Not All Hand Sanitizers Are Created Equal — Here Are the Ones We’d Actually Use

I wasn’t a dedicated hand sanitizer user until 2020. Then I began to notice the potential for germs everywhere. Plane travel? Gross. My gym, where some people have a more, shall we say, casual approach to wiping down the equipment? Ew. Still, I’ve learned the hard way that some sanitizers will leave my hands sticky, dry, or smelling like cheap vodka — not ideal. 

To find sanitizers that are effective and that we actually enjoyed using, we tested 15 popular products, paying close attention to how they felt, smelled, and performed. I also consulted two dermatologists and a professor specializing in immunology and microbiology to find out what to look for in an effective hand sanitizer. Here are the ones that made the cut.

• Best for on-the-go sanitizing: Everyone for Every Body Hand Sanitizer Spray
• Best for sensitive skin: Honest Hand Sanitizer Spray
• Best budget: Germ-X Advanced With Aloe
• Best for travel: Noshinku Pocket Sprayer
• Best gel: ALŌH Sanitizing Hand Gel
• Best splurge: Aesop Resurrection Rinse-Free Hand Wash
• Best for parents: Honest Sanitizing Wipes
• Best for dry skin: Dove Nourishing Hand Sanitizer
• Best wipes: Noshinku Nourishing Sanitizing Hand Wipes

Purell Advanced Hand Sanitizer: When you hear the phrase “hand sanitizer,” this is probably the brand that comes to mind. It’s a tried-and-true classic. We like how quickly it dries, its affordability, and that it comes in convenient travel-size bottles. However, it can also be runny and a little drying.

LAFCO New York Hand Sanitizer (Champagne): This hand sanitizer from luxury candle brand LAFCO has a lot going for it: a strong citrus fragrance, pretty packaging, and a formula that, once rubbed in, left our tester’s hands feeling soft, not parched. However, the scent is strong and lingers for quite some time — which is great if you like the scent, but not so great if you aren’t a fan.

Megababe Squeaky Clean Hand Sanitizer: This citrus-scented hand sanitizer earned high marks for its appealing aroma and the way it kept our tester’s hands moisturized. However, it also left a lingering stickiness that wasn’t so appealing.

To find the best hand sanitizers, we tested a variety of gels, sprays, foams, and wipes during our daily routines, over a period of one to two weeks. We used them at home, at work, at the gym, and even on family trips to high-traffic places. Each sanitizer was evaluated on how easy it was to use and carry, how quickly it dried, whether it left our hands feeling clean or sticky, and how moisturizing or drying it felt with repeated use. We also paid close attention to scent — both the initial impression and how long it lingered — since fragrance can be the difference between a sanitizer you love and one you loathe. Finally, we considered versatility (wipes that also clean surfaces) and packaging (bulky pumps vs. refillable sprayers) to see which products really stood out.

We also consulted experts to help us determine what’s most important to consider when choosing a hand sanitizer. These experts were Karen M. Duus, PhD, a professor of immunology and microbiology at Touro University Nevada in Henderson, Nevada; Sonia Badreshia-Bansal, MD, a board-certified dermatologist practicing in Danville, California; and Nicole Hayre, MD, a board-certified dermatologist practicing in McLean, Virginia.

“Frequent hand sanitizer use can strip away natural oils and disrupt the skin’s barrier, leading to dryness, irritation, and even cracking,” says Dr. Badreshia-Bansal. “Alcohol-based sanitizers (especially those with 60 percent or more ethanol or isopropanol) are effective at killing germs but can be harsh on sensitive skin. People with eczema or naturally dry skin are more prone to irritation because their barrier is already compromised and loses moisture more easily.”

If you have sensitive skin or a condition like eczema, you’ll want to pay attention to your hand sanitizer’s ingredient list. “Look for sanitizers with added humectants like glycerin, aloe vera, or hyaluronic acid, which help counteract dryness and maintain hydration. Avoid formulations with added fragrance, dyes, or methanol, which can worsen irritation,” Badreshia-Bansal advises. “A sanitizer with at least 60 percent ethanol and added moisturizers is the safest balance between efficacy and skin comfort.”

Dr. Hayre recommends looking for ingredients such as vitamin E and shea butter if your skin tends to be dry or easily irritated.

However, if you’ve already irritated or disrupted your skin barrier, it’s important to give your hands time to heal. “I personally wash and sanitize my hands numerous times daily, especially being a physician, so this issue is near and dear to my heart. Of course, applying a moisturizer several times during the day will help, but the most important time to do it is right before bed,” says Hayre. “This is when your hands get a break and can heal a bit.”

Gels, foams, sprays, wipes — with so many formulations, is one truly better than another? It turns out, yes, this can make a difference. Duus finds gels and foams to be the most effective. Gels and foams often provide longer contact time with the skin, which gives the active ingredients more time to do their jobs. 

The climate where you live may also make a difference in the efficacy of your hand sanitizer. Duus explains that in dry environments with low humidity, sanitizing mists may evaporate before the necessary 20 to 40 seconds needed to kill microbes. And while she notes that sanitizing wipes are prone to drying out, which decreases their effectiveness, they may prove “advantageous by actually removing microbes from hands through the mechanical action of wiping.”