I quit using Purell and other similar hand sanitizers a long time ago. I read enough bad information to spook me, and I figured that old-fashioned soap and water are the best way to clean my hands. Speaking of soap, I received an e-mail from Campaign for Safe Cosmetics alerting me to the dangers of triclosan. I advise you to avoid that nasty ingredient when choosing your soap. Now, what was I saying?
Oh. Yes – hand sanitizers. Like I said, I avoid such antibacterial products, but on a recent trip to Austin, TX, I stumbled across Clean Well All-Natural Hand Sanitizer in Whole Foods. Intrigued, I purchased a trial-size. I used 1-2 squirts and miraculously, it did not dry out my hands. It even smelled OK – citrusy and herbal. It was a great time to give this product a try because I was traveling with my husband. I completely agree with Kerry’s latest tip – washing your hands is important no matter where you are – but if the stretch between two gas stations is long enough on a road trip, wouldn’t a natural hand sanitizer come in handy?
Upon arriving home, I turned to Skin Deep for the facts. Purell received a high hazard rating of 7 (out of 10). They did not sign the Compact for Safe Cosmetics, 94% of other hand sanitizers have lower concerns (not a good sign), and well, here is the scary (capital letters!), lengthy ingredient list:
ACTIVE INGREDIENTS: ETHYL ALCOHOL 62%. INACTIVE INGREDIENTS: WATER (AQUA); STEARYL ALCOHOL; CYCLOMETHICONE; C12-15 ALKYL BENZOATE; CETYL LACTATE; COCAMIDOPROPYL PG-DIMONIUM CHLORIDE PHOSPHATE; GLYCERIN; PEG-4; PROPYLENE GLYCOL; TOCOPHERYL ACETATE; AMINOMETHYL PROPANOL; CARBOMER; STYRENE/ACRYLATES COPOLYMER; FRAGRANCE (PARFUM); DIAZOLIDINYL UREA; IODOPROPYNYL BUTYLCARBAMATE; METHYLPARABEN; PROPYLPARABEN.
I don’t see much natural there, and right off the bat, I see alcohol, fragrance, and parabens. No, thank you.
On the other hand (no pun intended), Skin Deep gave Clean Well’s hand sanitizer a fairly low rating of 2 (out of 10). They kindly signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics, 19% of other hand sanitizers have lower concerns (much better), and here is their shorter ingredient list (from the packaging in my hands):
Active ingredient: Thymus Vulgaris (common thyme) oil. Inactive ingredients: Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf, Citric Acid, orange oil, Copper PCA, Dicapryl Sodium Sulfosuccinate, Hydrolyzed Oats, litsea cubeba (litsea) oil, Sodium Citrate, origanum vulgare (oregano) oil, Water.
I see many more natural terms there – thyme, aloe, orange oil, oats, and oregano. I also love that the one active ingredient is thyme, a natural sanitizer. And, did you notice? No alcohol! As for the other ingredients, you can research them from Skin Deep’s review to your own satisfaction. In addition, if you read Skin Deep’s review of both hand sanitizers, it’s not hard to decide which is the safer product.
However, Clean Well’s hand sanitizer does raise a few warning flags such as possible neurotoxicity, so I’m not completely sold on their product, either. I think soap and water are always the best route, but if I head out on the road, I will stick Clean Well in my purse. Just in case.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Johanna 02.18.08 at 9:37 pm
Have you tried the hand-sani from Belli? They make safe skin care for mom and baby-they are the only company that teratology screens and their site says they are Lactmed screens-so ingredients are safe for nursing moms. I picked up a hand sani at the register at a local boutique and it is amazing! they don’t use alchohol as the germ-killing ingredient-so it isn’t drying!!!
Jenni 02.19.08 at 10:18 am
I have not tried it, but I’ll be on the lookout. Sounds interesting – thank you!
Lawrence J Ohlman III 08.29.08 at 9:20 pm
This is perhaps one of the best products on 2008! Clean Well merges great product packaging with an awesome concept; natural hand sanitizers. I feel this is a product to be recognized, one which has replaced my “stand-by”, purell. Thankd to the folks at CleanWell for a sustainable alternative for germ free hands.
LOhlman III
http://www.ecologicproducts.com
Joan 10.24.09 at 5:56 am
Been using Clean Well since August this year at the petri dish college where I work . Already 80% of my students have been sick with flu/pneumonia and a few with Swine Flu and so far I have been free of it (knock on wood). Love the no-drying spray.
I think it’s an exemplary product.
What makes you think that neurotoxicity is an issue?
Larry Regelin 10.24.09 at 6:02 pm
Dear Jenni -
When you made the comment on your review that you prefer soap and water to clean your hands, would you be interrested in reviewing a product that is made of a new hydrated formula that can not only be used to clean your hands, but is recommended as a face cleanser? This product can be found at http://www.greatplanetproducts.com. Brielfy, this new product is a pure soap and water formula, that can be used with or without water. Great Planet Spray Soap and Cleansing Foam (to be added in a couple of weeks) contians no alcohol or anti-bacterial ingredients to interfere with your normal antibidies.
The website is our first launch of the products. We are planning a second launch in a couple of weeks that will include a new digital label and two sizes of hand and face Cleansing Foam, as well as images of our newly added 32 ounce Refill Bottle. We would be very happy to send you samples of these products prior to a review.
Thank you for your consideration.
Larry Regelin
Great Planet Products (From the Sink to the Campsite!)
952-201-9182
JRook 02.12.10 at 1:54 pm
My concern is that CleanWell claims that their hand sanitizer is as effective as alcohol and then spend considerable time bashing Benzalkonium Chloride. They spend little time on the fact that most reputable studies show that Thyme Oil while somewhat effective antibacterial, takes 5 mins. or more to eliminate bacteria anywhere near the 99.99% they identify. They also neglect to mention that Thyme Oil is a skin irritant and many people are allergic to it. The studies they reference relative to Benzalkonium Chloride are based on long term, occupational exposures to high concentrations during production. Even then they have to point out that the studies are inconclusive. In similarly high concentrations Thyme Oil is a poison and would kill. Looking for the company to publish their testing data, particularly kill times. Hand sanitizers that meet the FDA’s TRM requirements are supposed to work in 15 secs.
Bob Smith 11.23.10 at 7:53 am
The information about the Thyme Oil active ingredient is incorrect, it is Thymol which is identified as moderately toxic by the Skin Deep Cosmetic Database and highly toxic by the Pesticide Action Network (PAN) The PAN lists it as a Bad Actor … PAN Bad Actors are chemicals that are one or more of the following: highly acutely toxic, cholinesterase inhibitor, known/probable carcinogen, known groundwater pollutant or known reproductive or developmental toxicant. Also the company says the product meets FDA requirements. When I contacted the FDA they indicated that they don’t regard Thymol as an effective antiseptic or sanitizer, particularly at the levels found in CleanWell and based on their Tenative Final Monograph, hand sanitizers containing Thyme Oil (Thymol) face regulatory action. As far as Children Healthline.com indicates that there is no safe exposure level for Thymol identified for Children or Adults. Saying something is Natural does not mean it is SAFE.