Absolute mildest, non-drying hand soap

[MercyA]

I know someone who washes their hands too much (not me). They know why they wash them too much and try not to do so.

Using any kind of normal hand soap results in very raw and sore hands. Using a generic Cetaphil-like non-soap gentle hand cleanser is somewhat better.

This person prefers liquid soap, but perhaps could be persuaded to use a bar soap. 

It is not allergies; it is over-washing.

Any suggestions for ultra-mild, moisturizing soap would be very welcome. (ETA: Also liquid body wash, especially if it can be bought in bulk or in tablet-for-mixing form.)

Please don't quote. 🙂  

Thanks!

Edited July 2, 2022 by MercyA

[prairiewindmomma]

It may be much easier to add lotion to the routine than to pick a better soap.

I hope they are seeking additional support; it’s frustrating to be driven by that much anxiety. Hugs to them.

[MercyA]

7 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

It may be much easier to add lotion to the routine than to pick a better soap.

I hope they are seeking additional support; it’s frustrating to be driven by that much anxiety. Hugs to them.

Good idea! They have started getting more consistent with lotion. Vaseline under cotton gloves at night seems to help.

They are receiving treatment and it helps quite a bit, but not enough in this area. 

Thank you so much.

[Ausmumof3]

Can they use sorbolene instead? We have dermeeze which works well for my son. I’m not sure if it’s available there. I use Sukin which isn’t perfect but is better than normal soaps. I wash my hands a lot - not for OCD or similar reasons but because I switch between animal/farm and food tasks a lot.

Edited July 2, 2022 by Ausmumof3

[Ausmumof3]

https://www.superpharmacy.com.au/products/dermeze-moisturising-soap-free-wash-500ml?msclkid=00ea020b63a7195fa27860b4ad358c9c&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=DC.ORetailSmartShopping01_All First Categories_AUD&utm_term=4578160307618706&utm_content=Ad Group
 

This is what I mean by Dermeeze.

[Frances]

I don’t have a specific recommendation, but most liquid soap can be greatly diluted. It saves money and it is not nearly as drying.

[Pawz4me]

Jergen's extra moisturizing liquid hand soap is what I use. i have super dry skin and wash my hands a lot. It works better than anything I've tried. It's getting harder and harder for me to find locally, though.

[Ausmumof3]

Alternatively goats milk bar soaps are really good. 

[Teaching3bears]

I make hand soap.  I fill the soap dispenser about 75-80% with water.  Add 3-4 capfuls of Dr. Bronner’s liquid soap.  Add a few drops of essential oil.  Many essential oils like eucalyptus and mint have antibacterial properties.  You will save a lot of money on hand soap this way too.

I would follow this with hand cream if I were you until your hands are feeling less dry. 

[barnwife]

Ditto @Ausmumof3 Goat milk soap. 

My MIL makes it. I've gifted it to various people. More than a couple have commented that their skin issues disappeared once they started using it. Though I haven't tried goat milk soap made by anyone else, it's definitely worth a shot. 
 

[Bambam]

1 hour ago, Teaching3bears said:

I make hand soap.  I fill the soap dispenser about 75-80% with water.  Add 3-4 capfuls of Dr. Bronner’s liquid soap.  Add a few drops of essential oil.  Many essential oils like eucalyptus and mint have antibacterial properties.  You will save a lot of money on hand soap this way too.

I would follow this with hand cream if I were you until your hands are feeling less dry. 

I do this too - but I add a couple of squirts (scientific measurement!) of vegetable glycerin. This helps moisturize your skin. I might be tempted to add more for this application.  I also use the unscented Dr. Bronner's liquid soap + few drops of essential oil. 

[TheReader]

One of mine has this exact issue, and the doctor strongly suggested Dove (plain, normal) bar soap; they made the switch willingly even though they prefer liquid soap. The doctor also suggested Cetaphil lotion/ointment (there was a specific requirement of it being one w/o any alcohol to it, we had to look for the right one); the kiddo in question uses the Dove bars to wash hands, applies the Cetaphil after. I am pretty sure they apply it after almost every hand wash, but doing that helped the hands heal very quickly. 

Hugs to you & yours. 

[KungFuPanda]

If they use a pump can they switch to foaming soap? That stuff is watered down even more than liquid soap. They could also put a rubber band on the neck of their pump. They don’t need a full pump amount. 
 

I’m not sure about the glycerin suggestion. I find glycerin soaps incredibly drying and I don’t even have problem skin. 
 

Adding a good hand cream to the routine could help. Maybe a doctor or nurse will chime in. This must be a problem in that field. 

[catz]

Foaming options that refill will primarily water are going to be way easier on the skin.  I do dr bronners w/water and a couple drops of oil in a refillable pump.  My hands were a mess at the beginning of Covid but have been great since we switched all ouR pumps to this setup.  

[Pawz4me]

I think this must be individual? I can't tolerate Dr. Bronner's soaps--they dry out and irritate my skin. Ditto the foaming soaps I've tried. AFAIK I don't have any allergies, just very dry skin.

[BlsdMama]

All soap is made differently. Are you sure this person will use bar soap? The idea that dirt may linger on the bar may prohibit them from doing so. 
 

You’re looking for a soap that is cold process and super fatted above 7%. The lower the percentage of coconut oil, the better. Coconut oil saponifies as a cleanser. Milk soaps or soaps with olive or emu would be good as long as it is 7-10% superfatted. If it mentions low bubbling that is also an indicator of gentle soap. Look on Etsy. Knowledgeable soapers will include this information. 

