Sensitive Everyday Products
Practical products and simpler approaches for everyday life when fragrance, skin irritation, allergies or other sensitivities make ordinary products harder to use.
Start with the area that matters to you. One useful product change may be enough.
You don’t need to make your whole home “sensitive”.
Start with products you use frequently, products that stay against the skin, or products that noticeably bother you. The aim is not to find a perfectly pure household. It is to reduce unnecessary irritation and make everyday routines easier.
Worth considering when perfume or lingering scent is difficult.
Look for formulations intended for sensitive skin or households.
Sometimes reducing the number of products helps more than finding another specialist product.
A product you already tolerate does not need replacing simply because something else sounds better.
Choose an everyday area
Tap a section to open the products and ideas.
Laundry
Detergent, scent and products left against clothing and bedding.
+
Laundry
Detergent, scent and products left against clothing and bedding.
Clothes, towels and bedding stay close to the body for hours. If fragrance or laundry products seem troublesome, this can be a practical place to experiment with one change.
Try changing the detergent before replacing every laundry product. Fabric softener and scent boosters may also be unnecessary.
OMO Sensitive
A mainstream sensitive laundry option that can be easy to find during an ordinary supermarket shop.
Koh Sensitive Laundry Liquid
A sensitive-focused laundry option from Koh.
ecostore Ultra Sensitive
ecostore has Ultra Sensitive products across parts of its household and laundry range.
Aware Sensitive Laundry Powder
A sensitive laundry powder shown in the older RPAH toiletries and personal-care guide.
Lux Pure Soap Flakes
Soap flakes were included in the older RPAH guide as another laundry option.
Skip unnecessary scent
Removing scent boosters or heavily perfumed fabric products may be a simpler experiment than changing everything.
- Fragrance-free rather than simply lightly scented
- Sensitive-skin formulations
- Clear ingredient information
- Whether fabric softener or scent boosters are actually needed
Cleaning
Multipurpose cleaners, cloths and lower-product approaches.
+
Cleaning
Multipurpose cleaners, cloths and lower-product approaches.
One multipurpose cleaner or a cleaning method that reduces sprays may simplify both exposure and the cleaning cupboard.
Koh Universal Cleaner
A multipurpose cleaning option that can reduce the need for several separate cleaning formulations.
ENJO Microfibres
ENJO fibres can be used with water for many everyday cleaning jobs, reducing reliance on additional formulations.
Sabco Organic Surface Disinfectant
A surface-cleaning option worth investigating if you have already found this particular product useful.
ecostore Ultra Sensitive Multi-purpose Cleaner
Another sensitive-focused multipurpose household cleaner.
- Fragrance-free multipurpose products
- Cleaning methods that reduce sprays
- One product that can replace several products
- Reusable cloths for appropriate everyday cleaning
Dishwashing & Kitchen
Products used around hands, dishes and food-preparation areas.
+
Dishwashing & Kitchen
Products used around hands, dishes and food-preparation areas.
If hand dishwashing irritates your skin, reducing direct skin contact may matter as much as changing the product.
ecostore Dishwashing
ecostore has hand and machine dishwashing products, including sensitive-focused options within the wider range.
Dishwashing Gloves
Reducing direct contact can sometimes be more useful than repeatedly searching for the perfect dishwashing liquid.
Body & Hand Wash
Frequently used products that come into regular contact with skin.
+
Body & Hand Wash
Frequently used products that come into regular contact with skin.
Products used several times every day can be sensible ones to review if your skin is easily irritated.
DermaVeen
DermaVeen offers washes and personal-care products designed with sensitive skin in mind.
CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser
A gentle cleanser from the CeraVe range that may be worth investigating when regular soaps or strongly fragranced washes are difficult.
QV Bar
QV Bar is shown in the older RPAH guide as a bar option for sensitive personal care.
Dove Beauty Cream Bar
The Dove Beauty Cream Bar appears in the older RPAH guide. Check the current formulation if a particular ingredient matters.
QV Gentle Wash
QV Gentle Wash is pictured among the wash examples in the RPAH guide.
QV Intensive Wash
QV Intensive Wash is also shown as a wash option in the older guide.
ecostore Ultra Sensitive Personal Care
Another personal-care range to investigate where sensitive-focused formulations are preferred.
- No added fragrance or perfume
- Soap-free options if soap is drying or irritating
- Products intended for sensitive skin
- A product you can comfortably use repeatedly
Hair Care
Shampoo and conditioner for easily irritated skin and scalps.
+
Hair Care
Shampoo and conditioner for easily irritated skin and scalps.
DermaVeen Hair & Scalp
DermaVeen includes hair and scalp products within its sensitive-skin focused range.
QV Hair Shampoo
QV shampoo is pictured in the RPAH guide as a hair-care option for sensitive personal care.
QV Hair Conditioner
A matching QV conditioner is also shown in the RPAH guide.
ecostore Ultra Sensitive Hair Care
Hair-care products are also available within ecostore’s wider sensitive-focused range.
