[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":582},["ShallowReactive",2],{"allerbot-answer-fragrance-free-vs-unscented":3,"allerbot-answers-more-fragrance-free-vs-unscented":134},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"description":12,"extension":119,"followUp":120,"meta":121,"navigation":122,"path":123,"question":124,"seo":125,"stem":126,"summary":127,"tags":128,"updatedAt":132,"__hash__":133},"allerbotAnswers/allerbot/answers/fragrance-free-vs-unscented.md","Is fragrance-free really allergen-free?",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":112},"minimark",[9,13,18,48,52,61,69,73,105],[10,11,12],"p",{},"These two label claims trip up almost everyone with a fragrance allergy, because neither is a regulated guarantee.",[14,15,17],"h2",{"id":16},"what-the-labels-actually-mean","What the labels actually mean",[19,20,21,38],"ul",{},[22,23,24,28,29,33,34,37],"li",{},[25,26,27],"strong",{},"\"Fragrance-free\""," conventionally means no ingredients were added ",[30,31,32],"em",{},"for scent",". It does not mean the formula is free of fragrance ",[30,35,36],{},"allergens"," — botanical ingredients bring them along uninvited.",[22,39,40,43,44,47],{},[25,41,42],{},"\"Unscented\""," means the product has no perceptible smell. That can be achieved by adding a ",[25,45,46],{},"masking fragrance"," to neutralize the base odour — so an \"unscented\" product can legally contain fragrance compounds.",[14,49,51],{"id":50},"how-allergens-sneak-past-the-claim","How allergens sneak past the claim",[10,53,54,55,60],{},"The fragrance allergens dermatologists test for — limonene, linalool, citronellol, geraniol and friends — are natural components of essential oils and plant extracts. A \"fragrance-free\" moisturizer with lavender oil, citrus peel extract, or rose water can deliver the same allergens as a perfumed one. In our ",[56,57,59],"a",{"href":58},"/research/allergens-in-cosmetics","catalog-wide analysis",", limonene and linalool are the two most common EU-declarable fragrance allergens across products — and they arrive through botanicals as often as through \"Parfum\".",[10,62,63,64,68],{},"There's also the umbrella-term problem in reverse: our ",[56,65,67],{"href":66},"/research/eu-fragrance-allergens-2026","EU labelling research"," found that most fragranced products still list just \"Parfum\" with no named allergens — which is why EU rules from July 2026 force ~80 fragrance allergens to be named individually. Labels are about to get more honest; until then, the claim on the front tells you less than the list on the back.",[14,70,72],{"id":71},"the-reliable-method","The reliable method",[74,75,76,79,86,97],"ol",{},[22,77,78],{},"Ignore front-of-pack claims entirely.",[22,80,81,82,85],{},"Read the INCI list for your specific allergens ",[25,83,84],{},"and their synonyms"," — limonene may appear as \"Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil\".",[22,87,88,89,92,93,96],{},"Watch for botanicals: anything ending in ",[30,90,91],{},"oil",", ",[30,94,95],{},"extract",", or a Latin plant name deserves a second look if you're fragrance-allergic.",[22,98,99,100,104],{},"Or skip the memorization: ",[56,101,103],{"href":102},"/tools/try","scan the label"," and AllerNote checks every ingredient — including botanical sources of fragrance allergens — against your profile.",[10,106,107,108,111],{},"\"Fragrance-free\" is a decent ",[30,109,110],{},"starting"," filter. It's just not a substitute for reading the label — or having something read it for you.",{"title":113,"searchDepth":114,"depth":114,"links":115},"",2,[116,117,118],{"id":16,"depth":114,"text":17},{"id":50,"depth":114,"text":51},{"id":71,"depth":114,"text":72},"md","Check whether my 'fragrance-free' products actually contain fragrance allergens.",{},true,"/allerbot/answers/fragrance-free-vs-unscented","Is 'fragrance-free' actually free of fragrance allergens?",{"title":5,"description":12},"allerbot/answers/fragrance-free-vs-unscented","Not necessarily. 