How to minimize your exposure

In the absence of adequate FDA oversight of fragrance chemicals, here are a few ways to reduce your potential exposure:

Don’t rely on products claiming to be “unscented,” since the term doesn’t rule out the presence of allergenic chemicals. It may also indicate the presence of masking agents that can cover up the scent of those allergenic chemicals. Always read the full list of ingredients to spot potentially allergenic chemicals.
Consult Skin Deep, which contains ratings for more than 90,000 products and ingredients used in a wide range of personal care product categories, including baby, men’s and sun-care products. Products that score 1 or 2 are less likely to contain fragrance.
Look for personal care and household cleaning products that bear the EWG VERIFIED mark. A product bearing the mark avoids ingredients of concern.
Download EWG’s Healthy Living app, which makes it easy for you to scan products on store shelves and quickly see how they rate in Skin Deep.
Keep an eye out for products that aren’t for personal care but that may contain fragrance, including cleaners and air fresheners. Many cleaners bearing the EWG VERIFIED mark do not contain fragrance.