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Remember in March 2020 when our lives were suddenly turned upside down and common household and pantry items like toilet paper, disinfectant wipes, flour and yeast flew off store shelves in the blink of an eye? Who could forget? Strange and crazy times.
Another one of those high-demand items was hand sanitizer and while it’s easier to find now, it sometimes still feels like it’s hit or miss whether your local store will have any. Ditto for disinfectant wipes.
Coronavirus has triggered a huge surge in demand for hand sanitizer but not all hand sanitizers are created equal. The FDA warns about the dangers of hand sanitizers that contain methanol so it’s important to read the ingredients of any sanitizer you buy. Per the FDA, “Methanol is not an acceptable ingredient for hand sanitizers and must not be used due to its toxic effects.” You can see the FDA’s list of hand sanitizers consumers should not use here.
FYI: The FDA reminds consumers to wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after coughing, sneezing, or blowing one’s nose. If soap and water are not readily available, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend consumers use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent ethanol (also referred to as ethyl alcohol).
Johnny tends to buy your basic hand sanitizer that’s either unscented or just sort of smells like alcohol. He’s so pragmatic. I usually have some highly-scented hand sanitizer from Bath & Body Works in my bag and even though I buy it because I like the smell (Black Cherry Merlot, mmmm!), the fragrance is at times even too strong for me.
When Alaska Airlines partnered with EO, a company that creates essential oil-infused hand sanitizers, body care and hand soaps, to provide passengers with hand sanitizing wipes on their flights, their PR team reached out and sent Johnny a selection of products to try. We’ve had a bottle of their Everyone hand sanitizer spray in the car for two months but I hadn’t used it until this past week. And now I’m obsessed! It’s by far my favorite hand sanitizer and is hands-down the best smelling hand sanitizer I’ve tried. It doesn’t smell like alcohol, it’s not overpowering, it’s just right.
According to their site, “This EWG VERIFIED™ hand sanitizer spray is 99.9% effective against most common germs, thanks to the 62% alcohol content derived from non-GMO sugar cane.” What else makes it so great? It doesn’t leave my hands feeling excessively dry, a problem I find with other hand sanitizers, especially these days when I’m sanitizing my hands more frequently than ever before. And it doesn’t leave my hands feeling sticky or tacky, another problem with other hand sanitizers. But my favorite thing is the fragrance. I’m currently using the Ruby Grapefruit and it’s light and fresh and it just smells SO GOOD. The Coconut + Lemon offers he whiff of a tropical vacation (and who doesn’t need one of those right now?) More than that, it actually makes me feel happy; it definitely lifts my mood. During these unprecedented times we’re living in, sometimes the smallest things can put a smile on your face and this happy scent is one of those things. It’s a little bottle of aromatherapy you can carry around with you. (And yes, according to this article from House Beautiful, fragrance can indeed make you feel happier and number one on their list is citrus scents like grapefruit.)
If you need to find a better hand sanitizer than what you’re currently using and could use a little aromatherapy during your day, check out Everyone hand sanitizers. They come in a variety of great scents including Lavender + Aloe and Peppermint + Citrus. The handy travel sizes are sold in packs of 6 and are perfect for keeping in your bag, in the car and in your carry-on when you travel.