'Fragrance-free' means no added perfume, but fragrance allergens like limonene or linalool can still enter a formula through essential oils and botanical extracts — and 'unscented' products may contain masking fragrance. The only reliable check is the ingredient list itself.",[129,130,131],"fragrance","labels","shopping","2026-07-16","5ORS65xHIxzfactFeJM11iQuXvdcZ1LQxjNS28QEf4g",[135,255,361,489],{"id":136,"title":137,"body":138,"description":142,"extension":119,"followUp":243,"meta":244,"navigation":122,"path":245,"question":246,"seo":247,"stem":248,"summary":249,"tags":250,"updatedAt":132,"__hash__":254},"allerbotAnswers/allerbot/answers/cocamidopropyl-betaine-shampoo-rash.md","Shampoo rash that isn't on the scalp",{"type":7,"value":139,"toc":238},[140,143,147,154,176,179,183,213,217,232],[10,141,142],{},"One of dermatology's favourite plot twists: the shampoo rash that never touches the scalp.",[14,144,146],{"id":145},"why-the-rash-appears-in-the-wrong-place","Why the rash appears \"in the wrong place\"",[10,148,149,150,153],{},"Scalp skin is thick and hair shields it. But when you rinse, the diluted product sheets over your ",[25,151,152],{},"eyelids, ears, neck, and upper back"," — thinner, more permeable skin where allergens do their work. Residue also lingers along the hairline and wherever hair rests. So shampoo allergy classically presents as:",[19,155,156,163,170],{},[22,157,158,159,162],{},"flaky, itchy ",[25,160,161],{},"eyelids"," (the thinnest skin wins)",[22,164,165,166,169],{},"an itchy ",[25,167,168],{},"neck or upper back",", especially under longer hair",[22,171,172,173],{},"rash ",[25,174,175],{},"behind the ears",[10,177,178],{},"Meanwhile the scalp feels fine, so the shampoo escapes suspicion for months.",[14,180,182],{"id":181},"the-usual-suspects-in-the-bottle","The usual suspects in the bottle",[19,184,185,196,207],{},[22,186,187,190,191,195],{},[25,188,189],{},"Cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB)."," A mild-reputation surfactant in countless shampoos — including baby and \"sulfate-free\" formulas. It's a well-documented contact allergen (technically via its manufacturing impurities), common enough to be in standard patch-test series. In our ",[56,192,194],{"href":193},"/research/what-people-actually-scan","real-world scan data",", it's among the most frequently flagged ingredients in the products users actually check.",[22,197,198,201,202,206],{},[25,199,200],{},"Fragrance."," Nearly universal in hair care. Rinse-off products get a 10× higher threshold before the EU's ",[56,203,205],{"href":204},"/allerbot/answers/eu-fragrance-allergen-rules-2026","new labelling rules"," force individual naming, so plenty stays hidden under \"Parfum\".",[22,208,209,212],{},[25,210,211],{},"Preservatives."," MI/MCI built its reputation as \"the shampoo allergen\" before being restricted in leave-ons; it's still permitted in rinse-off products.",[14,214,216],{"id":215},"how-to-test-the-theory","How to test the theory",[74,218,219,222,229],{},[22,220,221],{},"Swap to a shampoo free of your suspect (start with CAPB-free and fragrance-free) for 3–4 weeks — eyelid skin recovers slowly.",[22,223,224,225,228],{},"Wash your face ",[30,226,227],{},"after"," rinsing your hair, not before, so residue doesn't sit on your face.",[22,230,231],{},"If the rash persists, ask a dermatologist about patch testing — eyelid dermatitis has several other classic causes (nail products, nickel, airborne allergens) worth distinguishing.",[10,233,234,235,237],{},"To check what's actually in your current bottle, ",[56,236,103],{"href":102}," — AllerNote flags CAPB, fragrance components, and preservatives against your profile in seconds.",{"title":113,"searchDepth":114,"depth":114,"links":239},[240,241,242],{"id":145,"depth":114,"text":146},{"id":181,"depth":114,"text":182},{"id":215,"depth":114,"text":216},"Check my shampoo's ingredients for common rinse-off allergens.",{},"/allerbot/answers/cocamidopropyl-betaine-shampoo-rash","Could my shampoo be causing the rash on my eyelids and neck?",{"title":137,"description":142},"allerbot/answers/cocamidopropyl-betaine-shampoo-rash","Yes — and the location is the giveaway. Shampoo allergens rarely cause scalp rashes; they show up where the rinse water travels and where residue lingers: eyelids, ears, neck, upper back. Cocamidopropyl betaine and fragrance are the usual suspects, and both hide in 'gentle' and baby formulas too.",[251,252,253],"shampoo","cocamidopropyl betaine","eyelid