Hand sanitizers have been given a bad rap—and for good reason—two common ingredients in sanitizers  (triclosan and tricaraban) are well-known hormone disruptors (thank goodness the FDA recently banned them).

I’m a fan just using soap and water—but we live in a dirty world and I needed to be realistic. Gas pump handles, credit card readers and grocery cart handles; they’re bacteria breeding grounds. And when I’m on the go, I’m looking for a quick fix.

So I jumped on the sanni bandwagon again and started looking for something natural.

Thanks to Amazon Prime, two days later I ended up a three-pack of Thieves Hand Sanitizers. One for my purse, one for the car and one for the baby bag. I choose Young Living’s product because it uses a plethora of essential oils for germ-ousting action. The oils also counteract the alcohol which keeps your cuticles and knuckles more moist and merry.

Thieves essential oil is a blend of Clove, Lemon, Cinnamon, Eucalyptus Radiata, and Rosemary essential oils. The plants used for the oils come from Original Stock Seed (Non GMO). Young Living has a neat Seed to Seal® program to help explain their sourcing and oil testing plus an active non-profit: Young Living Foundation.

What I Love About It: This is a great alternative to some DIY sanitizers recipes I’ve tried (mostly because those still make your hands dry out within a week of use).  This sanitizer kept my hands feeling moist without the stinging-drying that’s sometimes common.  And a little squirt does wet your hands enough so that they feel washed. It also dries quickly.

Cons: When I pour a dollop on my hands it might come out a bit clumpy and then feel a smidge sticky. Luckily the sticky-factor goes away within five minutes or so, leaving your hands smelling like peppermint.  Also, make sure not to leave these little bottles in a space that might get too hot. The plastic bottle in my car expanded quite a bit.

We're also on the hunt for any non-alcohol-based sanitizers. Are there any that you adore?

Cheers,

Hazel 

Good for You - This makes for a great safer sanitizer option (especially since it's free of triclosan and tricaraban).  A few ingredients to be mindful of include Alcohol, Glycerin and Eugenia caryophyllus (Clove) bud oil.

Good for Others - Young Living has an expansive (and impressive) charitable network. Their foundation is currently involved with some neat projects including: Rebuild Nepal, Young Living Academy Ecuador, Hope for Justice, African Hearts, Sole Hope and Healing Faith Uganda. The Young Living Foundation's involvement with all these causes easily makes for an "A" in our "Good for Others" rating. *****Update***** I was doing more research about YL for another product review (their new makeup line) when I stumbled across a slew of disheartening articles about YL.  I feel about torn/ a bit hesitant regarding this brand considering this history. So for now, I'm leaving the rating up in the air...

Good for Earth -  Young Living uses original seed stock, no pesticides and follows some strict past-organic growing practices. *****Update***** I'm a bit hesitant to leave a clear rating on this topic too.  More info pending.

C&C Overall - I live in a desert climate, but my hands did stay fairly hydrated w/ this sanitizer spray.  I also appreciated the pure-friendly size and the fact that I didn't have any issues with it leaking. If you despise that momentary "sticky" hands feeling, you might want to opt for a sanitizer spray. Also, the plastic doesn't bode well in hot cars.