Due to the COVID-19 virus outbreak we are all washing our hands more often. This can dry the hands and lead to skin rashes, irritation and a whole host of skin conditions. This happens because too much washing can strip away the skins natural moisturiser, it's sebum. Sebum is the skins natural preservative and waterproofer.

Many soaps can strip away this layer of sebum if used too often. Usually this wouldn't happen but currently we are all washing more often. So, what's the solution? Well, there are a few things you can do to keep your hands healthy during this time. Use a vegetable oil based soap instead of a supermarket soap. Supermarket soap is SYNDET (Synthetic Detergent) and is more like washing up liquid that a moisturising bar. Another thing that makes a difference is using a soap with natural fragrances instead of synthetic fragrances. Any soap containing real essential oil is better in this respect. Finally, use a good conditioner but don't overuse it as this tends to make the hands try to compensate for being TOO greasy. Also, consider using a tiny drop of argan, jojoba or coconut oil instead of man made moisturiser! These oils are natural moisturisers that have been used for thousands of years.

During this time of the COVID-19 pandemic it is recommened to wash your hands more frequently. But how often should I wash my hands? The answer is more WHEN you should wash your hands. It is still true that you should wash your hands after going to the bathroom (even if you don't use the loo itself), before every meal and before and after preparing food. This adds up to at least 6 times a day and we think this is conservative. We suggest :

Now it's easy to go overboard and delelop skin irritation (our skincare range is recomended here) so be careful of this.

In summary, we estimate that the number of times you may need to wash your hands on a given day currently may vary between 6 to 11 times per day. This number will obviously vary depending on your behaviour, your job (mum, care giver etc.) so use your discretion.