dermatitis","G78rvIbx4ezKi6cJbWjJ9ZtaDpmaNg2fuMz-DtOngAI",{"id":256,"title":257,"body":258,"description":262,"extension":119,"followUp":350,"meta":351,"navigation":122,"path":352,"question":353,"seo":354,"stem":355,"summary":356,"tags":357,"updatedAt":132,"__hash__":360},"allerbotAnswers/allerbot/answers/eczema-picking-safe-products.md","Picking products with lifelong eczema",{"type":7,"value":259,"toc":345},[260,263,267,274,278,314,318,325,339],[10,261,262],{},"Living with eczema means your skin barrier lets things in that intact skin would block — including allergens from your own skincare. That changes the shopping rules.",[14,264,266],{"id":265},"why-eczema-skin-develops-product-allergies","Why eczema skin develops product allergies",[10,268,269,270,273],{},"A compromised barrier plus frequent product use is the classic recipe for developing ",[30,271,272],{},"new"," contact allergies over time. Studies of eczema patients consistently show elevated rates of contact sensitization to ingredients in the very products used to treat their skin — emollient bases, preservatives, fragrance, even topical medication ingredients. If your \"safe\" moisturizer of years suddenly seems to make things worse, that's not paranoia; sensitization is acquired.",[14,275,277],{"id":276},"practical-selection-rules","Practical selection rules",[19,279,280,286,296,302,308],{},[22,281,282,285],{},[25,283,284],{},"Short lists win."," Every extra ingredient is another lottery ticket. Bland, boring formulas with 10 ingredients beat sophisticated ones with 40.",[22,287,288,291,292,295],{},[25,289,290],{},"No fragrance, in any form."," That includes essential oils and scented botanicals — see ",[56,293,294],{"href":123},"why \"fragrance-free\" isn't always allergen-free",".",[22,297,298,301],{},[25,299,300],{},"Be botanical-skeptical."," Aloe, calendula, chamomile, tea tree — soothing by reputation, allergens by patch-test data.",[22,303,304,307],{},[25,305,306],{},"Mind the classics:"," lanolin (wool alcohols), propylene glycol, MI/MCI and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, and cocamidopropyl betaine in washes are the eczema-relevant repeat offenders.",[22,309,310,313],{},[25,311,312],{},"Leave-on > rinse-off."," Spend your scrutiny on moisturizers and anything that stays on skin all day.",[14,315,317],{"id":316},"build-your-personal-evidence","Build your personal evidence",[10,319,320,321,324],{},"Generic \"eczema-safe\" lists only go so far, because ",[30,322,323],{},"your"," triggers are individual. Two habits compound over time:",[74,326,327,333],{},[22,328,329,332],{},[25,330,331],{},"Log reactions."," When a product flares you, record it — with its ingredient list. Over a few products, shared-ingredient patterns emerge (AllerNote's Trigger Detective automates that comparison across your scans).",[22,334,335,338],{},[25,336,337],{},"Ask about patch testing."," For lifelong eczema with product-triggered flares, dermatologists often recommend it — distinguishing \"my eczema flared\" from \"I'm allergic to something in this product\" changes everything about how you shop.",[10,340,341,342,344],{},"Once you have even a partial allergen list, checking products stops being research and becomes a habit: ",[56,343,103],{"href":102},", get a verdict against your list, move on with your day.",{"title":113,"searchDepth":114,"depth":114,"links":346},[347,348,349],{"id":265,"depth":114,"text":266},{"id":276,"depth":114,"text":277},{"id":316,"depth":114,"text":317},"Recommend a moisturizer that's safe for eczema and my allergens.",{},"/allerbot/answers/eczema-picking-safe-products","I've had eczema my whole life — how do I pick products that won't trigger a flare?",{"title":257,"description":262},"allerbot/answers/eczema-picking-safe-products","Eczema skin absorbs allergens more easily through its leaky barrier, so product choice matters double: prioritize short ingredient lists, skip fragrance in all forms, be suspicious of botanicals, and know that eczema patients develop contact allergies to their own skincare more often than average — patch testing is worth asking about.",[358,359,131],"eczema","sensitive