If you have sensitive skin, one of the best things you can do is switch to a sensitive skin laundry detergent. But with so many detergents on the market, which is the best choice?
When choosing a sensitive skin detergent, there are a few things to consider, including the ingredients, how the detergent is formulated, and seals or recommendations from doctors and other professional groups.
Detergents can contain, well, a laundry list of ingredients. Here are some of the most common detergent ingredients and how they are often used in different laundry detergent formulas:
- Surfactants: help to remove dirt and oil
- Enzymes: molecules that break down stains
- Builders: reduce water hardness and help balance pH so detergents are more effective
- Solvents: dissolve substances and help control viscosity
- Chelants: help detergents clean more effectively by binding metal impurities in water
- Polymers: keep dissolved particles in suspension and off fabric
- Brighteners: help surface of fabric to appear brighter
- Dyes: colored pigments added to formula
- Perfumes: added fragrance
If you have sensitive skin, you want to look for laundry detergents that are hypoallergenic. Hypoallergenic products strive to avoid using some of the most common irritants or allergens. In addition, you want to avoid any unnecessary ingredients such as dyes and perfumes, which can irritate skin and don’t serve to clean clothes more effectively.
You also want to watch out for harsh surfactants. Some surfactants have a lot of cleaning power, but they can be left behind in fabrics which can irritate vulnerable skin.
When it comes to formulating a sensitive skin laundry detergent, there are different approaches. Laundry scientists must decide how many and which kinds of ingredients to choose, as well as determine the best balance between cleaning efficacy and gentleness.
all® free clear was one of the first detergent brands to create a sensitive skin laundry detergent from the ground up. That means each ingredient was specifically chosen for its gentleness on skin and cleaning efficacy.
With all® free clear, you get a detergent that is 100% free of perfumes and dyes, using a hypoallergenic formula that removes 99% of top everyday and seasonal allergens1, and provides an effective clean.
Checking ingredients and understanding how detergents are formulated for gentleness and efficacy are all important pieces of information when choosing a sensitive skin laundry detergent. But that can be tedious and time-consuming for many people.
One of the easiest ways to figure out which detergent to pick is to trust the doctors and read the labels.
When choosing a detergent, look for callouts from doctor and healthcare professional groups such as dermatologists, allergists and pediatricians.
- Look for helpful logos, seals and labels including those supported by accredited health groups such as the National Eczema Association
- Safer Choice is a program run by the United States’ Environmental Protection Agency
- all® free clear is the #1 recommended detergent brand by dermatologists, allergists, and pediatricians for sensitive skin and was the first laundry detergent awarded the seal of acceptance by the National Eczema Association. It is also Safer Choice certified so it is made with ingredients safer for your family and the environment.
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