10+ Best Fragrance Free Products For Curly Hair 2024

The demand for curly hair products has increased massively in recent years as more curly girls embrace their hair’s natural beauty. Luckily, brands have noticed this, and new curl-loving launches appear regularly on shelves everywhere.

These days, there’s also growing demand for fragrance free products, as many people are sensitive to artificial scents, have sensitive skin, or dislike overpowering scents. 

Most hair care products contain some form of synthetic fragrance, which can also appear on the ingredient list as perfume or parfum. However, the range of high-quality, fragrance-free hair products is improving all the time.

In this guide, I’ll explain why you might choose to use fragrance-free products for curly hair. I’ll also share some of my favorite products to help you create your fragrance-free curly hair care routine.

Why Use Fragrance Free Products For Curly Hair?

Scents can change our mood or bring back happy memories, but they can also have unwelcome effects on our skin and hair. Here are some reasons you could benefit from using fragrance-free hair care products.

Avoid Scalp Irritation

Fragrances in hair care products can trigger allergic reactions like scalp irritation, redness, and itching.

You might also want to avoid fragranced hair care products if you have a dry scalp, sensitive skin, or conditions like scalp psoriasis or rosacea, or if you are prone to contact dermatitis.  

Support Good Hair Health

Choosing fragrance free shampoos, conditioners, and styling products can help you prioritize good hair health. 

Fragranced products often contain phthalates, sulfates, and other harsh chemicals that can affect the health of your hair. Choosing fragrance-free products reduces your exposure to these potentially harmful chemicals. 

Protect The Environment

Synthetic fragrances contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and potential allergens that can affect the indoor air quality. They are also derived from petrochemicals that can harm the environment when they are produced or destroyed. 

Avoid Clashing Scents

Finally, choosing fragrance-free products avoids layering your hair with several overpowering scents that might clash with each other and cause headaches.

What Does Fragrance-Free Really Mean? 

Products labeled fragrance-free have had no natural or synthetic fragrances added to their formulation. 

However, that doesn’t mean they don’t have any scent at all. If they contain essential oils or ingredients like coconut oil or cocoa butter, you will be able to smell the natural scent of those ingredients. 

It’s also important to remember that fragrance-free is not the same as unscented or odorless. These terms can be used to describe products that have a masking agent added to them to create a neutral scent.

10 Best Fragrance Free Curly Hair Products

When you’re choosing products to care for curly hair, it’s always essential to consider factors such as your curl pattern, hair porosity, hair texture, and hair density. 

If you’re unsure what type of hair you have, our short quiz will help you work out your Curly Hair Type.

Finding the perfect blend of products will take trial and error, and you will probably want to try out the latest product launches alongside your regular favorites. If you have allergies or sensitivities, always add one new product at a time so you can identify the cause of any allergic reactions. 

Here’s our selection of products to help you build a fragrance-free curly hair routine.

Shampoo

Jessicurl Gentle Lather Shampoo

Natural hair tends to be dry and can be prone to damage. So, Jessicurl Gentle Lather Shampoo is the ideal start to your wash day routine. 

Its light, creamy lather will gently cleanse your hair without stripping the natural oils or drying out your strands, even on color-treated hair. Lather up twice for a deeper cleanse, and follow up with one of Jessicurl’s excellent fragrance-free conditioners. 

All Jessicurl products are specifically designed to meet the needs of curly hair types. They’re free from harsh ingredients like sulfates and phthalates and are silicone-free to reduce product buildup. 

Innersense Clarity Hairbath

Innersense is a really popular brand for curly girls. They create some of the highest-quality fragrance-free hair products, which are highly recommended by hair professionals.

Their Clarity Hairbath is created using natural, non-toxic ingredients like comfrey leaf, chufa milk, manuka honey, and organic apricot kernel oil. Their formulations are hypoallergenic and fragrance-free, making them perfect for sensitive skin. 

Innersense Clarity Hairbath is sulfate-free to cleanse natural curls without leaving them feeling stripped or dry. 

