COVID-19: You must MOISTURIZE rather than using MASK!

There is info out there and there is lots!

In this age of social media and live news at the tips of our fingers, we all are being bombarded with lots of information about various dos and don’ts to prevent spread of COVID-19! One of the widespread advices being relayed is about washing your hands and applying sanitizer frequently, especially if you touch any surface that is not hygienic or that is being touched by lots of people. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends  washing your hands often, wash them for at least 20 seconds – YES TWENTY SECONDS with soap and water. Anything lesser is ineffective, says the research!

Imagine 20 hand washes a day for 20 seconds each!

Just imagine the amount of time your hands are dipped into or soaked with foaming agents, surfactants, harsh synthetic chemicals and multiply this with number of times you are using hand sanitizer – another important advice being relayed for prevention of coronavirus! This repeated washing and sanitizing your hands can be painful for your hands, especially when you are using a recommended sanitizer that must contain at least 60% alcohol. That might actually make your hands prone to cracks that can facilitate even more aggressive spread of germs and the dreaded coronavirus. The washing of hands over and over again strips away the natural oils of your skin and trust me- some of the soaps can be very nasty because of the harsh foaming agents.

Face wash as hand wash?

Usually, while working out our daily skin care routine, we tend to be more cautious about our face skin rather than any other part of our body. You will be surprised to know that usually the only difference between a hand wash and face wash available in the market is how they are advertised and marketed! And that has the origin in our tendencies to be more focused on our face care compared to the hands or feet care. Definitely, that doesn’t mean that some brands have specific ingredients specifically meant for facial skin care. So, during these tough times – can we use our face washes for treating our hands? The answer is YES! Abnormal times demand out of the box solutions. BUT natural face washes are usually costly – choose a natural wash that is both affordable and don’t compromise on quality. There are decently priced natural washes available in the market with good size. You can combine your hand wash and face wash that can be very helpful in case of frequent hand washes.

Not only wash, moisturize – moisturize – moisturize!  

You must be aware of less widely advised hand skin care recommendation – to keep your hands moisturized. If your hands are chapped and broken, the efficacy of cleanser or sanitizer to clean the germs is significantly impacted. Also, resulting cracks and wounds make your hands vulnerable to infections because the skin barrier has been broken in. Although, coronavirus tends to enter body through the respiratory system but technically, any wound is an open invitation to the germs.

Moisturizing your hands after cleaning will decrease the chances of picking or spreading the germs manifold and always a part of Best Skin Care Routine. If your skin is looking rough and dry, that means you are washing your hands too much without keeping them hydrated and you need a moisturizer. Greasy skin creams tend to make your life difficult specially if you are typing on keyboard or touching a smart phone and we hate feeling greasy!

Design of moisturizer container – very important!

Moisturizer containers are available in various sizes and shapes – from open cans to tubes and sophisticated designs! Preferably use a moisturizer that comes with a pump and nozzle. That will help avoid contamination.  

Do not share your moisturizer bottle!

As per best practices, never share your moisturizer with anyone else. Sounding selfish? No – its not! Actually, you are helping everyone and being kind by preventing the spread of germs and microbes.

Moisturizer that is antibacterial?

Could I introduce you to an amazing moisturizer that helps keep you away from the germs? Refresh Botanicals’ Moisturizer with Grapefruit and Neroli is one such moisturizer that can keep you moisturized without feeling greasy and has antibacterial properties. But I may caution here – it’s not the replacement for sanitizer or hand wash but definitely a good addition to your skin care routine through these tough times!