Photo: Brian Kay © 2020
Hand Sanitizers were originally the hardest product to find at the start of the COVID-19 Pandemic. They were the quickest product that people scooped up like mad when the news first started alarming people of the upcoming crises. It was completely understandable that people would try to protect themselves with a bottle of hand sanitizer in their travels. Following on the heels of the hand sanitizer madness was Clorox wipes, bleach and a lot of other products. We are still trying to figure out the need for everyone to horde toilet paper, but that’s a topic for another discussion. Recently, hand sanitizer has gotten a little easier to find. Its still tough to find a bottle of Purell, but there are many other brands that can be found in the stores or online. You just need to know where to look and which ones to purchase.
I am a teacher, and so I have always carried hand sanitizer with me when I tutored and in the classroom, The fact that I also teach and play piano in so many different environments has also fueled my hand sanitizer addiction. My hand sanitizer expertise comes from many years of using hand sanitizer and my quest to find the ones I like the best. This is a genuine reviw of all the hand sanitizers I have used and my personal opinions as to which I believe are the best. I have also supplied all the ingredient information along with CDC recommendations for alcohol content which confuses many people. I took all the pictures in this article. I hope this 7 Best Hand Sanitizers article helps you find the right ones for yourself. In the end, any hand sanitizer is better than none.
There is a lot of discussion over the percentage of alcohol content that needs to be present in a hand sanitizer to make it effective in killing 99% of germs and viruses. The United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has determined that people should use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. The companies that produce hand sanitizer are well aware of the requirements to claim that their products are effective in killing 99% of viruses and bacteria. All these hand sanitizers listed in this article follow the CDC guidelines. A link to the CDC guidelines are provided at the end of the article.
# 7 – Smart Care – Hand Sanitizer
For the price, Smart Care Hand Sanitizer can’t be beat. I found this in large quantities at our local Walgreens. This is a very large bottle of hand sanitizer at 16.9 ounces. At a price of under five dollars it is by far the best deal out there. I am are not crazy about the smell. It’s sort of a plant based alcohol smell that is a little nauseating. However, for the price this is a good deal, but that’s about it. The price, the quantity and the availability is what helped this one get on this list of best hand sanitizers.
Find at local Walgreen Stores.
Alcohol Content = 62% ethanol alcohol
# 6 – Raw Sugar – Hand Sanitizer
Raw Sugar Hand Sanitizer is another hand sanitizer that we found easily at Walgreens. It comes in a suntan lotion type of bottle. And that makes sense, because in many ways it smells like suntan lotion, It has a wonderful coconut smell that does smell like a day at the beach. The price is great at under $5.00 for a large 10 ounce bottle. If you cant find it at Walgreens, you can order it at RawSugar’s website.
Find at local Walgreen Stores.
Alcohol Content = 62% ethanol alcohol
# 5 – germ-X Moisturizing Hand Sanitizer
germ-X Moisturizing Hand Sanitizer is a very popular hand sanitizer that has been around for a long time. It’s sold at all the big chain stores like Walmart and Target. Unfortunately those stores tend to sell out of hand sanitizers very quickly. We found ours once again at Walgreens. germ-x has a very neutral smell. It’s not overwhelming at all from either a fragrance or alcohol based aroma. Its priced between four and five dollars for an 8 ounce bottle at Walgreens but its hit or miss if you will find a bottle on the shelves. Walmart sells a 30 oz bottle for $3.97 but it has been sold out for months.
Alcohol Content = 62% ethanol alcohol
# 4 – CHI Organic Gardens Moisturizing Hand Sanitizer
If your looking for military grade hand sanitizer, this is the one! CHI Organic Gardens Moisturizing Hand Sanitizer has the largest alcohol content we have found yet in a hand sanitizer. 77% ethanol alcohol is much higher that the CDC recommendation of 60% and the average 63% that most hand sanitizers provide. This hand sanitizer is made by a company known for their professional hair products. You can purchase it directly from their website.
I purchased a large 26 ounce bottle for thirty four dollars. That is a lot of money for hand sanitizer. However, its 77% alcohol and its an organic made product. It does have a strong alcohol smell mixed with organic aloe. It actually does smell organic. There is plenty of moisturizers in the ingredients, but you are dealing with 77% alcohol which in the end is going to dry your hands out no matter how much moisturizer is added.
