Well, in this century, where hand sanitizers are getting more accessible and made more convenient for us to carry around and about, more and more people are becoming aware of its uses and understanding the benefits of using one. Parents are getting all excited to see attractive-looking sanitizers conveniently packed in small and decorated bottles that would encourage their children to use it more often. But do parents really know what these sanitizers contain and if they are all about protecting their children from bacteria? We would think again because not all sanitizers are the same and not all sanitizers are necessarily helpful.

In the world of hand and body sanitizers, the commonly known bacteria-killing ingredient is alcohol. It is not a surprising fact and it might even be something parents look out for in a sanitizer, as the benefit of this ingredient is their sole purpose of using one. This brings us to an essential point. Is alcohol really the right bacteria-killing ingredient to look for in a sanitizer for your children and even for yourself? You’d like to know more about it especially when it is something for your precious little ones to use on their hands that might eventually be in contact with their mouth to be consumed.

No doubt, alcohol definitely kills bacteria, however, research shows that there are a number of banes to the use of alcohol in hand and body sanitizers. Here are some factors you should consider.

#1 ALCOHOL CONTENT

The amount of ethyl or isopropyl alcohol content in a sanitizer might be harmful to children; hence it might be labelled and emphasized to be stored out of your child’s reach. If consumed, children can get poisoning from alcohol toxicity.

#2 FLAMMABLE CHEMICAL

Alcohol is a highly flammable and hazardous chemical. Alcohol sanitizers with a high volume of alcohol hold this certain extent of risk and should be kept away from open flames such as candles or even flames from the barbecue grill, which are common source of fire in homes.

#3 DEHYDRATES SKIN

Alcohol-based sanitizers are drying to the skin as it washes away your skin’s natural oils. It can worsen dehydrated skin, causing it to be irritated and unpleasant looking. It can eventually lead to flaking and cracking, especially for users who are prone to eczema.

In addition to unnatural and unorganic hand sanitizers, they might contain harmful antibacterial chemicals such as triclosan and phthalates, which are smartly hidden behind tricky labelling for instance “fragrance”. Endocrine disruptors and phthalates are not good for the body, and may even bring higher risk to women during prenatal and postnatal development.

We encourage parents to check out for products that are natural and organic. They understand the main uses of sanitizers, at the same time, consider the well being of our skin. They use non-alcohol formulas and do not consist of endocrine disruptions. With that in mind, we would like to share with you our newest product in the Twinkle Clean range, Twinkle’s 3 in 1 Hand + Body Sanitizer which is suitable for both adults and babies to use.

Twinkle’s 3 in 1 Hand + Body Sanitizer is essentially created using 8 best antibacterial natural essential oils. Want to know more about how it protects us from germs, shields us from harmful UV rays and moisturises our skin and our baby’s skin at the same time? Check this space on Friday for the article on “Say Yes to Essential Oil Sanitizers”.