Best Fragrance-Free Shampoo UK (2026): 6 Unscented Shampoos, Sulfates Explained

What is the best fragrance-free shampoo in the UK?

We read the full ingredient list of each shampoo on a live UK page and kept only those with no parfum, fragrance or essential oils. Faith in Nature Fragrance Free Shampoo is the simplest and cheapest, with eight ingredients. Childs Farm OatDerma Fragrance-Free is the best sulfate-free pick, and Eucerin and Neutrogena offer fragrance-free pharmacy options for dry or flaky scalps.

Our picks at a glance

How we chose

• No parfum, fragrance or essential oils on the ingredient list. Several "sensitive" shampoos we looked at still listed parfum and fragrance allergens, so they were excluded.
• Honest about sulfates. We note the main cleanser in every pick, because "gentle" and "sulfate-free" are often confused.
• Available from UK retailers, from about £6 to £17.

Why choose a fragrance-free shampoo?

Shampoo runs over the scalp, face, neck and back, so fragrance in it reaches more skin than you might think. The EU's scientific committee lists many fragrance chemicals as established human contact allergens (SCCS), and fragrance allergy is common in the European general population (EDEN Fragrance Study). If you have an itchy scalp, a rash along the hairline, or eczema, the NHS advises checking product ingredients for allergens and switching products that irritate. A fragrance-free shampoo is an easy first swap. Rinse-off products carry less exposure than leave-on ones, so if you only change one product, change your leave-on moisturiser first.

Should I choose a sulfate-free shampoo?

"Sulfate-free" is one of the most searched shampoo terms, so here is the honest answer. Sulfates such as sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) and ammonium lauryl sulfate are effective cleansers that make a lot of foam. They are permitted in UK cosmetics and are not hazardous at the levels used in shampoo. Their downside is that they can strip oil and dry out the scalp and hair, particularly for dry, curly or colour-treated hair, or for people with eczema.

• Choose sulfate-free (glucoside, betaine or sultaine cleansers) if your scalp feels tight or itchy, your hair is dry or curly, or you have eczema.
• A sulfate shampoo is fine if you have an oily scalp, use styling products, and your skin does not react.

Note that fragrance is a far more common allergen than sulfates. A sulfate shampoo with no fragrance is often a better bet for sensitive skin than a sulfate-free one packed with essential oils.

The best fragrance-free shampoos in detail

Faith in Nature Fragrance Free Shampoo: best overall

Eight ingredients, no fragrance, no essential oils, no colourants, and a 5 litre refill option (Faith in Nature). Caveat: the main cleanser is ammonium lauryl sulfate, so this is not sulfate-free and may feel stripping on dry or curly hair.

Childs Farm OatDerma Shampoo Fragrance-Free: best sulfate-free

Lauryl glucoside, coco-glucoside and a sultaine do the cleaning, with oat flour and oat oil, no sulfates and no fragrance (Ocado listing). Easy to find in UK supermarkets and suitable for the whole family. Caveat: mild cleansers may struggle with heavy styling products or a very oily scalp in a single wash.

Urtekram Fragrance Free Sensitive Scalp Shampoo: best large bottle

Mainly glucoside cleansers with aloe and olive squalane, no fragrance, in a 500ml bottle (Ecco Verde). Caveat: it also contains sodium coco-sulfate, so it is milder overall but not sulfate-free.

Eucerin DermoCapillaire Calming Urea Shampoo: best for dry scalp

5% urea helps hold water in a dry, tight scalp, with no parfum listed (Lookfantastic). Caveat: the main cleanser is sodium myreth sulfate, a sulfate.

Neutrogena T/Gel Anti-Dandruff Shampoo for Sensitive Scalp: best for flakes

Piroctone olamine (an anti-dandruff active) and salicylic acid with no parfum listed in this sensitive-scalp version (Lookfantastic). Caveat: it uses sodium laureth sulfate and a little alcohol, so alternate it with a gentler shampoo rather than using it every wash.

Green People Scent Free Shampoo Bar: best plastic-free

A solid bar with no fragrance or essential oils, using sodium coco-sulfate and sodium cocoyl isethionate with plant oils (Green People). Caveat: £17 for 50g is expensive, and despite "gentle" marketing it contains a sulfate.

How do I spot fragrance on a shampoo label?

Read the ingredient list (INCI) on the back, not the front. Look for:

• Parfum, fragrance or aroma, usually near the end of the list.
• Essential oils, listed by Latin name, for example Rosmarinus officinalis leaf oil (rosemary), Lavandula angustifolia oil (lavender), Melaleuca alternifolia leaf oil (tea tree) or Citrus aurantium dulcis peel oil (orange).
• Named allergens such as linalool, limonene, citral, geraniol, citronellol and coumarin. These are often fragrance components and must be named on EU labels above set levels.

Plant extracts (for example rosemary leaf extract) are usually added for other purposes and are generally not scent ingredients, although some sensitive people still react to them.

Will a fragrance-free shampoo smell of anything?

Usually a little. Without added fragrance you notice the natural smell of the cleansers and plant oils, which some people describe as faintly soapy or nutty. It fades once hair dries. Your hair will still smell clean, just not perfumed. If you want a scent, adding a fragrance to clothing rather than to products that touch your scalp keeps it away from your skin.

Do I need a fragrance-free conditioner too?

If your scalp or hairline reacts, yes. Conditioner is left on longer than shampoo and often sits on the neck and shoulders while you rinse. Faith in Nature makes a matching Fragrance Free Conditioner, and many people with very sensitive skin also rinse conditioner off before washing their face and body to keep residue away from the skin.

What to avoid

• "Sensitive" shampoos with parfum. Always check the back label; sensitivity claims are not defined in law.
• "Natural" shampoos scented with essential oils. Rosemary, lavender, tea tree and citrus oils add fragrance allergens such as linalool and limonene, which must be named on EU labels above set levels (Regulation (EU) 2023/1545).
• Assuming sulfate-free means fragrance-free. Many sulfate-free shampoos are heavily scented.

Bottom line

For a fragrance-free shampoo, Faith in Nature Fragrance Free is the simplest and cheapest. If you also want sulfate-free, Childs Farm OatDerma Fragrance-Free is the best option we found. For a dry scalp try Eucerin's urea shampoo, and for flakes use Neutrogena T/Gel for Sensitive Scalp as a treatment wash.