No. 108: My Housekeeper Wouldn’t Clean My House

All I wanted was for her to use fragrance-free products

My housekeeper, who hadn’t cleaned my home in a while, texted me the evening before and said I won’t be coming. Earlier that day, I had texted her and asked if she could use fragrance-free products, which I would be happy to supply. She’s done it prior, after all. But it was a no-go. She said she needed chemicals and won’t work with anything ‘organic’. But she misunderstood, I wasn’t asking her to clean my home with essential oils, just fragrance-free products.

This scenario had me thinking, why aren’t there more great fragrance-free products? Not just in the realm of cleaning, but beauty. Unpopular opinion, but not every beauty product needs a scent and not every fragrance-free product should be deemed clean or natural. What people qualify as clean or natural, I dub evolved—new ingredients that are challenging what we’ve been using for decades.

But this isn’t about clean or natural. This is about why fragrance-free products are important. When we don’t consider formulating products sans fragrance, we leave out a whole group of people. Not just those who have a preference for the category but those who deal with auto-immune conditions or diseases that can further perpetuate the initial problem.

My friend Sue Williamson (check her workout line, H-O-R-S-E) said it best: “Wellness is for well people.” And that’s a problem. I’ve written more about this topic for WWD, which you can read here. Since fragrance-free items are few and far between, I 1. recommend slotting scent-free products into your brand’s lineup. I’m not recommending you have 1 for each product or product line. But make it strategic and find an avenue to maintain inclusivity while still targeting your customer. And 2. Because of its slim pickings, I’ve rounded up my favorite fragrance-free products from skin to body and hair.

Necessaire, Marie Veronique, Seen, Necessaire, Prequel, Seen, Doctor Rogers, Soft Services, Terra-Tory

Necessaire The Hand Cream: Necessaire really nails the fragrance-free category. The hand cream is rich, but not greasy and sinks quickly into the skin. Also, I always prefer a fragrance-free hand cream to a scented one. I find that scented hand cream is overkill. When you have fragrance on your hands and then touch food and it transfers, gross.

Marie Veronique Body Barrier Emulsion: I wish this weren’t $125, but the texture is out of control in the best way possible. It’s like a milky oil. The formula is so unique and luxe and absorbs instantly. Your skin will feel like velvet.

Necessaire The Shampoo & The Conditioner: I would say the haircare category has the least amount of fragrance-free options, but out of the ones I’ve tried, Necessaire is my number one. It’s super hydrating, but not heavy or stripping.

Seen Curly Creme: My husband has very curly locks and a strain of terrible allergies. He needs to maintain his curls sans scent and Seen's Curl Creme is wonderful. I also really appreciate that a derm is at the helm of the brand, so she's cognizant of the fragrance-free benefits. I use this on my waves, and they always come out defined but not crunchy. So I can put a brush through it without it getting weird or frizzy.

Prequel Pre-Gleanse: So many oil cleansers are made with essential oils or have an aroma. I love that this one has no scent and is formulated with gentle surfactants. I find that when a facial product has a fragrance, I’m more prone to breakouts.

Doctor Rogers Restore Face Cream: I love to sing this moisturizer’s praises. This cream feels like a loyal companion because I always go back to it. The texture is thick, but it absorbs quickly. The ingredients are straightforward (think: squalane, glycerin, niacinamide, and shea butter). And it’s made by an expert, the brilliant Seattle-based derm, Dr. Heather Rogers.

Soft Services Comfort Cleanse: This body cleanser is super hydrating thanks to its 25% glycerin content. And it actually suds, which I can’t say for a lot of body washes that are more evolved when it comes to ingredients.

Terra-Tory Unscented Gentle Baby Oats Soap: Not just for babies, despite what the name says! This soap is beautifully made and is incredibly soothing. You can’t go wrong with any of Terra-Tory’s soaps, but I appreciate the fragrance-free option.