If there’s one hot commodity this back-to-school season, it’s hand sanitizer. Even the glamorous Sarah Michelle Gellar swears to SheKnows that her favorite “beauty” product is “hand sanitizer — and I think we know why!” We’re in a pandemic, after all; health is beauty, right? Or something like that. Hand sanitizer is no longer just the purview of doctor’s office reception desks and your extremely germaphobic coworker who keeps it at her desk to apply every 20 minutes. We are all that coworker now. So it’s time we accepted it — and invited the entire family along on our germ-fighting journey.
But wait: Is hand sanitizer even safe for kids? Cheryl Franco, a Registered Nurse from the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, says yes — as long as you “just only use a pea-sized amount,” she writes. That’s because most hand sanitizers have a high enough alcohol content that they’ll make kids ill if swallowed or even licked (the latter is why Franco advises not to use “sweet smelling or fragrant hand sanitizer” with very young kids who might be tempted to lick their hands. For littles, a small amount of unscented sanitizer will do.
But for older kids who can understand the concept of “this is for your hands, not your mouth,” there are plenty of appealing scents and sweet designs that may even inspire them to sanitize more often. Find our favorites ahead; many of them are all-natural and plant-based to boot.
But don’t forget: No amount of hand sanitizer can replace regular hand-washing! Here’s some how-to on teaching your kids to get it right.
If your child ingests any amount of hand sanitizer, call the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) at 800-222-1222.
Our mission at SheKnows is to empower and inspire women, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Target is a SheKnows sponsor, however, all products in this article were independently selected by our editors. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.
A version of this story was originally published in May 2020.
Crayola Hand Sanitizer
We can’t think of anything that says back to school more than these adorable Crayola-shaped versions to match their new set of crayons. The travel size will easily fit in their backpack or pencil pouch too.
The Cutest
Olika’s cute-AF sanitizer looks like a toy and comes with a backpack-friendly carabiner clip — perfect to motivate kids to use it at school. Plus, it’s hydrating and aromatherapeutic, with refreshing scents like citrus mint.
Touchland
Hand sanitizer just got way more fun. Thanks to Touchland, your kiddo will look forward to pulling out their moisturizing power spray in delicious scents like Wild Watermelon, Applelicious, and Berry Bliss. Who said hand sanitizer had to be sticky and boring? Each one holds 500 sprays, so they should be covered for awhile.
The Freshest
Fresh Monster’s gel is unscented and formulated with 70% alcohol to kill those baddies, plus aloe to make all that baddie-killing more gentle on kids’ soft skin. It does not include benzalkonium chloride, which is found in many other hand sanitizers; plus, the travel-sized containers are shatterproof for easy toting through all that #kidlife brings.
The Calming Scent
Olivia Care is a California company dedicated to handcrafted goodness right here in the U.S. of A. This alcohol-based sanitizer is vegan as well as paraben- and sulfate-free — and its lavender scent might even relax your pandemic-anxious children. Maybe.
More Than Magic
If the promise that this sanitizer is “More than Magic” doesn’t inspire kids to slather it on, we don’t know what will. Its purple sparkly silicone carrying case is what every tween wants, too, right? This one definitely smells good enough to eat, though, so keep it for the older kids only.
The Most Honest
There’s a lot of things we love about Jessica Alba’s eco-kids skincare / home-care / diapers / etc. company, Honest. And these handy, portable hand sanitizers in lavender, grapefruit, “coastal surf” and unscented are just four of them.
The Foam Favorite
Babyganics products are widely beloved for good reason: They’re approved by pediatricians and dermatologists alike, and they kill 99% of germs. This foaming hand sanitizer is easy to apply and even easier to tote around. When and if you get the blessed chance to leave the house.
The Wipes
Or go the wipes route! These packs of 20 are just the right size for any cute quarantine day trips with the kids. Drive-in movies? Socially distanced hike? Everyone walks for two hours in a straight line down an empty country road? Hey, we stir-crazy parents are gonna get creative.
The Sleek Design
This moisturizing (yessss) sanitizer is fragrance-free. It does have alcohol in it for germ-busting powers, but also has sugarcane-derived squalane in order to retain moisture. Soft and sanitized hands? Sign us up.
The West Coast Wonder
California Baby’s little germ-buster is quick-drying, non-sticky, allergy-tested, and even has a child lock on the bottle so they can’t get crazy with it when you’re not watching. And it smells like lemon myrtle. Divine.
The Celebrity Fave
Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard’s baby company, Hello Bello, makes a ton of kid-safe products parents just can’t help but steal for themselves. And this naturally scented, alcohol-based gel hand sanitizer is a great goo that does its job well — without the spray-sanitizer risk of accidentally squirting yourself in the face.
Gentle & Affordable
We already loved Baby Bum for its gentle moisturizers and Sun Bum sunscreen for kids. Its naturally scented hand sanitizer is no exception; it kills 99% of germs without using harsh chemicals, and it’s super affordable to boot.
Organic For On-the-Go
This alcohol-free sanitizer can be used on hands or surfaces — like that pesky car seat buckle or the credit card you haul to the grocery store. Plus, it’s made with essential oils and smells like oranges.
The Moisturizer
Another alcohol-based gel option, ArtNaturals sanitizer is unscented and infused with aloe vera gel and jojoba oil, so it won’t be too drying. It’s also free from sulfates and parabens, and it’s vegan.
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