More fragrance-free shampoos:

• Baby shampoo
• Jessicurl clarifying shampoo
• Curlsmith Shine
• LUS
• SEEN
• Curlmix 
• Boucleme Frargance-Free Curl Shampoo
• Kristin Ess Daily Cleansing Shampoo
• No Nothing – Four Reasons
• Briogeo Be Gentle, Be Kind Aloe + Oat Milk Ultra Soothing Shampoo
• Hairitage by Mindy McKnight Down to the Basics Fragrance Free Shampoo & dry shampoo

Conditioner

Jessicurl Aloeba Daily Conditioner 

If you’re a fan of the Curly Girl Method, you already know that plenty of moisture is essential for healthy natural hair. For fine hair or type 2 wavy hair, it’s vital to pick a conditioner that you can use regularly without causing product buildup that will weigh down your strands. 

Jessicurl Aloeba Fragrance-free Conditioner is packed with hydrating ingredients like aloe vera leaf juice, coconut oil, and marshmallow root extract. It will drench your delicate strands with all the hydration they need but won’t leave them looking limp and lifeless. 

Like all Jessicurl hair care products, Aloeba Daily Conditioner is vegan, cruelty-free, and safe for color-treated hair.  Use it as a rinse-out conditioner every time you shampoo your hair, or double up by using it as a leave-in conditioner as well. 

Jessicurl Too Shea! Extra Moisturizing Conditioner

If you have coarse textured hair or type 3 or 4 hair, you might need a richer conditioner than Aloeba. Jessica Too Shea! conditioner is enriched with shea butter, jojoba oil, and avocado oil to quench thirsty tresses. 

This concentrated conditioner is free from sulfates, silicones, and gluten, making it suitable for sensitive skin and color-treated hair. It has no added artificial fragrances but contains several natural essential oils that will give you beautiful hair that smells divine.

Apply Jessica Too Shea! conditioner to very wet, freshly washed hair and leave it to work for 3-5 minutes before rinsing. Both Too Shea! and Aleoba conditioners can also be used as leave-in conditioners for long-lasting hydration. 

Innersense Clarity Conditioner

Along with the Clarity shampoo from Innersense, this line has a conditioner. The Clarity Conditioner will soothe an itchy scalp and leave your hair soft and shiny. 

Pure Body Naturals Coconut Oil Hair Mask

Pure Body Naturals Coconut Oil Hair Mask is a fragrance-free, sulfate-free deep conditioning treatment that moisturizes and repairs curly hair. It’s ideal for use on damaged or dry hair, and safe for color-treated tresses. 

This nourishing hair mask contains high-quality natural ingredients like coconut oil, shea butter, and argan oil to pamper natural curls. It’s free from added fragrances, dyes, parabens, and phthalates. 

Use this deep conditioner weekly as part of your regular hair care routine, leaving it on for up to 20 minutes to help repair damaged strands and protect against future damage. 

More fragrance-free conditioners & masks:

• Curlsmith Shine
• LUS
• A Simple Planet conditioner & leave-in
• Boucleme Fragrance-Free Curl Conditioner
• Curlmix
• SEEN conditioner & deeper conditioner
• Kristin Ess Shine Enhancing conditioner, mask
• Ecoslay Banana Cream Deep Conditioner & Matcha Boost protein mask
• No Nothing – several shampoo options
• Briogeo Be Gentle, Be Kind Aloe + Oat Milk Ultra Soothing Conditioner
• Hairitage by Mindy McKnight Down to the Basics Fragrance Free Conditioner
• Mixed Chicks Kids Leave-in Conditioner

Styling Products

SEEN Magic Serum

This fragrance-free hair serum contains squalane and ethylhexyl olivate (derived from olives) to nourish your hair, smooth frizz, and deliver healthy shine in seconds. 

In addition to softening and strengthening hair, SEEN Magic Serum protects against UV damage and environmental pollution. It’s also an effective heat protectant up to 450ºF, making it ideal for use with hot styling tools. 

SEEN Magic Serum is free from sulfates, silicones, and phthalates, and can be used on color-processed hair. SEEN also offers fragrance-free options across the entire product range.

Jessicurl Spiralicious Fragrance-Free Gel

If you’re looking for a fragrance-free gel that delivers long-lasting firm hold and beautiful curl definition, you need to try Jessicurl Spiralicious Gel. 

