Finding the Best Laundry Detergents for Sensitive Skin
How can the right laundry detergent for sensitive skin benefit you? If you have a skin condition or a sensitivity, the soap will be a neutral factor in your daily routine — it won’t exacerbate inflammation or irritation. It will also be less likely to dry out your skin as compared to traditional soaps. This gives your skin barrier a chance to repair itself so it won’t become more damaged and prone to issues.
While our recommendations are less likely than traditional detergents to cause irritation, they can still create issues depending on your allergies and sensitivity levels. For this reason, we encourage you to perform a patch test with your chosen detergent before trying it in the washing machine. To do so, apply a small amount of the soap to your inner wrist and let it sit for about 15 minutes. Inspect your skin for signs of irritation and wash it off thoroughly. If you noticed redness, itching or hives, don’t use the detergent.
What to Consider When Choosing the Best Laundry Detergents for Sensitive Skin
Ingredients
Knowing which ingredients are most likely to cause irritation can help you avoid a problem before it starts. Synthetic fragrance, parfum, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, phosphates, sodium borate, optical brighteners and dyes can all contribute to redness, itching and hives.
Fragrance
Generally, fragrance is one of the most common causes of skin sensitivities and allergies. If you’re struggling with irritation, we recommend first switching to a fragrance-free detergent to see if that solves the problem. Fragrance is often listed as “fragrance” or “parfum” on the bottle.
Dyes
Colorants in detergent can also cause irritation, so a dye-free detergent is a good bet if you’re trying to reduce your symptoms. To avoid this ingredient, look for detergents that are labeled “dye free.”
Type
Laundry detergent comes in four main forms: liquid, sheets, powder and pods. Liquid and pods are the most common, but dried and powder soaps tend to be more environmentally friendly. (We also find that sheets of dried detergent are a lot less messy!)
Price
Unfortunately, the cost of laundry detergents for sensitive skin adds up month after month. We kept this in mind when selecting the best products, and all our recommendations cost between $8 and $30 per bottle or box. Most bottles and boxes on the market cost between $10 and $20, though many cost upwards of $50.
What Are the Different Types of Laundry Detergents for Sensitive Skin?
Liquid
Liquid laundry detergent is the most common form of detergent on the market. Generally, it’s in a concentrated form, so you need to carefully measure out a portion for your load to make sure you aren’t adding too much soap to your washing machine. While liquid detergent is the most familiar, it isn’t environmentally friendly. The
Sheets
Detergent sheets, not to be confused with dryer sheets, are a dried form of laundry detergent. One sheet usually equals one load, and you place it inside the washing machine rather than inside the detergent slot. From our experience, detergent sheets are effective at cleaning laundry, easy to use and non messy. They’re also environmentally friendly.
Powder
Detergent powder is dried soap that you can place directly in the washing machine or in the detergent slot depending on your machine. Generally, it’s more environmentally friendly than liquid detergent and works well on heavily soiled clothes.
Pods
Detergent pods are the most convenient form of laundry detergent. They’re placed directly into the machine, and their exterior dissolves when it gets wet. Pods are not the most environmentally friendly, but they’re useful in a pinch.
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