skin","IO8PeOISSMRYIeMD1h-7zHMVOoEpeLEj76-q2h4xndw",{"id":362,"title":363,"body":364,"description":479,"extension":119,"followUp":480,"meta":481,"navigation":122,"path":204,"question":482,"seo":483,"stem":484,"summary":485,"tags":486,"updatedAt":132,"__hash__":488},"allerbotAnswers/allerbot/answers/eu-fragrance-allergen-rules-2026.md","The 2026 EU fragrance-allergen rules",{"type":7,"value":365,"toc":474},[366,372,376,394,398,401,425,436,440,464],[10,367,368,369,295],{},"If you have a fragrance allergy, this is the biggest labelling improvement since 2005 — and it lands on ",[25,370,371],{},"July 31, 2026",[14,373,375],{"id":374},"what-the-rule-says","What the rule says",[10,377,378,379,382,383,386,387,390,391,295],{},"Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 expands the list of fragrance allergens that must be spelled out in a product's ingredient list — when present above 0.001% in leave-on products or 0.01% in rinse-off — from the familiar \"26 allergens\" era to roughly ",[25,380,381],{},"80 declarable entries",". Products ",[30,384,385],{},"placed on the EU market"," from July 31, 2026 must comply; stock already in the channel can be ",[30,388,389],{},"sold through"," until ",[25,392,393],{},"July 31, 2028",[14,395,397],{"id":396},"whats-newly-declarable","What's newly declarable",[10,399,400],{},"The additions include everyday substances most shoppers wouldn't clock as allergens:",[19,402,403,409,415],{},[22,404,405,408],{},[25,406,407],{},"Simple compounds:"," camphor, menthol, vanillin, benzaldehyde, terpineol, pinene",[22,410,411,414],{},[25,412,413],{},"Whole botanical oils and extracts:"," lavandin, ylang-ylang, lemongrass, jasmine, sandalwood, rose oil, clove, bergamot, patchouli",[22,416,417,420,421,424],{},[25,418,419],{},"Long-time restricted substances"," whose ",[30,422,423],{},"labelling"," duty is new, like Balsam of Peru and methyl salicylate",[10,426,427,428,431,432,435],{},"We measured the impact across the AllerNote catalog: in ",[56,429,430],{"href":66},"our analysis of 4,400+ products",", about one in five products already lists a declarable allergen by name — and ",[25,433,434],{},"most fragranced products still list only the umbrella word \"Parfum\"",", which is exactly what changes. Expect ingredient lists, especially on body lotions and perfumes, to visibly lengthen through 2026–2028.",[14,437,439],{"id":438},"what-it-means-for-you","What it means for you",[19,441,442,448,458],{},[22,443,444,447],{},[25,445,446],{},"Your patch-test results become more actionable."," If you're positive to linalool or ylang-ylang, the label will finally say so on newly-placed products — no more guessing what's inside \"Parfum\".",[22,449,450,453,454,457],{},[25,451,452],{},"The transition is long."," Until 2028, shelves hold a mix of old and new labels. An old-style label saying \"Parfum\" tells you ",[30,455,456],{},"nothing"," about whether your allergen is inside.",[22,459,460,463],{},[25,461,462],{},"Non-EU markets keep the old rules."," The US still requires only \"fragrance\" — so imported and travel purchases stay opaque.",[10,465,466,467,470,471,295],{},"During the transition, the practical bridge is checking products against your specific allergens including the components hiding inside umbrella terms — which is ",[56,468,469],{"href":102},"exactly what an AllerNote scan does",". And if you want the full dataset — per-allergen prevalence, category breakdowns, zero-allergen picks — it's free on ",[56,472,473],{"href":66},"the research page",{"title":113,"searchDepth":114,"depth":114,"links":475},[476,477,478],{"id":374,"depth":114,"text":375},{"id":396,"depth":114,"text":397},{"id":438,"depth":114,"text":439},"If you have a fragrance allergy, this is the biggest labelling improvement since 2005 — and it lands on July 31, 2026.","Which of the new EU fragrance allergens are in the products I use?",{},"What changes with the EU fragrance allergen labelling rules in 2026?",{"title":363,"description":479},"allerbot/answers/eu-fragrance-allergen-rules-2026","From July 31, 2026, cosmetics placed on the EU market must individually name ~80 fragrance allergens on the label — up from the historic 26 — instead of hiding them inside 'Parfum'. Newly declarable names include camphor, menthol, vanillin, and whole botanical oils like lavandin, ylang-ylang, and sandalwood. Existing stock can