Quick answer
In the United States, “hypoallergenic” has no official meaning. The FDA says there are no federal standards or definitions for the word, and companies do not have to prove the claim to the FDA. A product can say hypoallergenic and still contain fragrance or other common skin allergens. The ingredient list tells you more than the front of the bottle.
What you can do today
Pick one product you use every day. Ignore the front, flip it over and read the ingredient list. If you see the word fragrance, you’ve found the first thing worth knowing about that product.
Who decides what hypoallergenic means?
The company that makes the product decides. The FDA is the U.S. agency that oversees cosmetics, and it puts it plainly: the term “means whatever a particular company wants it to mean.”
Companies also don’t have to send the FDA proof that a product is less likely to cause a reaction.
The FDA did try to set a rule for the word in 1975. A federal appeals court later ruled that the rule was invalid, so there has been no official definition since.
Can a hypoallergenic product still have fragrance or allergens?
Yes. An allergen is an ingredient known to cause a skin allergy in some people.
In 2017, researchers at Northwestern University checked 174 best-selling moisturizers from Amazon, Target and Walmart. The study was published in JAMA Dermatology. They compared each ingredient list to a list of known skin allergens kept by the North American Contact Dermatitis Group, a group of skin doctors who test which ingredients cause the most reactions.
Here is what they found:
- 18 of the moisturizers were labeled hypoallergenic. 15 of those 18 had at least one ingredient on the allergen list.
- Across all 174 products, fragrance was the most common allergen.
- Only 21 of the 174 had none of the listed allergens.
Is “fragrance free” on the label enough?
It’s a better place to start, and it still isn’t a guarantee. In the same study, 40 moisturizers were labeled fragrance free. 18 of those 40 had a plant extract or an ingredient closely related to fragrance. Researchers call the closely related ones cross-reactors, which means your skin can treat them the same way it treats fragrance.
The FDA also notes that some products labeled “unscented” may contain fragrance. A company can add just enough to cover the smell of the other ingredients, without giving the product a scent you’d notice.
So the words on the front can point you in a direction. The ingredient list is the real check.
What about “dermatologist recommended”?
The study looked at that too. 40 products carried the claim, and 95 percent of them had at least one ingredient on the allergen list. They also cost more: a median of 79 cents an ounce, compared to 59 cents for products without the claim.
What should I look for instead?
Here’s what to look for:
- Ignore the front of the bottle. That’s the marketing.
- Flip it over and read the ingredients.
- Look for fragrance. On some labels it’s listed as parfum, the name used on ingredient lists in the U.K. and Europe. If you see it and your skin reacts easily, you might want to think again.
What this study can and can’t tell you
- It looked at moisturizers only, and it’s from 2017. Products change.
- Only 18 products had the hypoallergenic label, so that part of the study is small.
- Having an ingredient on the allergen list doesn’t mean you will react to it. It means some people do. Bodies are different.
What it does show is that the word on the front doesn’t tell you what’s inside.
Why this matters if your skin reacts to everything
This matters if you react the way I did. Literally anything touching my skin would give me rashes.
If you keep reacting to products made for sensitive skin, this might be one reason why. It’s also an easy one to fix.
Common questions
Is the word hypoallergenic regulated by the FDA?
No. The FDA says there are no federal standards or definitions for the word, and companies don’t have to send it proof.
Does hypoallergenic mean fragrance free?
No. A product can say hypoallergenic and still list fragrance in its ingredients.
Is unscented the same as fragrance free?
No. The FDA notes that some unscented products contain fragrance to cover the smell of other ingredients.
What does parfum mean on a label?
It means fragrance. Parfum is the name used on ingredient lists in the U.K. and Europe, and it shows up on some U.S. products too.
Are hypoallergenic products bad?
No. Many are fine. The word alone can’t tell you which ones, so the ingredient list has to.
Next step
If you don’t want to read every label, I built a free product directory. You can filter it by fragrance free, dye free and more.
Sources
- FDA. “Hypoallergenic” Cosmetics.
- Xu S, Kwa M, Lohman ME, Evers-Meltzer R, Silverberg JI. Consumer Preferences, Product Characteristics, and Potentially Allergenic Ingredients in Best-selling Moisturizers. JAMA Dermatology. 2017;153(11):1099-1105.
- FDA. Fragrances in Cosmetics.
- Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association. Cosmetic Product Ingredient Labelling.
Written by Christina | Heal for Real, Functional Nutritionist (CFNP). This article is for education and is not medical advice.