Calgon Bath Beads
Well no, wouldn't recommend them for laundry. Aside from the scent and often colouring agents the stuff does contain skin softening agents.
All Calgon products grew out of the original CAL-cium g-ON-e formula (get it, CALGON), which was mainly a phosphate laden product used at first for softening water in steam boilers/engines (locomotives, ships, heating, etc...), then later dishes and laundry. Indeed the makers of Calgon touted it's ability to soften water and thus rinsing cleanly as hygienic for when doing foodservice ware including the military at the time.
As detergents replaced soaps for laundry and cleaning and diesel replaced steam Calgon had to find other uses. As many laundry and other cleaning products contained phosphates the need for a separate product such as Calgon was eliminated, again this hurt sales.
Enter Calgon bath beads and so forth for all the same reasons you'd soften wash water.
Have had many early packages of Calgon (in silver paper wrapped boxes) and one could use it for many personal care routines. From bathing to washing one's hair, anything that involved using soap with hard water.