Hand Sanitizers and their Effectiveness {Skin Care}

A day back I talked about whether you wash your hands after your skin care routine or not? That time, Simran asked me my opinion on hand sanitizers. So, I thought I would rather do a post on it. I am not a fan of hand sanitizers. I like the feel I get from washing my hands instead.

Hand Wash vs Sanitizers

Sanitizers have hit the market with a vengeance and became popular within a very short time. The reason is because one doesn't need to wash the hands and simply rubbing the sanitizer on the hands ensures no germs and clean hands. This seems pretty convenient and saves the hands from the harsh chemicals when they are repeatedly washed with water. So, why don't I like the sanitizers?

The main ingredient of a sanitizer is ethyl alcohol. I remember that in Dettol hand sanitizer, it has around 65-75% of alcohol and its the first ingredient as well. And, as you all know, ethyl alcohol is drying for skin. No sanitizer can be made without alcohol coz alcohol is the ingredient which kills the germs so its an unavoidable ingredient. I did check out lifebuoy sanitizer as well which had around 30% of alcohol or something and that didn't convince me. May be I am wrong here. Ok, while writing the post, I googled for the images and I went through one of the articles which says:

"I used to work in a virology lab," Dr. Aiello said, "and we knew — it has been known for decades — that an alcohol concentration under 60 percent won't kill the microbes. It's really frightening to think that there are products out there that contain levels lower than that." (Source)

So, beware and when you buy your sanitizer, always check for the concentration of alcohol in it. Second reason is that I am a person who likes my hands completely clean and with no stickiness. And, the few times I have used sanitizers, my hands have become sticky even though alcohol does evaporate pretty quickly. Well, it can be psychological as well. And, another is that sanitizers are not as effective as they are touted to be. I had read somewhere (forgot the source) that sanitizers are effective for all of 2 minutes at max and then, again germs start building up on the skin. And, nothing can actually beat the effectiveness of soap and water. 

Do I ever keep sanitizers?

So, those were my reasons for not relying on sanitizers. Now, comes the second question that if I keep the sanitizers with me. I haven't till today but my mom does carry it during travel and yes, it does come as a saver when there is no water nearby or if you are having "meals on wheels" :D So, yes, I think a GOOD sanitizer is important when you have no access to water. Also, don't forget to take a hand cream so that you can counteract the dryness. 

Do you like sanitizers?

Image Courtesy:nytimes.com

PS: Last two days to enter my giveaway so hurry up!!

Omved Intense Moisturizing Cream {Product Review}

Price: Rs 440 for 40 gms

Ingredients

DM water, extract of harida, baheda, glycerin, aloe vera juice, carbopol ultrez 21, phenoxyethanol, sodium benzoate, green tea extract, oils of lavender, chamomile, vertiver, sodium hydroxide.

Pros
- gets absorbed into the skin very quickly

- moisturises instantly

- moisturising stays for long time 

- doesn't really get washed off with water
- keeps the nails and cuticles moisturised too

- awesome ingredients

Cons

- very expensive

- doesn't help extremely dry skin

My Experience
Let me start by saying it smells really weird. But, once you get used to it, you will actually like it and sniff your hands for it. I used this small sample only to moisturise my hands. When I had received this in February, my hands were extra dry and I was hoping to improve their state with this.

The sample is not as big that I can actually review it but I can give a decent verdict on the product because of its concentrated use on one part. It is a thick cream which I used to apply after washing my hands and it moisturised my hands pretty well and instantly. It spreads easily and gets absorbed quickly without leaving any greasiness behind.

But, I also noticed that it didn't really help my extremely dry skin which was a con but gradually, my hands came back to the normal state so I am hoping that a continuous use of the product does show effects. This is an all-purpose cream which can be used on any part of the body. And, I definitely like the smell now :)

Availability
Online - NaturalMantra.com (10% discount valid till 31st March)

PS: Product sent by brand. 