Spiralicious Gel is infused with moisturizing jojoba oil and can be used alone for excellent frizz control and fabulous definition without flaking. You can also apply it after Rockin’ Ringlets Styling Potion if you have thick, tight curls or Gelebration Spray to enhance fine, wavy hair.  

Like all Jessicurl products, Spiralicious Gel is designed specifically for natural hair and is available in two gorgeous scents or fragrance-free. 

Bouclème Fragrance Free Curl Defining Gel

Keep your style looking great with this medium-hold styler, which gives natural movement and definition for a smooth, glossy look. Bouclème Curl Defining Gel is also ideal for smoothing down flyaways and baby hairs to keep your hair looking silky-smooth. 

This medium hold styler is suitable for wavy, curly, or coily hair. It’s made from 99% naturally derived ingredients, including essential oils and seed extracts, and is free from all sorts of nasties, including silicones, formaldehyde, phthalates, and mineral oil. 

LUS (Love Ur Self) Fragrance-Free All-in-One Styler 

This fantastic multipurpose styler will hydrate, repair, and style curly hair. LUS All-in-One Styler is infused with nourishing and moisturizing ingredients like moringa oleifera seed extract and shea butter, delivering soft, shiny, defined curls without any crunch or stickiness. 

Simply rake the water-activated styler through clean, wet hair. Scrunch, finger-coil, or use your favorite curl-enhancing technique before diffusing or air-drying your curls. I recommend layering a product with hold over this so your style lasts because this product doesn’t have any hold.

Along with being fragrance-free, LUS products are gluten-free, vegan, and cruelty-free.  

Biotera Styling Fragrance-Free Hair Spray 

Finish your style and keep it looking great for longer with this quick-drying hair spray. It provides long-lasting firm hold without any sticky residue or flakes, and protects against thermal damage by heated styling tools. 

Free from fragrance, parabens, sulfates, and phthalates, Biotera hairspray is also suitable for use on color-treated hair. Combine with Biotera Flexible Hold Fragrance-Free Styling Spritz for the ultimate finish.

More fragrance-free styling products:

• Miribel Naturals Va-Va Volumizing Foam
• Curlsmith Shine gel
• Jessicurl Confident Coils, Rockin Ringlets, Gelebration Spray
• A Simple Planet gels, cream, detangler, sea salt spray, refresh spray
• Curlmix – flaxseed gels with different levels of hold, creams with different levels of hold
• Boucleme Fragrance-Free Curl Cream
• EVOLVh WonderBalm
• TreLuxe ReFlex Styling Serum,
• Suave Max Hold Hairspray
• SEEN Curly Creme
• No Nothing – heat protectant, leave in, styling mist, spray
• Kristin Ess dry shampoo powder, soft shine grooming cream, texturizing paste

FAQ

If you want more information about fragrance-free hair products, here are some of our most frequently asked questions.

Is Fragrance In Hair Products Bad For Hair?

Synthetic fragrances can worsen scalp conditions like psoriasis and cause allergic contact dermatitis. They also often contain phthalates and sulfates that can affect the health of your hair. 

How Can You Tell If Fragrance Is Natural Or Synthetic? 

If the words fragrance, perfume or parfum are included in your product’s ingredient list, it means a synthetic fragrance has been added. Natural products will likely use essential oils such as rosemary oil (Rosmarinus Officinalis) or peppermint oil (Mentha Piperita) that naturally scent the product.

Which Is Better, Fragrance-Free Or Unscented?

A product labeled as an unscented option might still contain small amounts of natural fragrance or a masking agent. If you are sensitive to these ingredients or want to avoid them, choosing fragrance-free products is better. 

The Bottom Line

Caring for curly hair has never been easier, with a massive choice of products and new arrivals launched regularly. 

For a long time, it was hard to find fragrance-free options without compromising on quality and results. However, the range of excellent fragrance-free products for curly hair is increasing constantly with frequent new product launches.

Brands like Jessicurl and SEEN are leading the way with fragrance-free options across their full range.

If you’re sensitive to fragrances or want to avoid heavily scented products, it might take you a while to find the perfect mix of shampoos, conditioners, and styling products. 

But, with the help of this guide and a little trial and error, you’re sure to create your perfect fragrance-free curly hair routine.