe to be fragrance free.
So: always read the ingredient list, not just the front-of-pack claim.
With dinky sensitive wipes, fragrance free is literal — no parfum, no masking agents, no essential oils. The wipes are 100% cotton, which means the material itself is also less likely to cause friction irritation than synthetic-blend wipes. But the label 'sensitive' means nothing on its own; it's the ingredient list that counts.
Does fragrance free mean no smell at all?
Mostly yes, though not always. Water itself has a neutral smell, but some preserving systems (the things that stop a wet wipe going mouldy before you open the packet) have a faint chemical edge. Fragrance free just means nothing has been added to address that — so what you get is the base formula's natural scent, which in a well-made wipe should be close to nothing.
If a fragrance free wipe smells noticeably of something, that's worth investigating. Check whether the ingredient list contains any named botanical extracts (aloe vera, chamomile) — these can carry a mild natural scent and are still technically fragrance free, but they're not always tolerated by very reactive skin.
Which should you choose for a newborn?
For newborns specifically, fragrance free is the clear recommendation — from the NHS, from most dermatology bodies, and from plain common sense. Newborn skin is thinner, its barrier function is still developing, and the surface area relative to body weight means any absorbed ingredient has more impact.
Water and cotton wool is still the NHS-recommended default for the first few weeks. After that, plain fragrance free wipes — cotton-based if possible, since cotton is less likely to cause friction irritation than polyester blends — are a reasonable move. If you're not sure, your health visitor is a useful first port of call.
For older babies, toddlers and adults with sensitive skin, the calculus is the same: fragrance free over unscented, and check the full ingredient list rather than relying on the front-of-pack phrasing.
Common questions
Are fragrance free wipes really better for sensitive skin?
Generally yes — fragrance is one of the most common causes of contact dermatitis, so removing it reduces one significant variable. 'Unscented' wipes may still contain masking fragrances and aren't the same thing as fragrance free. If someone has a confirmed fragrance allergy, fragrance free is the safer choice; for other skin conditions, see a GP or pharmacist.
Can a wipe say 'fragrance free' and still contain parfum?
In the UK and EU, if parfum is present in a cosmetic product it must be listed in the ingredients. A product claiming to be fragrance free while listing parfum would be mislabelled — a trading standards issue. That said, named fragrance allergens present below 0.001% in rinse-off products (0.01% in leave-on) don't have to be individually declared, which is why genuinely fragrance free formulations are the cleanest option for very sensitive individuals.
Are unscented wipes safe for babies?
Not automatically. Unscented means the product has had its smell neutralised, often with a masking fragrance. For babies with sensitive or reactive skin, fragrance free is the more reliable choice. For newborns especially, NHS guidance recommends fragrance free products (or just water and cotton wool for the first few weeks). If a rash or reaction develops, stop using the product and speak to a health visitor, GP or pharmacist.