As a parent with a son returning to college this fall, this is the bottle I am sending him with. I also intend to buy another one and fill up small 2 oz bottles to keep on my key chain and other places. Yes, this is expensive, but if your a little eccentric like I am and you have kids you want to protect with the strongest hand sanitizer out there, this is the one to go with. Your kids probably wont agree with you, but do they ever?
It took about three weeks for us to receive this from CHI, but we had ordered it in early April during the height of the Coronavirus Pandemic. It might be a little quicker now.
Alcohol Content = 77% ethanol alcohol
# 3 – Purell Hand Sanitizer Naturals
Purell is the leading choice for hand sanitizers by millions of people. It is the gold standard, the Toyota Camry of hand sanitizers. It’s not overpriced but gets the job done perfectly. Why is it not ranked number one on our list? Well, for one simple reason, good luck trying to find a bottle of this stuff. You cant find it anywhere. If you can, don’t hesitate because there will be someone breathing down you neck willing to knock you over to get their hands on it. As far as our opinion on Purell, the smell is not too bad and it does not leave your hands that dry. It’s really good stuff. They know what their doing and they make an amazing product. They just don’t make enough.
Alcohol Content = 70% ethanol alcohol
# 2 – Pipette Hand Sanitizer
We have chosen Pipette Hand Sanitizer to stand in our number two spot for multiple reasons. The prices are very fair at about five dollars for a 8 oz bottle. Its a fragrance free sanitizer so its perfect for people who may be allergic to fragrances. There is an alcohol smell, but its not too bad. Its smooth and does soften the hands. Pipette is a company that makes products for babies. Hence the fragrance free products. They are a reputable company that stood tall when others were ripping people of with high prices for sanitizer.
Alcohol Content = 65% ethanol alcohol
# 1 – Hempz Triple Moisture Moisturizing Herbal Hand Sanitizer
This is our favorite hand sanitizer by far. I never want to live life without Hempz Triple Moisture Moisturizing Herbal Hand Sanitizer by my side. Seriously though, the reasons why Hempz Triple Moisture Moisturizing Herbal Hand Sanitizer is my favorite hand sanitizer is because of the smell and the fact that the hand sanitizer does not leave your hands feeling dry. Hempz Hand Sanitizer has a nice citrus smell. In fact, the smell is quite addicting. It’s not as strong as a perfume or cologne, but its strong enough to mask the alcohol smell. Chemistry is a wonderful thing and the brilliant minds at Hempz figured out just the right amount of citrus fragrance to mask the alcohol smell that most people don’t like about hand sanitizers.
Hempz Triple Moisture Moisturizing Herbal Hand Sanitizer does actually moisture you hands, although not as much as a non alcohol hand moisturizers. There is just no way of getting around the drying properties of alcohol. However Hempz does a pretty good job of limiting the dryness.
In the end, my kids may be right. I think I am addicted to hand sanitizer. And if there is one particular product to blame for my addiction it would be the Hempz Triple Moisture Moisturizing Herbal Hand Sanitizer. I just cant get enough of this stuff.
Hempz Triple Moisture Moisturizing Herbal Hand Sanitizer comes in three sizes. I always purchase the large 17 oz bottle which the company claims is a limited edition. Hempz also limits you to one 17 oz bottle per purchase. On their own site they sell it for 19.99. However shipping is $11.00. Shipping is free if you purchase over $35.00 worth of goods. They also make a 2 oz and an 8 oz. You can find Hempz Triple Moisture Moisturizing Herbal Hand Sanitizer also at Staples and Amazon.
Here is another big reason why we have chosen Hempz. It’s the only sanitizer that you can order online and have in a day or two. We have ordered from Hempz three times and every single time the order was delivered in at least three days by Fed Ex. That’s professionalism and it’s worth every penny of the shipping price.
Alcohol Content = 63% ethanol alcohol
Order at https://hempz.com/
Big City Review: Disclaimer
I am not offering any medical advice here, we are just listing our favorite hand sanitizers based on our experience using them. These 7 Best Hand Sanitizers listed here are based on our own personal opinion only. We are not claiming that any of these are more or less effective than any other brand.