sell through until July 2028.",[487,129,130],"EU regulation","Htcyp5DxxJCpQ4jtVL2PUJCZ30yLmCYoB0G3FowkRYA",{"id":490,"title":491,"body":492,"description":496,"extension":119,"followUp":570,"meta":571,"navigation":122,"path":572,"question":573,"seo":574,"stem":575,"summary":576,"tags":577,"updatedAt":132,"__hash__":581},"allerbotAnswers/allerbot/answers/moisturizer-burns-reactive-skin.md","Every moisturizer burns — why?",{"type":7,"value":493,"toc":565},[494,497,501,508,512,515,541,554,558],[10,495,496],{},"When even the derm-recommended brands sting, there are two main explanations — and they need different fixes.",[14,498,500],{"id":499},"possibility-1-your-barrier-is-compromised","Possibility 1: your barrier is compromised",[10,502,503,504,507],{},"If your skin barrier is damaged (over-exfoliation, retinoid irritation, eczema flare, harsh cleansing), ",[30,505,506],{},"everything"," stings — including plain bland moisturizers and sometimes even water. The burning starts within seconds, fades in minutes, and happens with almost any product. That pattern points to barrier repair, not ingredient avoidance: simplify to the blandest routine you can tolerate, stop actives, and give it two to four weeks. If nothing calms down, see a dermatologist — facial burning with visible redness can also be seborrheic dermatitis, rosacea, or steroid-withdrawal, which need treatment rather than product swaps.",[14,509,511],{"id":510},"possibility-2-the-gentle-products-share-an-ingredient-you-react-to","Possibility 2: the \"gentle\" products share an ingredient you react to",[10,513,514],{},"Here's the counterintuitive part: gentle product lines use overlapping ingredient palettes. If you react to one common ingredient, you can burn from a dozen different \"sensitive skin\" moisturizers that all contain it. Repeat offenders dermatologists see:",[19,516,517,523,529,535],{},[22,518,519,522],{},[25,520,521],{},"Preservatives"," — phenoxyethanol and others appear in nearly every water-based formula",[22,524,525,528],{},[25,526,527],{},"Propylene glycol"," — a humectant and known contact allergen, common in gentle formulas",[22,530,531,534],{},[25,532,533],{},"Cetearyl / cetyl alcohol"," — fatty alcohols in most creams; occasional true allergens",[22,536,537,540],{},[25,538,539],{},"Botanical extracts"," — aloe, chamomile, oat — \"soothing\" plants that are themselves allergens for some people",[10,542,543,544,548,549,553],{},"The way to tell: compare the ingredient lists of the products that burned. If two or three share an ingredient that your tolerated products lack, you have a suspect. AllerNote's ",[56,545,547],{"href":546},"/allerbot","Trigger Detective"," does exactly this comparison across your scanned products, and a ",[56,550,552],{"href":551},"/tools/product-compare","product comparison"," puts two labels side by side.",[14,555,557],{"id":556},"the-definitive-answer-is-a-patch-test","The definitive answer is a patch test",[10,559,560,561,564],{},"If burning persists across many products, ask a dermatologist about patch testing. It identifies the specific allergen — and once you know it, avoidance becomes a checkable fact instead of guesswork. Then every new product is a 10-second ",[56,562,563],{"href":102},"label scan"," against your list rather than a gamble on your face.",{"title":113,"searchDepth":114,"depth":114,"links":566},[567,568,569],{"id":499,"depth":114,"text":500},{"id":510,"depth":114,"text":511},{"id":556,"depth":114,"text":557},"Help me figure out which ingredient my moisturizers have in common that could be burning my face.",{},"/allerbot/answers/moisturizer-burns-reactive-skin","Every moisturizer burns my face — even the 'gentle' ones. What's going on?",{"title":491,"description":496},"allerbot/answers/moisturizer-burns-reactive-skin","Burning from products marketed as gentle usually means either a damaged skin barrier reacting to normally-harmless ingredients, or a genuine contact allergy to something that appears across many 'gentle' formulas — common culprits include preservatives, propylene glycol, and cetearyl alcohol. The fix is diagnosis, not more product roulette.",[578,579,580],"reactive skin","moisturizer","stinging","O3CYy5oajubZiHIGoT3JV-K7bZ3M1VpdA73JOzDb66Q",1784636722352]