One frequently asked for product here is natural hand sanitizer that does not contain alcohol.{{more}} I personally do not regularly use a hand sanitizer, but believe in frequent hand washing.
However, for those seeking a sanitizer that will kill germs and bacteria without drying out the skin, there is a safe and effective alternative you can make at home yourself.
It is made from a combination of five essential oils that are known for their antibacterial effectiveness.
The first ingredient, clove essential oil, is a powerful antioxidant as well as being extremely effective against bacteria and fungi.
Lemon essential oil, which I have written about here before, has powerful antibacterial and antiviral properties.
Cinnamon bark oil is highly antimicrobial and antibacterial as well as antifungal.
Eucalyptus oil, which I have also written about here before, is powerfully antimicrobial.
And finally, Rosemary oil is powerfully antibacterial as well as having antiseptic properties.
When joined together, these oils prove to be a powerfully effective hand sanitizer. To keep it non-drying and beneficial to the skin, adding these oils to a base of aloe gel (or thinned with a mixture of aloe gel and distilled water if you prefer a spray) makes them easy to apply and skin-conditioning.
The recipe: Mix together: 25 drops of clove essential oil, 20 drops of lemon essential oil, 15 drops of cinnamon bark essential oil, 10 drops of eucalyptus essential oil and 8 drops of rosemary essential oil. Add this mixture to a couple of cups of aloe. If using aloe, you can put it in a pump or squeeze bottle, if you add the water you can put it in a small spray bottle that you can spray on hands then rub them together.
Sabrina is co-owner with her husband, Ernie, of Sunflower Farm and Connecticut Natural Soapworks, a beekeeper, Reiki Master, and market master of the Milford Downtown Farmers’ Market. www.sunflowerfarm.com