Practising good hygiene at home and when you're outside is one of the best ways to protect yourselves and others from the spread of Coronavirus. Here are some of my top picks from the green beauty world which include hand sanitisers, soaps and hand cream to keep your hands clean and soft.
Hand Sanitisers
Depending on which organisation or Government guidelines you're looking at, you want to make sure that your hand sanitiser contains at least 60% alcohol for it to be effective at killing off bacteria and germs. Anything below 50% is considered too diluted which will compromise its disinfecting abilities. Unfortunately, there are a lot of 'natural' hand sanitisers on the market that are alcohol-free and these are absolutely pointless as they won't do anything - you need alcohol as the main ingredient!
For green beauty fans who want to use something that's more natural and kinder to their hands than the likes of Dettol, but still serves the purpose of being a high-quality sanitiser, you can look out for products which incorporate alcohol with ingredients such as aloe vera, vegetable glycerine, essential oils and plant-based flower waters or essences.
I recommend trying The Castillian Soap Company Hand Sanitiser with Peppermint & Chamomile* (50ml, £9.50, link), a travel-friendly size which includes 62% organic grain alcohol, organic chamomile floral water, natural plant glycerin and peppermint essential oil. It smells wonderfully fresh and doesn't leave hands feeling dry or sticky afterwards.
For families or anyone who requires a larger size bottle, Alteya Organics Hand Cleanser* (100ml, £7.95, link) has an easy to use spray applicator and a formula which boasts 70% alcohol (denatured ethyl alcohol) with organic glycerin and lavender essential oil for further antibacterial protection.
Hand Soaps & Moisturisers
At home and in bathrooms, the NHS state that washing your hands with any kind of soap and water is a highly effective way to stop the spread of Coronavirus and practising good hygiene is something that we should all be doing to protect ourselves and others. It doesn't matter which brand or type of soap that you use, the focus is more on how often you wash your hands (it should be done on a regular basis throughout the day) and how long for. The NHS recommends washing your hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds each time and you can check out their techniques video with further info here.
Personally, I'm a big fan of an old-fashioned bar of soap. They're a great way to cut down on your plastic waste and usually last longer than the bottled versions. I currently have Ayumi Naturals Neem & Tea Tree Soap* (100g, £2.49, link) by my bathroom sink which is vegan-friendly and has the naturally antibacterial benefits of neem, tea tree and lemongrass oils to keep your hands super clean. It also doubles up as a purifying facial cleanser for acne and blemish-prone skin types.
If you prefer a liquid hand soap that contains alcohol, Organii Citrus Liquid Soap* (300ml, £4.95, link) comes in a large 300ml bottle with a pump. Made from a blend of 100% plant-based ingredients, it features organic olive oil, alcohol denat, vegetable glycerin and citrus essential oils for a fresh and thoroughly clean feeling every time.
It should come as no surprise that regular and longer hand-washing sessions can result in dry skin quite quickly, so a hand cream is an absolute must-have to help restore the moisture balance. My current favourite is Lavera Basis Sensitiv Hand Cream* (75ml, £4.95, link) as it's packed full of ultra-hydrating ingredients such as organic sweet almond oil, shea butter, jojoba seed oil. Bye-bye dry hands!
What are your hygiene must-haves?