Moisturisers & Skin Care
Simpler products and routines for sensitive or easily irritated skin.
+
Moisturisers & Skin Care
Simpler products and routines for sensitive or easily irritated skin.
More skin-care steps are not automatically better. A tolerated cleanser and moisturiser may be enough.
DermaVeen Moisturisers
DermaVeen has moisturising options designed for dry and sensitive skin.
CeraVe Moisturisers & Cleansers
CeraVe has cleansers, lotions and creams designed around skin cleansing, moisturising and barrier support.
Emulsifying Ointment
A simple emollient ointment was included in the RPAH guide. The pictured example was David Craig Emulsifying Ointment.
QV Intensive Ointment
A richer QV emollient option shown in the guide.
Epaderm
Epaderm is pictured in the RPAH guide as another emollient option.
QV Skin Lotion
A lighter QV moisturising option is shown in the guide.
La Roche-Posay Lipikar
A Lipikar moisturiser is pictured in the older RPAH guide. Check current ingredients because formulations can change.
La Roche-Posay Toleriane
Toleriane products are also pictured among the lighter moisturiser examples.
Keep the routine small
If two tolerated products are doing the job, adding more products may simply add expense, effort and ingredients.
Deodorant
Unscented and lower-fragrance deodorant examples.
+
Deodorant
Unscented and lower-fragrance deodorant examples.
The older RPAH guide shows several deodorant examples, while also noting ingredients that may matter to some people.
Crystal Deodorant
A crystal-style deodorant is shown as one unscented option in the guide.
QV Naked Deodorant
QV Naked Deodorant is pictured in the older guide. Check the current ingredient list before choosing it.
Mitchum Unscented
An unscented Mitchum roll-on is also pictured in the older guide.
Choose by tolerance, not the word “natural”
Fragrance, essential oils and botanical extracts can still matter even when a product is marketed as natural.
Sunscreen
Sensitive-skin sunscreen examples and ingredient checks.
+
Sunscreen
Sensitive-skin sunscreen examples and ingredient checks.
Sun protection still matters. If one sunscreen irritates you, another formulation may be easier to tolerate.
SunSense Sensitive Invisible
A sensitive sunscreen example pictured in the older RPAH guide.
La Roche-Posay Anthelios SPF 50+
An Anthelios SPF 50+ product is shown in the guide. Check the current product because names and formulations change.
Cancer Council Sensitive Sunscreen SPF 50+
Cancer Council Sensitive Sunscreen is also pictured as a sensitive-skin sunscreen example.
Try a small area first
When skin is reactive, trialling a small amount can make it easier to see whether a new formulation feels comfortable.
Teeth & Oral Care
Plainer oral-care products when flavour or additives are difficult.
+
Teeth & Oral Care
Plainer oral-care products when flavour or additives are difficult.
The RPAH guide includes plain toothpaste, bicarbonate of soda and a mild mouth rinse. Some simpler options may not contain fluoride, so dental health still needs to stay part of the plan.
Plain Toothpaste
A plain toothpaste is pictured for people who find strongly flavoured toothpaste difficult.
McKenzie’s Bi-Carb Soda
Bi-carb soda is pictured in the guide, but it does not provide fluoride and should not automatically replace fluoride toothpaste.
CloSYS Ultra Sensitive Rinse
CloSYS Ultra Sensitive is pictured as a mild oral-rinse option. Check current availability and ingredients.
Keep cavity prevention in the plan
If mint, flavourings or additives are difficult, a dentist may be able to help find a tolerated fluoride product or another appropriate cavity-prevention plan.
Fragrance Around the Home
Air fresheners, sprays, scent boosters and unnecessary fragrance.
+
Fragrance Around the Home
Air fresheners, sprays, scent boosters and unnecessary fragrance.
If scent itself is difficult, adding another product to cover a smell may increase rather than reduce the load.
Skip Air Fresheners
Where practical, ventilation, cleaning or removing the source of an odour may be preferable to adding another scent.
Reduce Fragranced Sprays
Consider whether frequently sprayed products can be replaced by a tolerated multipurpose cleaner or a cloth-and-water approach.
ENJO Fibres
Fibre-and-water cleaning can reduce the need for another cleaning formulation for suitable jobs.
“Natural” Can Still Be Scented
Plant-based, natural and essential-oil products are not automatically fragrance-free.
Look for the Sensitive Choice butterfly
Sensitive Choice can provide another way of finding products to investigate. Approval does not mean that every approved product will suit every person, so individual tolerance and ingredient needs still matter.
Product formulations, ranges and certifications can change. Terms such as “sensitive”, “natural”, “eco”, “low irritant” and “fragrance-free” can also describe different things. Always check current product information if a particular ingredient, allergy or exposure matters to you. For significant allergies, asthma, dermatitis or other health concerns, seek individual advice from an appropriate health professional.
Start with one everyday exposure.
You do not need to replace everything. A detergent you tolerate, one multipurpose cleaner, a gentle wash or simply removing an unnecessary fragranced product may be enough to make everyday life easier.