Hand soap is an evergreen product that makes the perfect present. Not only is it thoughtful and somewhat luxurious, but it's practical as well. Everyone needs to wash their hands—these days more than ever.
Despite the fact that you use it each and every day, hand soap may be something you've never given a lot of thought to before. This is normal for most people, but it's probably not best practice. It's always good to be conscious and discerning about anything we put in or on our bodies.
If you'd like to learn more about the best hand soap to use and the different types of hand soap there are, then this is the guide for you. Change your hand soap buying habits forever and for the better with these tips. Read on for everything you need to know.
1. Look Out for These Ingredients
Since it's a cleaning agent first and foremost, soap is going to have some sort of ingredients to facilitate this. Because of this, there are certain hand soaps that are chock full of all sorts of undesirable chemicals. All soaps are not created equal, and there are definitely good and bad ingredients.
Some good hand soap ingredients to look out for are, first, ingredients that you recognize and can pronounce the names of. You might have heard of this rule for reading food labels, and it extends to soap as well. To be more specific, ingredients you should look out for include things like essential oils, plants, and florals—the more natural the better.
It is possible to make soaps without using harsh chemicals. So where possible, these are the kinds of soap you should gravitate towards.
2. Avoid Ingredients Like These
Speaking of harsh chemicals, there are certain ingredients that you should avoid when at all possible. We put so many toxins and chemicals into our bodies each and every day. To a large extent, we still aren't even sure what kind of long-term ill-effects many of them have on humans.
So, what are the red flag ingredients? Things like parabens, phthalates, sulfates, petroleum, SSLs, and BPA are all what would be considered bad hand soap ingredients. Let's take a look at why some of these are not so good.
There is research to suggest that parabens mimic the hormone estrogen in the body, and have been linked to breast cancer. BPA, on the other hand, is an industrial-grade chemical used to make plastics. Studies have found links between BPA and a myriad of illnesses including high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease.
3. Opt for Eco-friendly
These days, the environment is a big concern for everybody. We've only got one planet to inhabit, and it's up to all of us to make sure we take good care of it. For all of us but also for future generations.
We all have power in our pockets. The decisions you make as a consumer can make a real difference, and help to affect further change. By always endeavoring to make eco-friendly choices in your purchases, you can rest assured you're doing your bit to help keep our planet safe.
All of the aforementioned "bad" products are not only harmful to humans but can also be bad for the environment. As well as this, the packing of soap is often disposable and made from non-green materials.
These are things that are important to research as a consumer. Supporting businesses that try as much as possible to lessen their environmental impact is a choice you can feel good about.
4. Find Your Signature Scent
One of the wonderful things about hand soap is that it comes in so many different scents. This provides the perfect opportunity to play around with different fragrances and find the one that you like best. Washing your hands dozens of times a day is made a little bit more fun when you've got a great-smelling soap to do it with.
You might already have some idea of what kinds of scents you like. But if you're not sure, here's a little crash course to help.
There are four main categories of scent. These are floral, woody, oriental, and fresh. Just from reading these words, you can already probably guess a little bit about each, and you might feel drawn towards one or two in particular.
Oriental scents would be things such as spices or patchouli while fresh scents would be things like citrus and mint. Floral scents, of course, are things like rose and gardenia and woody would be more earthy fragrances like sandalwood or cedarwood.
You can combine two of these fragrance profiles for a more complex scent. Playing around with different options until you find your go-to hand soap scent is a fun process with a rewarding conclusion.
5. Think of Who You're Buying For
When you're making any purchase, in order to make the right pick, you'll need to keep the person you're buying for in mind. If you're buying for yourself, of course, this should be a fairly straightforward thing to do.
When you're buying for someone else, it becomes a little more tricky. Since hand soap makes such a great gift, it's possible that you're buying for a friend, colleague, employee, or client. When this is the case, it's good to keep a few things in mind.
As it turns out, there's actually a whole science behind how and why you should give gifts. When we're talking about hand soap specifically, there are a few things to remember.
Don't pick a fragrance you'd like, think about their tastes instead. Also, keep in mind whether they have any allergies or intolerances. Putting yourself in their shoes will ensure that they're thrilled with their gift.
How to Choose the Best Hand Soap for You
These hand soap buying tips should, hopefully, make it a little easier to pick your perfect soap. Remember, the best hand soap for one person may not be the right one for you.
It's always best to make sure all of your purchases are purposeful, personal, and well thought out. If you're looking for beautifully fragrant, chemical-free, eco-friendly soap, browse our full range now.