Practicing good hand hygiene habits is one such way that can protect us from infection. But what comes under good hand hygiene habits? Wash your hands with soap and water! It’s an age-old technique to stop the virus from spreading. But what if you are traveling and soap or water is not available to wash your hands? Here comes hand sanitizer to the rescue!
You might already be using a sanitizer. Right? But, wait! Has frequent usage of hand sanitizer caused your skin to dry and crack? If so, your sanitizer might be missing a few moisturizing ingredients, and it’s time to buy the right one for yourself! So, next time, when you shop for hand sanitizer, don’t forget to consider these three things:
Alcohol has been used for centuries to kill germs. It’s been a form of effective antiseptic since 1363. So, what should be the first ingredient to look for in effective sanitizer? It’s alcohol. Just make sure that the product has at least 60% alcohol in it. It can be in the form of isopropanol, ethanol, or n-propanol.
The presence of a given concentration of alcohol can denature the protein of the microbes immediately. Hence, they are effective in neutralizing certain types of germs. The foremost benefit of a good quality alcohol-based hand sanitizer is that it disinfects hands effectively and may kill at least 99% of germs.
On the one hand, you use sanitizer frequently to protect yourself from the virus. While on the other hand, you are causing harm to your skin. But, how? You might have noticed dry and cracked skin due to frequent usage of hand sanitizer. Right? As we have learned of the importance of using sanitizers during COVID-19, we can’t avoid using them just because of dry skin. But we can look for a sanitizer containing moisturizing ingredients.
Nowadays, different types of hand sanitizers are available in the market containing alcohol and other key herbal ingredients. You can shop for a sanitizer containing rosemary and calendula extract that are believed to have good moisturizing and soothing properties.
Some sanitizers are packed with Tocopheryl acetate, a form of vitamin E, an antioxidant. Tocopheryl acetate is a great moisturizing ingredient that helps strengthen the skin’s protective barrier to reduce moisture loss. It can also help fight free radical damage and promote skin health. Due to these benefits, it’s commonly used in skincare and personal care products. Using a sanitizer designed with this antioxidant or skin conditioning agent may provide added benefits to your dry skin.
If dry and cracked skin is your concern with the previous sanitizer bottle, shop for a new one! Fend off COVID-19 and keep your skin hydrated with a sanitizer made with all the above three ingredients. Stay safe and protected!