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While fabric conditioners aren't a necessity, they do more than just add fragrance and softness to your clothes. They also help clothing maintain its shape, provide protection against bobbling and guard against colour fading. Although it's an essential in my fortnightly shop, I noticed the prices creeping up, with my favourite Comfort Pure nearly £5 for 80 washes. Because of my sensitive skin, I can only use this one, but I began to see supermarkets offering their own sensitive versions. So, I recently put sensitive fabric conditioners from Aldi, Lidl, Waitrose, Marks and Spencer, Morrisons, Asda, Sainsbury's and Tesco to the test to see if any could rival Comfort. I was evaluating the scent and whether it lasted, the softness of my clothing, and of course, the price, reports the Express . Lidl Doussy Sensitive Fabric Conditioner - £3.85 (120 washes) The Lidl fabric conditioner was only available in a larger bottle at my store, providing me with 120 washes. It had a subtle but fresh smell, although the bottle was far too large to pour easily. My clothes felt soft and clean, but the scent was a bit too synthetic for my liking. That said, it offers good value for money and doesn't irritate my skin. Score: 5/10 Morrisons Pure Fabric Conditioner - £1.29 (40 washes) I found this liquid to be quite thin and watery compared to other fabric softeners. I didn't notice that this affected the final outcome, apart from a slight film on the clothes, but this could have been due to more liquid being poured out than necessary. Despite having a spout, I found it slightly difficult to pour, and the bottle was made of rather soft plastic, which became easily distorted over time. Score: 4/10 ASDA Pure Cotton Sensitive Fabric Softener - £2.78 (80 washes) This two-litre bottle is somewhat difficult to pour, but it does smell fantastic, and it's excellent value for money. It has a pleasant and fresh scent, and my clothes seemed less wrinkled than usual, which was convenient. However, I had to transfer this into a smaller bottle as I found it kept spilling in the larger one. Score: 8/10 Sainsbury's Fabric Conditioner Gentle Pure - £1.29 (40 washes) This fabric softener had a light and fresh fragrance, but this didn't carry through to my laundry, particularly when dry. Having said that, the clothes did have more of a scent when dried outside. For the price, I would definitely buy this again, and it didn't irritate my skin or leave a slimy feel on the clothes. Score: 5/10 Aldi's Almat So Soft Fabric Conditioner - £1.35 (40 washes) I was surprised to find that this fabric softener in my local shop was pricier than Sainsbury's alternative, which, in my view, performed better. While it did have a fresh scent, it didn't last long, and my clothes didn't end up smelling of anything at all. Score: 4/10 Essential Waitrose Fabric Conditioner Gentle - £2.95 (75 washes) I found this fabric conditioner to be quite pricey, but it was pleasant to use. It left my clothes soft, smelling great, everything you want in a fabric softener. Would I buy this again? I think only if it were on offer, as the price is not that affordable compared to other ones I've tried. Score: 6/10 Comfort Pure Gently Fresh Sensitive Fabric Conditioner - £1.85 (31 washes) My go-to fabric conditioner, Comfort Pure, smells great and leaves my clothes nice and soft. While it is easy to pour and comes in a sleek bottle, I do tend to find my clothing doesn't stay smelling fresh for very long. This means I often couple it up with scent boosters, which aren't the best for sensitive skin. It's also slightly more expensive than other fabric conditioners in the test, and I personally think they worked better. Score: 7/10 Tesco Pure Fabric Conditioner - £1.61 (50 washes) Lightly fragranced with a delicate pear and a hint of apricot, this fabric conditioner smelled delicious, and my clothes had a long-lasting fragrance. They were also left feeling soft, and the softener didn't irritate my skin at all. This was my favourite I tried, and found it better than Comfort as the smell lasted much longer. Given its reasonable price, I would highly recommend giving this fabric conditioner a go. Score: 10/10 M&S Sensitive Concentrated Fabric Conditioner - £3.50 (50 washes) This sensitive, plant-based conditioner did a good job of softening my clothes, and it's also fragrance-free to help reduce irritation. The bottle, while visually appealing, is quite bulky and difficult to pour as it lacks a grip, making it challenging to use. It's also on the pricier side, and although I'm not certain I'd purchase again at this price point, it did effectively soften my clothes. Score: 7/10
