While Benzoyl wash is great for ridding you of those troublesome zits that keep appearing, it does have a tendency to discolour clothes and towels that it comes in contact with. You want a blemish-free face, but that shouldn’t come at the expense of your favourite top or pair of jeans.
There’s no other way of putting this – benzoyl peroxide bleaches things. So, how, without simply stopping using it, can you avoid getting it where it’s not supposed to go and leaving a permanent stain?
Rinse your face fully after use
The first way to ensure your benzoyl wash doesn’t get on your clothes is to properly wash your face after use, ensuring that nothing lingers around the ears, temple or neck. Truth is, it’s super easy to miss a spot, so you need to be really careful and perhaps even get your partner to visually check you before drying off with a towel.
Wear a white t-shirt when washing
What’s one color that can’t be bleached? That’s right, it’s white! So, when you sit down to take care of your twice-daily application, why not wear clothes that aren’t going to be affected by touching benzoyl peroxide products? Just by popping on a white t-shirt, you take away the worry, as it won’t show – even a little bit – if it’s already brilliant white, to begin with.
Only apply it at night
People tend to be much busier in the morning as they’re getting ready for their day. That means you’re more likely to put on your going-out clothes while washing in a bid to save precious time. However, if your routine allows for it, then why not simply apply your benzoyl wash at night in your jimmy jams? That way, if something gets ruined, it won’t be your best clothes.
Move to a non-benzoyl peroxide product
Another option if you’re at your wit’s end because of ruined clothes is to switch to a non-benzoyl peroxide acne product that doesn’t bleach your clothes. However, this option should only be taken as a last resort, as there is simply no better type of over-the-counter product than benzoyl. You don’t want stained clothes, but neither do you want your zits to come back, so ditch it at your peril
Your benzoyl wash doesn’t have to ruin your clothes
When all is said and done, avoiding the problem of benzoyl peroxide-stained clothes just involves being careful. Sure, when a top gets bleached, it stays bleached, but we don’t think it’s enough of a reason to stop enjoying the positive effects the product has on acne-prone skin.
Instead, just be more considered when you use it, knowing that it’s something that might bleach your clothes. It’s more hassle to get organised, but it will save you an enormous amount of money on new tops and jeans, so you need to just establish a routine and stick to it.
Take just a few minutes to prepare yourself and make the necessary clothes changes and you too can kiss goodbye to ruined clothes in the name of acne control.
Zuella Montemayor did her degree in psychology at the University of Toronto. She is interested in mental health, wellness, and lifestyle.
