While there’s no doubt that essential oils can be hugely beneficial when used for aromatherapeutics (hello insomnia, allergies, and anxiety), and even in skin care at times, they can be troublesome for people with sensitive skin. Here, we break down the trend and what brands are formulated without essential oils. They also contain strong (albeit, natural) scents; so if you are one to react to fragrance of any kind, you may also need to avoid. Millennial favorite, perennial Sephora best-seller, and beauty-editor-lauded Drunk Elephant is one brand that’s leading the charge. “My skin changed when I removed ‘sensitizers’ from my products, the ones I was using on a daily basis, and gave it room to rebound,” said founder Tiffany Masterson. “I call them the suspicious six: essential oils, chemical screens, silicones, fragrance, dyes, and alcohols. In my opinion, essential oils can create sensitized skin. And the effect is cumulative—after using them for a while, people say ‘I have sensitive skin.’” Forward-thinking green beauty vets like Marie Veronique Nadeau, founder of Marie Veronique products, are making EO-free a part of their offering, too. Her collaboration range in partnership with Kristina Holey is entirely free of essential oils and other irritants like “microcidal preservatives” that can be problematic for some. Peet Rivko has built its entire brand on being essential-oil-free and sensitive-skin-friendly without all of the additives that often come with non-natural drugstore products. “Just because something is fragrance-free doesn’t mean it’s unscented,” said founder Johanna Peet. The products do have smell—Peet explained many brands will add chemicals and additives to neutralize any natural scents—which can take some getting used to.
