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DIY Hand Sanitizer

DIY Hand Sanitizer

Make your own DIY hand sanitizer with fragrant essential oils filled with anti-bug goodness! No more harmful ingredients from those store bought brands.

Every Winter, without fail, our kiddos catch the sniffles. It is what it is, but I’ll take the sniffles any day over the nasty flu bugs that float around every year. Thankfully, we have come through the cold and flu seasons unscathed for the past couple years (knock on wood!). At times, I wonder if this is due to the hand sanitizer we’re constantly slathering on our hands after being out and about?

Placebo effect? Perhaps, but we won’t be changing this healthy habit anytime soon! The truth is, washing our hands with soap and water after touching every germ-infested surface (or person) just isn’t a reality. Most often, we avoid the antibacterial hand soaps in public restrooms and store bought sanitizers because of the alcohol, triclosan, parabens and fragrances in them.

Alcohol

Most hand sanitizers often contain some form of alcohol, such as ethyl alcohol. This allows for rapid drying and quick absorption into the skin. The alcohol also works as an antiseptic.

Alcohol improves penetration of the skin by essentially “defatting” the skin (or disrupting the oils in the skin) allowing for better absorption and the ingredients to reach the bloodstream more easily. For this reason, repeated use of these alcohol containing sanitizers can often lead to dry cracked skin.

Alcohol-free sanitizers may not be a better option, as these sanitizers often contain triclosan…

What is Triclosan?

If you remember from this post, triclosan may be a hormone disrupting chemical and has contributed to the introduction of bacteria resistant “super bugs” (aptly named for their resistance to modern medicines).

I say triclosan “may be” a hormone disruptor because the FDA is hesitant to draw conclusions based on results from animal testing. This article from the FDA states that “animal studies have shown that triclosan alters hormone regulation. However, data showing effects in animals don’t always predict effects in humans. Other studies in bacteria have raised the possibility that triclosan contributes to making bacteria resistant to antibiotics.”

The FDA may not want to make conclusions based on animal studies, and I get it…but I’m not one for being a human “guinea pig” until further testing proves otherwise and will steer clear of triclosan when possible.

What are Parabens?

Based on the research from this article, parabens are preservative chemicals added to many cosmetic products (and foods!) that contain significant amounts of water. The parabens are added to inhibit the growth of microbes (which are often found in water).

The most common parabens used in cosmetics are ethylparaben, butylparaben, methylparaben, propylparaben, isobutylparaben, and isopropylparaben. But a safe bet is to look for any long, unpronounceable word ending in “paraben” and avoid products containing them.

The dangers of parabens are endocrine disruption, cancer and developmental and reproductive toxicity. (For further information, follow this link.)

Are Fragrances Harmful?

Maybe! The tricky thing with fragrances is they are “proprietory information”, meaning companies don’t have to disclose the ingredients used to make them! Yikes!

We wrote an entire post about fragrances and their safety here, but according to the Environmental Working Group fragrances are linked to allergies, immunotoxicity, organ system toxicity, irritation to the skin, eyes and lungs and are an ecotoxicology (harmful to our ecosystem).

All this from something that smells “pretty”? I’ll stick to adding scents with benefits.

There are so many essential oils with anti-bacterial properties that by adding these to your homemade hand sanitizer, you can practically turn it into a healthy perfume based around your preferred scents!

Carrying homemade hand sanitizer is such a simple solution to avoiding harmful chemicals and keeping you and your family healthy and germ free!

You can even empty out your store bought hand sanitizer bottles and refill them with your own! I happen to love the special lids that distribute the perfect dime sized squirt. We even buy the travel sized “bad stuff” from the store and empty the contents, just for the great dispenser! These GoToobs would work for the home or car, but I wouldn’t recommend tossing them in your travel bag or purse. The lids are not secure and could wiggle free. What a mess!

The great news is, because I add Germ Fighter (or kid-safe Germ Destroyer) essential oils to this homemade sanitizer, we get the benefits of strengthening our immune system and warding off bugs at the same time! These so-called “super-bugs” have not shown resistance to essential oils! Hurrah!

…all this “anti-bad bug” goodness each time you apply a little sanitizer!”

DIY Homemade Sanitizer in Travel Options

DIY Hand Sanitizer

Make your own DIY hand sanitizer with fragrant essential oils filled with anti-bug goodness! No more harmful ingredients from those store bought brands.
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Prep Time: 5 minutes
Author: Full of Days

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Add vitamin E and essential oils to a bowl, stir to combine.
  • Add the witch hazel and stir again.
  • Last, add the aloe vera gel, stir and transfer to container(s).

Notes

  • Natural separation of the oils may occur, gently shake bottle before each use.
  • * If you choose to add vitamin E, your hand sanitizer will last many months as this will naturally preserve your mixture, without the vitamin E your sanitizer should last 3-4 weeks.
  • ** Mix up your favorite scent using any of the following anti-bacterial essential oils: EucalyptusLavenderPeppermintLemongrassTea Tree (or Melaleuca), BergamontThymeCinnamon and Clove(The Germ Fighter has a nice “Christmas-y scent” with essential oils of eucalyptus, clove and cinnamon, but I also happen to love the scent of Lemongrass.)

Our family chooses to use Plant Therapy for their high quality, pure, therapeutic grade essential oils offered at affordable prices. For $10 off your first order, click through our Plant Therapy link here and sign up for their newsletter. They’ll email a coupon to use on your first order.

As always, Plant Therapy offers free-shipping and returns on all orders (no minimum purchase required). This is an affiliate link, which means you get to enjoy the same great low prices for quality oils, and we’ll get a little kick-back to help keep our supply of oils up. THANKS!

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Showing 7 comments
  • Avatar
    Tracey
    Reply

    How many months do you think this will last until it’s not effective anymore? I only used half when I made it last and I just pulled out the rest but not sure if I should just make a new batch! I hate to waste it but it’s been awhile since I made it last.

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      It all depends on where it was stored during those months. Things like heat and light exposure will shorten the length of your essential oils, and clear containers will also lessen the lifespan. But I’d say, if it was stored in a dark, cool-ish area…about 6+ months. There are so many variables though, so it’s hard to say!

  • Avatar
    Cheryl
    Reply

    To make air freshener I use 3/4 cup water (distilled is fine but not necessary) plus 2T vodka. Then I add add essential oil drops. I’ve made some for the car that has “Defend” EO and spray every time I get in the car…..especially after the gym!! But the sky is the limit for scents.

  • Avatar
    Cheryl
    Reply

    I will do this!! I love my spray stuff I made to put in my car. I spray every time I get in!!

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Remind me what you did for your car spray?

  • Avatar
    Mia
    Reply

    Brilliant! I’m totally trying this. We still currently use the store-bought junk :/

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Let us know how you like it! Every time I use ours I love that it’s not drying out my skin, that was always what I disliked about the store bought brands.

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