What do allergic reactions to soap feel like?

Heat is known to make any allergic reaction worse, especially when it erupts into a rash or full-blown hives. Try switching your detergent, you might even want to go to a dye-free scent-free detergent, especially since your body is currently 'hyperactive' as far as reacting to new stuff. If its the cat, you can have allergy shots done at your doc office or try an OTC.

Remember when switching detergents to do your sheets, blankets, towels, everything you come into contact with. You can also try using less detergent... supposedly you only need 1/2 of the amount of detergent that the manufacturers recommend (1/2 way to the smallest fill line). I have sensitive skin, and just use less detergent. My clothes come out just as clean but they dont stink like detergent.

as a life long sufferer of eczema sounds like you are having a reaction to the soap. The only soap I ever used that I knew imediatly I was allergic to was lever 2000, the second I was out of the shower my skin begin to crawl and tighten. I returned to the shower and used shampoo to remove the soap.

You said you recently moved your skin issue could be caused by the water, if you have hard water that could be bothering your skin, to test if you have hard water put a few drops of soap in a bottle, than add some water shake, do you get a lot of suds or just a few, the more suds you get the better.

suds = soft water

no suds = hard

Itchy.