If you or your family suffer with sensitive skin, you may notice that some laundry detergents can make the skin feel a little bit itchy. That’s because they contain ingredients that some people may be particularly responsive to. These are known as ‘allergens’, and common allergens include enzymes and perfumes – both of which can be found in some laundry detergents.
The reason that enzymes and perfumes are often added to laundry detergents is because they can be very beneficial. Enzymes help lift starchy stains out of fabrics, while perfumes provide a fresh scent that makes your clothes appear even more clean and fresh. For those with sensitive skin who find regular detergents to be unsuitable, a hypoallergenic detergent is a great option.
What is Hypoallergenic Washing Powder?
Hypoallergenic laundry detergents, often known as non-biological detergents, are free from common allergens, including enzymes and fragrances. The term ‘hypo’ means ‘under’ or ‘less than normal’, and so in this instance it’s used to describe laundry detergents that are less likely to pose a risk to those with allergies and skin complaints.
Despite being free from allergens, these detergents can still be effective at getting your clothing fresh and clean, you may just need to wash at a slightly higher temperature than with biological detergent, or consider using a pre-treatment before laundering. Click to find out more about the difference between non-bio and bio detergents.
Am I Allergic to Laundry Detergent?
Reactions to laundry detergents often present themselves in similar ways to other allergies. You may notice that your nose becomes a bit stuffy or that your eyes water whenever you wear clean clothes that have recently been washed, but some of the most common symptoms appear directly on the skin. A small red rash may appear that disappears when a glass is pressed against the skin, and this rash may be itchy, or especially uncomfortable for young babies and children.
Enzymes and perfumes are actually very mild allergens, and most people will not react badly to regular laundry detergents. However, as clothing is worn directly next to the skin and as t-shirts and jumpers are worn close to the nose, sensitivities may be triggered more easily than usual. Hypoallergenic laundry detergent for allergic skin aims to keep fibres smooth to help reduce skin reactions.
What is the Best Detergent for Sensitive Skin?
When looking for a laundry detergent for sensitive skin, keep an eye out for one which is not only non-biological – which means it doesn’t contain enzymes – but is also very effective at stain removal.
Persil non-bio detergents may not have help from stain-removing enzymes, but they're still formulated to be tough on stains, despite their gentle properties. Our mild formula and light fragrance means that our non-bio range is also safe for delicate baby skin – find out more about using non-bio for babies’ clothes here. While our Non-Bio liquid bottles even come with a handy Stain Eraser Ball to help you tackle stains head-on, our washing capsules are designed to dissolve fast to get to work quickly.
The Persil Non-Bio range can actually be considered to include some of the best hypoallergenic laundry detergent products on the market. It’s dermatologically tested and the skin care research behind the product has the approval from the British Skin Foundation. Designed to be kind next to sensitive skin, it helps reduce the risk of allergies while still getting clothes wonderfully clean and fresh.
To add a bit of extra softness to your clothes, try using a combination of Persil Non-Bio (powder, liquid or caps) and a hypoallergenic fabric conditioner like Comfort Pure (which is also endorsed by the British Skin Foundation).
If you or your family notice that you suffer with mild reactions when wearing clean clothes after they’ve been washed, consider trying out Persil Non-Bio liquid, or one of the other Persil Non-Bio variants such as Persil Powercaps Non-Bio capsules – you may be surprised by what a difference a hypoallergenic laundry detergent really can make!