PS 2: I have taken the images from Corallista.com owned by Ankita and I am really thankful to her for allowing me to use the images. Do check out her review on the same too.

Baviphat Paprika Whitening Hand Cream {Product Review}

Baviphat is a very popular brand in Malaysia and Singapore and Korea too. Its a Korean company. So, this was one of the goodies I won in a giveaway I mentioned sometime back. I have no idea about the price or ingredients list coz my pack didn't mention any.

My Experience

I love the small yellow capsicum tub and the smell of this cream is even more awesome though I can't really describe it. I have never used a hand cream before so I am not gonna give a comparison account but I'll say that it is very non-sticky and gets easily absorbed into the skin. I hate the creams which make my hand sticky and almost all do that so I avoid applying any cream and I am used to often washing my hands. Its a phobia with me but since I have started using this cream, my hands are comparatively softer and don't get dried up as they used to. And, this cream also moisturizes my nails and cuticles. So, yup, this one is a great product but unfortunately not available in India. But, they do have a website but its in Korean!!! Check it out here.

My Recommendation
Oh!! yes, definitely!!! And, I guess its a drug store brand so its not outrageously expensive or something.

Dabur Gulabari Moisturizing Cold Cream with Rose Extracts {Product Review}

An impulse buy!!!

Price: 26 INR (extremely affordable!!)

Ingredients

Not a complete list of ingredients.  

My Experience

On opening the bottle, first reaction is it is so cute colored - a light pink and it looks like a very light moisturizer. But, don't be fooled. It is heavy and oily. Not suitable for combination or oily skin at all. Will suit dry skin people well so gals, go for it. It smells heavily of artificial roses which I hate a lot. But, coming to the good part, it is a great cream for feet and hands. If you are the kind who has to wash hands after touching literally anything (like me), you need something to moisturize your hands regularly and this is one cream which would do just that. It acts as a great night cream for hands and feet too (imagine how oily it is as it is great for feet!!!). One great thing is that it comes in a sturdy tub which can be used after the cream finishes and it is very much affordable. One great thing is that it moisturizes the cuticles and nails too. I finished the cream so unfortunately, I don't have the pics.

My Recommendation

If you are someone who likes hand creams, you should give this a try. Very much inexpensive as opposed to the hand creams available in the market. And, this is not one of the moisturizers which makes you feel parched after getting washed off.

Your hands tell your age

You might have noticed that your hands would seem to need more care than your face. Though, we often forget to do that. If you do not take proper care of your hands, they can make you look older than you actually are. This is because our hands are the most exposed and abused parts of the body. So, taking a regular and proper care should assure youthful hands. Have you ever seen beautiful hands? They look beautiful because they do not have varicose veins showing. Instead, they are as fleshy as any other part of the body and no wrinkles at all. Perform this activity after a long day just before sleep.

How to do a manicure?

• Wash your hands properly. Remove any rings or bangles or bracelets you wear.
• Dip your hands for 5 minutes in hot water (as hot as you can bear) to soften the skin and open the pores.
• Use a body scrub to cleanse the hands gently.
• Wash thoroughly by dipping in hot water again. 
• Make a hand pack from raw honey and ripe banana. Blend them into a smooth mixture. Banana moisturizes your hand in the best way. Hands tend to be drier than other parts of the body. Apply a thick layer of this pack on the back of your hands. You may cover it with any plastic gloves you have or leave them as it is for 15-20 minutes.
• After the stipulated time, dip your hands in a bowl of milk or oats water on a table. 
• Remove the mask in the bowl only by gentle rubbing. Let your hand be dipped for 10 more minutes for extra smoothness. 
• Wash your hands in cold water finally. 
• Now, apply your favorite oil on your hands. Almond oil is the best choice as it is high in vitamin E. Massage your hands and wear gloves if you can sleep with them on. In the morning, your hands would be soft like never before. 
• You might want to take care of your nails too during this process.

Regular care would ensure your hands will never give away your age.