How To Wash Your Hands: A Guide to Hand Wash & Hand Sanitiser
Apart from being kinder and more present, the one positive that will come out of all of this is that you will all know how to wash your hands - properly. Are you doing the full 20 seconds and singing happy birthday? Or do you have no idea what we’re talking about? Let us help you out with a little guide. And yas, we have hand sanitiser for you too!
Overview
- The lowdown on washing your hands
- Do you need hand sanitiser?
- How to wash your hands: tips and tricks
The lowdown on hand washing
So growing up, we’re all taught the importance of washing your hands but somewhere along the way, we all got a little slack. But in general, we’re sure you know the deal - wash before and after food preparation, after using the bathroom, after blowing your nose coughing and sneezing, and all those usual day-to-day activities.
From a beauty perspective, it’s pretty important as well! Especially when it comes to handling skincare and makeup - think about how much we’re touching our faces! And we’re now aware more than ever, touching your eyes, nose and mouth and not washing your hands afterwards can spread germs even further. So we’d recommend washing your hands not only after your normal beauty routine but also before because you don’t want to dip those fingers into moisturisers and or apply foundation with dirty hands!
And ladies, let this also be a reminder to regularly clean your makeup brushes and sponges. They can be a breeding ground for germs!
So what is it about washing your hands that people just can’t get? We’ve figured that it’s that people are either just washing with water or not washing their hands for long enough with soap. So without further ado, please follow the steps below.
How to wash your hands:
- Wet your hands with warm or cold water first, turn off the tap then apply hand soap.
- Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the hand soap - and DON’T forget the backs of your hands, between your fingers and under your nails.
- Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. That’s ‘Happy Birthday’ twice from beginning to end.
- Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
- Dry your hands using a clean towel, paper towel or air dry them.
As for what kind of soap you should be using, it doesn’t need to be expensive or even an antibacterial soap. Some good old fashioned bar soap or a pump Palmolive will do the trick. But we’ve got to admit, some luxe soap sitting on the bathroom sink just makes us feel a little fancier. So we’ve picked out a few of our faves for you to try.
Dr Bronner’s 18-in-1 Hemp Lavender Pure Castile Soap Soap Liquid
If you know, you know. Dr Bronner’s is the one hand soap to rule them all. A few drops of this certified organic miracle liquid where you use soap in our how to wash your hands steps above will do the trick. Then you can also then use it to wash your face, hair and body as well! You can even use it all around the house - washing the dishes, as laundry detergent, as a household cleaner spray. It’s also actually the best for cleaning makeup brushes as well. So wash your hands and clean up the rest of your life too.
Natio Wellness Hand Wash
Like the rest of the Natio range, this hand wash from their wellness range is driven by natural ingredients. Filled with plant extracts from pomegranate, wheatgerm, chamomile, this refreshing hand wash will not only clean your hands but make sure your skin stays soft, supple and protected as well.
Vanessa Megan Blood Orange Foaming Hand & Body Wash
Another option that you’ll be able to use on your hands and body, this blood orange foaming wash from organic skincare pioneer Vanessa Megan will take your experience to the next level. If you’re unfamiliar with her line, it’s also certified organic and she only uses natural, wild harvested and bio-available ingredients.
Do I need hand sanitiser?
The short answer is yas. There’s nothing wrong with a little top up from a handy portable size hand sanitiser if you’re out and about and can’t get soap and water to wash your hands. But the real thing you need to remember is that yas, hand sanitiser can quickly reduce the number of germs on your hands in many situations but it does not get rid of all types of germs. They’re also less effective when your hands are visibly dirty or greasy.
When it comes to hand sanitiser you’ll want to look for one that contains at least 60% alcohol for it to be really effective. Luckily the three different ones we have for you all meet those standards.
Black Chicken Remedies Hand Sanitiser
This hand sanitiser from one of our favourite natural skincare and wellness brands, Black Chicken Remedies, is already in our bags! Made from 80% ethanol alcohol, it also includes coconut oil and other natural oils to help hydrate soothe the skin during this period where you’re washing your hands quite a bit. To top it off, it also uses an essential oil blend (citrus, peppermint and lavender) which not only smells great but have natural antiseptic qualities of their own too.
Plantworx Ultra Sensitive Hand & Body Sanitiser
Consider this big bottle of hand sanitiser workplaces and communal areas. Not only is it hospital grade and kills 99.9% of germs but it’s also certified organic and perfect for all skin types. It also has four different moisturising ingredients to make sure your hands don’t suffer.
HND SNTZR Lemon Myrtle Hand Sanitiser
Another Australian-made concoction, this Lemon Myrtle scented hand sanitiser is made from 70% alcohol so you know it ticks the safety boxes. It also contains vitamin E to ensure that your hands stay protected from multiple uses.
How to wash your hands: tips and tricks
- Don’t overwash - this sounds like it goes against those five steps we talked about above but it is possible. But a lot of people who have sensitive skin or are prone to eczema have reported flare ups during this time because they are overwashing. Which leads us to the next tip...
- Moisturise your hands - So after you’ve finished the five steps above, we’d recommend getting yourself a good hand cream to ensure that hands aren’t completely being stripped of all natural moisture. We love the Lanolips Everyday Rose Hand Cream but if you need something thicker, their 101 Ointment Multipurpose Superbalm is great too.
- Wait at least a minute after using hand sanitiser to apply hand creams - you don’t want to ruin its effectiveness!
Get those hands squeaky clean
Now you know all there is to know about how to wash your hands (properly), make sure you actually do it! Let us help you out with hand wash & sanitiser and don’t forget that hand cream as well to ensure your hands stay smooth as well as clean. Stay healthy!
(Crystal art images via @sarashakeel)
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