How to Choose the Best Laundry Detergent for Eczema-Prone Skin

There are several different factors that can trigger eczema flares, including allergens, specific foods, and stress. But laundry detergents can also be to blame.

Many laundry detergent brands contain ingredients that can exacerbate symptoms in people with eczema. Understanding the potential triggers of your eczema and how to select a detergent that won’t irritate your skin is a powerful tool when keeping flare-ups at bay. 

Keep reading to learn more about which ingredients can trigger eczema symptoms and how to choose the right laundry detergent that’s safe for your skin. 

Why Choosing the Right Laundry Detergent Matters for Eczema

Though experts aren’t sure exactly what causes eczema, we know that genetics plays an important role in the development of the condition. Which means that while many of us can’t control whether or not we have eczema, we can control how often we’re exposed to potential triggers.

Every person with eczema has a unique set of triggers for their condition. Very few people have just one trigger for their eczema. Most people will react to a variety of triggers. 

‍Common triggers include:

• Exposure to allergens, such as dust mites or pet dander.
• Exposure to cigarette smoke.
• Scratchy clothing, like wool. 
• Sweat.
• Lack of humidity, change in temperature, sun exposure, or cold-weather.
• Stress.
• Certain foods, like eggs, peanuts, milk, or fish. 
• Exposure to irritants, including certain soaps, detergents, and chemicals.

Traditional laundry detergents use ingredients that can trigger eczema flare-ups in many people. Signs of these flare-ups can include redness or discoloration, itching, dry or irritated skin, and inflammation. 

Investigating your household detergents, soaps, and other personal hygiene products is one of the first lines of inquiry your healthcare provider will initiate when working with you to manage the condition. 

If you suspect that your eczema is triggered by ingredients or chemicals used in many common laundry detergents, picking the right detergent can help prevent your symptoms. 

Common Laundry Detergent Ingredients That Can Trigger Eczema

Below are some of the most common, problematic ingredients that can affect sensitive and eczema-prone skin:

• ‍Fragrances: Though they can add a pleasing smell to a detergent or soap, these are some of the most common allergens for people with sensitive skin and eczema.‍
• Essential Oils: These naturally derived oils also serve to improve the fragrance of a product, but they’re just as likely to trigger an eczema flare as synthetic fragrances.‍
• Dyes: Products that contain dyes are also known to trigger eczema flares in some people.‍
• Methylisothiazolinone: A preservative often used in fabric softeners that is a common allergen and should be avoided if you have eczema or sensitive skin. ‍
• Triclosan: An antibacterial agent may trigger eczema flares. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned triclosan-containing hand and body washes in 2016 due to concerns over potential risks like bacterial resistance and hormonal effects. However, some detergents may still contain the ingredient.‍
• Surfactants: Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) & sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) and Cocamidopropyl Betaine can cause irritation.

What to Look for in an Eczema-Friendly Laundry Detergent

When searching for an eczema-friendly detergent, there are two key phrases to look out for that can help you find a product without triggering ingredients:

• “Fragrance-free.”
• “Dye-free.”

Importantly, “unscented” does not always mean that the product is free of fragrances. Some brands use fragrances to mask the smell of chemicals used in the detergent, which can still cause a problem for people with eczema.

Additionally, “hypoallergenic” is not a standardized designation, meaning some brands can use the term while still incorporating harmful ingredients in their product.

Another term that has no standard meaning or designation is “natural,” so be sure to avoid products that only carry this label.

Many experts also recommend opting for liquid detergent over powders, which are more likely to leave a residue behind that can irritate the skin. 

Additional best practices include avoiding fabric softeners and dryer sheets, which often contain more chemicals and fragrances, including brighteners, that can irritate the skin.  

Best Laundry Detergents for Eczema

Avoiding detergents with fragrances and dyes is a great place to start when looking for the right laundry detergent for your skin.

Many brands offer sensitive-skin and eczema-friendly detergents. Below is a compilation of some of the best dermatologist-recommended options. 

Best Overall

All’s Free & Clear Liquid Laundry Detergent is the #1 detergent recommended by dermatologists, allergists, and pediatricians for sensitive skin. 

Listed on the NEA’s Seal of Acceptance product directory, this detergent is dye and fragrance-free while removing 99% of seasonal and household allergens. It doesn’t leave behind an irritating residue and is safe to use in both standard and high-efficiency machines.  

Best Budget-Friendly Option

Tide’s Free & Gentle Liquid Laundry Detergent is another gentle detergent product option that’s free of dyes and fragrances and costs slightly less than All’s Free & Clear detergent at many retailers. 

Best Baby-Safe Detergent

Most eczema-friendly detergents will also be baby-friendly, since avoiding fragrances, dyes, and other harsh chemicals benefits sensitive skin in adults and babies alike. 

According to Parents, the best overall baby-safe detergent is Seventh Generation Free & Clear Liquid Laundry Detergent, which is gentle, fragrance and dye-free while still strong enough to effectively remove tough stains.

Best Eco-Friendly Option

Puracy’s Liquid Laundry Detergent is free of sulfates, parabens, phosphates, phthalates, artificial fragrances, allergens, and dyes. Formulated by doctors for people with eczema and other sensitive skin conditions, this detergent is made using plant-based enzymes, and the brand offers refill pouches to reduce single-use plastic. 

This detergent is also ten times as concentrated as comparative brands, which means you’ll use less per load, reducing packaging, water use, and energy waste.