I recently signed up for a product review website "BzzAgent" and received a free sample of Lysol "Touch of Foam antibacterial hand wash" and receive "my points" for participating / reviewing this product.
Wash your hands.
It's basic. As a mom, I've said it about 50 gadzillion times. As a health care professional back in the day, I've done it about 50 bazillion hoojillion times. As a holistic health person...wash your hands. It prevents the spread of disease and that is a good thing. End of discussion.
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But on the other, ah, hand...I'm of two minds about the use of antibacterial soaps like this one. Arguably, and good scrub with ANY soap is just as effective as some fancy-pants foam.
The active germ-killing ingredient in this product is benzalkonium chloride. This germ-killer has been around for a long time in products like "Bactine" first aid spray and in after-piercing cleaning solutions. In the tiny amounts used in products like this and the Lysol hand cleaner, it appears safe enough. Full strength, it seems like it is kind of dicey to handle. I couldn't find any easy to understand information about how manufacturing this stuff effects the environment, but guessing from the articles listed below, it can't be totally good news.
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So washing your hands = good. Using chemical antimicrobial stuff to wash them = maybe not so hot.
I know germ killing is Lysol's thing. I've purchased and used their disinfecting spray my whole adult life. You can't beat it for germ-bombing the bathroom if colds, flu, or GI bugs are in the house. Especially the tummy bugs. But when there isn't active infection around, I don't know that we need to use this kind of chemistry every day.
If you compare Lysol foam to other antimicrobial hand soaps, in all fairness, it does seem less drying than other soaps. The foam has a soft, different feel to it. Dishpan hands are an issue for me in the winter, especially, so I do like products that are kinder to hands that way.
On the other, ah, hand, I wonder how well this product would do for people with sensitive skin given the coloring, fragrance, and antimicrobial.
My sample was "vanilla orchid" fragrance. I'm not fond of florals, so I may be biased against it for that reason alone. I thought it had a very artificial quality to the scent, and reminded more of fabric softener than orchids. I didn't smell any vanilla to it at all. But that's just me. Everyone has their own scent preferences.
The price is a bit more than I'm willing to pay for hand soap, especially if you consider the non-"medicated" versions. Why pay 3 plus-ish dollars for one bottle, if you can get a bottle of soap, so about the same thing, avoid the down sides and pay less than 2 dollars?
When it comes to Lysol "Touch of Foam" hand cleaner, the choice really has to do with whether you want a soap with anti-microbial chemicals or not. If you want that, then this does seem to be a gentle, skin-softening product. It leaves your skin feeling nice after you use it, simple as that. If that's what it takes to get you to wash your hands, even better.
But is that nice feeling worth the potential big-picture down-sides? For me I think not. There are more natural, more pleasant smelling, lower cost alternatives that are probably just as effective.
By the way, wash your hands.
Sources (all accessed 1 April 2013):