Can Laundry Detergent Cause Acne?

If you’re struggling with acne, you may be eager to identify the cause so that you can find the best solution. Diet, medications, hormonal changes, and stress are all common culprits of acne [1]. We also see a correlation between sweat and acne. But what about your laundry detergent? 

Can laundry detergent cause acne?

Every time you dry off with your towels, put your clothes on for the day or snuggle into your sheets, you expose your skin to laundry detergent molecules. If your chosen detergent contains problematic ingredients, it may irritate your skin and make your acne harder to manage.  

So, how can you clear up your skin while keeping your laundry clean? Keep reading to learn how to choose a laundry detergent that’s better suited to your skin.

How Does Laundry Detergent Affect Your Skin?

It's easy to swoon over your laundry detergent when you slip into the floral oasis of your freshly-washed sheets. Unfortunately, this oasis may end up being a mirage, depending on the ingredients in your laundry detergent. 

Some detergents contain harsh chemicals that can cause your skin to become dry, itchy, or red [2]. These are often symptoms of:

• Allergic contact dermatitis – This skin condition occurs when your body’s immune system mistakes a harmless ingredient as a threat, resulting in skin inflammation. Common culprits behind allergic contact dermatitis include fragrances, dyes, and textile chemicals [3].
• Irritant contact dermatitis – This form of contact dermatitis occurs when the skin barrier is damaged by an irritant. Soaps, detergents, and perfumes are a few of the most common irritants [4].

Along with bacteria, excess oil production, and clogged pores or hair follicles, skin inflammation is one of the leading causes of acne [5]. Thus, if your laundry detergent is giving you contact dermatitis of any kind, the resulting inflammation may contribute to your acne breakout, making it harder to resolve, and may make it harder to tolerate acne-fighting ingredients.

What Ingredients In Laundry Detergent Are Problematic? 

As we mentioned earlier, different laundry detergents contain different ingredients. Luckily, this means you don’t have to stop washing your laundry to keep your skin safe. You simply need to be mindful of the laundry detergents you choose. 

According to the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, over 80% of dermatologists recommend that people with sensitive skin use laundry detergents that are free of dyes and fragrances [6]. 

Here’s a closer look at the ingredients you may want to avoid if you’re struggling with acne:

• Residual surfactants – Surfactants are used in some laundry detergents to help remove stains and dirt. They work by reducing the water’s surface tension, enabling the water to spread more easily throughout the fabric [7]. Residual surfactants can leave your laundry feeling softer and smelling more fragrant. However, they can also irritate sensitive skin [8]
• Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) – two of the most popular surfactants used in laundry detergents, and both have been linked to skin irritation [9]. SLS has even been shown to clog pores [10].
• Fragrances – From cozy vanilla to soothing lavender, laundry detergents can come in a wide variety of scents. The fragrance used may be made up of natural essential oils, synthetic compounds, or a combination of both. While some consumers’ skin can withstand exposure to the scented laundry detergent, others may find them highly irritating and potentially acne-inducing [11].
• Dryer sheets – After washing your laundry, you may toss it into the dryer with a dryer sheet. Dryer sheets can make your laundry feel softer, smell nicer, and remove static by coating it in a thin layer of scented wax. While many people love their results, dryer sheets have been shown to irritate sensitive skin and clog pores [12].
• Fabric softener – Fabric softener coats your laundry in electrically charged chemical compounds. This can make your fabrics softer and prevent them from stretching, fading, and getting fuzzy. However, as with the other products we’ve discussed, fabric softeners’ chemicals and fragrances can irritate your delicate skin [13].

How To Choose A Better Laundry Detergent

Now that you know what products and ingredients to avoid, you may be wondering how to find a laundry detergent that meets these requirements. Fortunately, you don’t have to scour each option’s ingredient list to find out. Simply search for a laundry detergent that’s advertised as:

• Fragrance-free
• Dye-free
• SLS/SLES-free
• Hypoallergenic
• Dermatologist-tested
• Made for sensitive skin

Once you’ve switched laundry detergents, your inflammation and in turn, your facial acne or body acne, will likely subside. However, if you want to give your skin some help during its healing journey, consider adding a gentle facial cleanser to your routine, like PROVEN’s personalized facial cleanser, which can clear your pores of dirt and impurities to promote faster skin healing. 

Layer that with a non-pore-clogging night cream can also help repair skin overnight so that you can wake up to a fresh, clear complexion. 

Protect Your Skin With PROVEN Skincare

If your laundry detergent is making your skin issues worse, swapping it for a safer alternative should improve your complexion. And by adding the right skincare products like a daily moisturizer with SPF to your routine, you can further enhance your complexion and unlock radiant, healthy skin. 

Just like with laundry detergent, it’s important to select skincare products with natural skincare ingredients that suit your unique skin type. Here at PROVEN Skincare, we make that process a breeze. If you’re ready to cleanse, soothe, and protect your skin, get your custom skincare formula from PROVEN today.