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Hands up whose hands are feeling a little weathered by this Covid-19 storm?
Mine definitely are. Between washing them constantly with soap and water and drowning them in hand sanitiser at regular intervals throughout the day, my palms have been begging for a break.
Ooft! This germ-busting business is thirsty work, my hands are so dry – and don't get me started on the icky chemical smell of the antibacterial gel we're all using as we try and do our part to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Health officials have told us there's no substitute for soap and water when it comes to killing germs effectively, but a block of the good stuff can be drying on skin – while hand sanitiser can feel like paint stripper, not to mention the fact it's incredibly hard to come by at the moment.
However I've found a delicious alternative for those moments when you've run out of sanitiser and don't have access to soap and water – the best part is, it kills most bacteria's too.
Ecoya's Rinse-Free Handwash, which will set you back $12.95 for a handy 40ml tube, which I know, is a bit more on the exxy side compared to the $4 travel-sized bottle of Dettol we've all been buying – but I promise you, this little delight is worth it.
For the last few days I've been switching up my soap and water and hand sanitiser washes with the Guava & Lychee Sorbet variety of this handwash and it has brought me so much joy. Here's why.
As soon as I flipped back the cap I was whacked in the face with a tropical, fruity scent that woke me up from the dreary autopilot mode I've been operating in when washing my hands for the umpteenth time that day. It also made a nice change from singing "Happy Birthday" in my head over and over again, which let's be honest, has slowly been driving me crazy.
Compared to normal hand sanitiser, it is way less drying and doesn't feel like I'm stripping off layers of skin with each application. And did I mention how good it smells? If you close your eyes you can almost picture being back on your last vaycay, temporarily making this Covid-19 nightmare a thing of the past. It honestly is the small things at the moment getting us through.
Ecoya is a brand best known for gorgeous scented candles, so you know there are a few different scents available in this self-care product and they'll all be good. The next one I'll be adding to my cart is definitely going to be Coconut & Elderflower though I'm keen to check out the French Pear too. At this stage though the only one I've purchased was the guava after seeing an Instagram post about it and I'm so glad I did.
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Its alcohol content sits at 50 per cent but according to the CDC the optimal concentration for killing bacteria is between 60 to 90 per cent. So this beauty is just a great fall back to have in your bags for those moments when you run out of hand sanitiser or can't get to a sink to wash your hands with water. After all, using something that kills most bacteria is better than not using anything at all. Of course though, as I said at the start of this piece – there is no substitute for soap and water.
I like to use this after I've cleaned my hands for the gazillionth time at home and just need something a little softer on my palms, because at home is the least amount of risk. It's a little burst of sunshine in these difficult times – and what are beauty products for if not to make us feel just that little bit better.
Beat the dryness
If you're really suffering with dry or even chapped hands at the moment from exercising good hygiene, you can wait 10 minutes after washing or using hand sanitiser and then slather on a good hand cream.
Always wait 10 minutes after you've applied hand sanitiser before slathering your hands with cream though as applying it straight after can neutralise the sanitiser's effectiveness, the formulations team at Go-To Skincare advise.
If you're looking for a decent hand cream to soothe your suffering mitts, my top picks are Kotia Revitalising Hand & Nail Cream, $35 and Go-To's Super Handy Hand Cream, $23 at Mecca.
Go-To's hand cream is another one of my faves because, hello – it's a Zoe Foster-Blake creation and you know she's looking out for you. The beauty guru has created a lush cream that sinks in really quickly and does exactly what it says on the tin – gives you an instant hit of moisture. It also smells really lovely, think creamy vanilla, but doesn't have any nasties in it. It's a real treat for hungry hands.
Kotia's main ingredient is deer milk, which once you get over the weirdness, you'll fall in love with. The NZ skincare brand has multiple products from serums to night masks, but it's the hand cream that is its hero. The cream is super hydrating but it isn't thick or heavy and leaves cuticles super soft. Lots of regular users have also reported seeing anti-ageing benefits from using the cream on their hands, reducing lines and skin damage such as sunspots.
This column is not advertorial content. Every review is independent, honest and ad free.
