Why enzyme-free doesn't always mean skin-kind.

For years, we've been taught to look for one word when choosing laundry detergent for sensitive skin: non-bio.

It sounds gentle. Reassuring. Almost like a shorthand for skin-safe.

But non-bio actually tells you one very specific thing.

The detergent doesn't contain enzymes.

That's it.

It doesn't automatically mean preservative-free. It doesn't mean allergen-free. And it doesn't tell you the full story of what else is inside the bottle.

NON-BIO ISN'T THE WHOLE LABEL

Biological detergents use enzymes to help break down stains. Non-bio detergents don't.

But liquid detergent is a water-based product that needs to remain stable on shelf, and some formulas use preservation agents to help protect the product.

One of these is Methylisothiazolinone, often shortened to MI or MIT.

MI has been widely studied because of its potential to cause allergic contact dermatitis. The European Commission's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has raised significant concerns about MI sensitisation, and clinical research has shown that people who are already allergic to MI can experience symptoms including itching, inflammation, cracking and blistering after exposure.

That doesn't mean everyone will react to MI. Many people won't. But it does mean non-bio alone isn't enough information to tell you whether a detergent has been formulated with skin in mind.

And we think that's a distinction worth understanding.

MEET THE ISOTHIAZOLINONES

MI isn't the only name to know.

Isothiazolinones are a group of preservatives that have been used in household and industrial products, including detergents. Research examining consumer products has identified these preservatives in a range of detergent formulations.

Look out for:

Methylisothiazolinone
MI or MIT

Methylchloroisothiazolinone
MCI or CMIT

Benzisothiazolinone
BIT

Octylisothiazolinone
OIT

In Great Britain, preservation agents used in detergents must be stated in the ingredient information, regardless of concentration.

The information is there.

You just need to know what you're looking for.

BECAUSE WHAT YOU WASH IN, YOU WEAR

We spend a lot of time thinking about what we put directly onto our skin.

Our cleanser. Our serum. Our moisturiser.

Then we wash the clothes, underwear, towels and bedding that sit against our skin for hours in formulas we rarely question.

That's the bit we find strange.

We don't think skin consideration should stop at the bathroom cabinet.

It should reach the laundry basket too.

WE PRESERVE THINGS DIFFERENTLY

We don't use isothiazolinone preservatives in our laundry formula.

Instead, we preserve our formula using phenoxyethanol, chosen as part of our considered approach to formulation.

Because creating a non-bio detergent was never the end goal.

Creating high-performance laundry care, designed with skin in mind, was.