Unscented means having no smell or fragrance added. When you buy unscented soap, it cleans your hands without leaving behind a floral, fruity, or perfumed scent. Unscented laundry detergent washes your clothes without making them smell like lavender or ocean breeze.

The word matters because some people are sensitive to fragrances or simply prefer products without added scents. A student with allergies might need unscented lotion so it doesn't trigger sneezing or headaches in class. Some people choose unscented products because they don't want competing smells: if you're wearing your favorite perfume or cologne, you probably don't want your shampoo's coconut scent mixing with it.

Note that unscented doesn't always mean no smell at all. Unscented products might still have a faint, natural odor from their ingredients, like the subtle smell of olive oil in soap. What makes them unscented is that manufacturers haven't added extra fragrances. For products with absolutely no detectable smell, you might see the term fragrance-free instead.