[MercyA]

You are all wonderful. Thank you so much for all the great ideas. I'll definitely be making some purchases today based on your recommendations. Please keep them coming. 

All the liquid refill solutions we've tried (including foaming) have been too drying, unfortunately. I do definitely find the foaming soaps to be gentler for myself.

[Alicia64]

I'm not sure if someone said this, but I have bad exema on my hands and dry skin. My sister too. We're kind of experts in dry skin at this point. 🙂

At the kitchen and bathroom sinks I keep a large bottle of body wash meant for the shower:

DOVE, deep moisture nourishing body wash. We get ours at Costco, but you can buy online.

I also agree w/ using lotion after washing. My dermo has always said Lubriderm. (Again, I get mine at Costco.)

And if the hand washer wants even more moisture: this is a nighttime cream that is very thick: Eucerin. (If the hand washer is willing, slathering the Eucerin on hands and then putting hands into light weight gloves for the summer -- sleeping all night with them on -- would be great.)

Good luck!!

 

[Halftime Hope]

When I read the title, I immediately thought about my very favorite soap, made from goat's milk. It is so gentle I use it on my face. I see several others have also recommended it.  Mine was given to me, and it's artisan soap: I'm sure there are similar items on Etsy.  I prefer something which is nourishing vs. factory made products created from highly fractionated ingredients. :-)  

Best healing wishes. 

[alisoncooks]

I use Dove sensitive body wash for the shower. Sometimes I use it for washing hands when I find they’re suffering from over-washing. 

Edited July 2, 2022 by alisoncooks

[ScoutTN]

6 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Alternatively goats milk bar soaps are really good. 

This! From your local farmers’ market. Whole Foods sells some too, though they are pricey.  

[Frances]

4 hours ago, KungFuPanda said:

If they use a pump can they switch to foaming soap? That stuff is watered down even more than liquid soap. They could also put a rubber band on the neck of their pump. They don’t need a full pump amount. 
 

I’m not sure about the glycerin suggestion. I find glycerin soaps incredibly drying and I don’t even have problem skin. 
 

Adding a good hand cream to the routine could help. Maybe a doctor or nurse will chime in. This must be a problem in that field. 

And it can be watered down even more. When refilling foaming soap dispensers, I use just a small amount and the rest water and swirl to mix well.

[Clarita]

I've found in general body wash to be less drying than regular hand soap. I also love goat's milk soap, but I've only seen that in bar form.

When I had to wash my hands way too much for work I just kept a bottle of lotion right next to the sink. That helped me to remember to apply after washing.

[kristin0713]

Seventh Generation fragrance free hand soap. It is all I keep in the house and it makes a difference. We have a kid with eczema and OCD, bad combination. 
 

ETA - some shampoos also destroy her hands like Herbal Essence. Dove shampoo has been fine and Dove sensitive skin bar soap in the shower. 

Edited July 2, 2022 by kristin0713

[history-fan]

The only liquid hand soap that I can use is from Shaklee. 

[HazelAnne]

I also use Dr. Bronners unscented, though water is the only thing I add to it. I use a foaming dispenser mostly filled with water, and then add a little Dr. Bronners. It has been very good for my hands; I use to have terrible eczema and I think this is one of the things that has had the biggest impact on improving my skin. 

[sbgrace]

My son doesn't over-wash, but he has extremely sensitive skin and struggles with hand eczema. He washes his hands with Cetaphil cleanser, which I think you mentioned is already used.  I really think that might be the mildest option, which is why my son uses it most. He sometimes uses with dove sensitive bar soap, and it's mild...but I think someone with OCD might have issues with bar soap.

For shampoo he uses dove sensitive unscented or ecoderm in a foamer. I use them as hand soap, and both seem pretty mild to me. Ecoderm is the least expensive of all the liquids I've mentioned. 

My son moisturizes after any wash with CereVe moisturizer. At night he uses cotton gloves. 

I wonder if something like gloves in a bottle would add some protection. 

I want to add that Dr. Bronner's unscented is really low ingredient, but it it is just too drying/harsh here. It tears up my eczema son's hands. 

I'm sorry your loved one is suffering. 

 

Edited July 3, 2022 by sbgrace

[ktgrok]

Is the cetaphil drying the skin too? Or just not usually what is used? Does the person feel like it isn't "real soap" since it doesn't foam? If that is the case, cetaphil makes a foaming facial cleanser as well, it's not AS mild as the other one, but still more mild than a hand soap. 

In fact, I would think ANY facial cleanser would be more mild and less drying than a hand soap, as long as it doesn't say "for oily skin" or "acne" on it. Maybe even a generic, since face cleanser is more expensive. I'd put it in a regular hand soap dispenser though, so it seems more like hand soap. 

Vanicream is actually the brand advised by my dermatologist - even the "sensitive" or "non drying" stuff from other brands often has some ingredients that are bad for your skin - she steered me away from Aveeno and Lubriderm and some other product...maybe eucerin? Said to use Vanicream. (I don't, because I'm a rebel and don't like being told how to live my life!  Actually, just cause I know what works for me, and well...I forgot until now)

I don't know if it i foams up or lathers at all though...if that matters, like I said, maybe cetaphil would work better, since I think they make one that lathers. 

Edit - reviews say it does lather! And it is very very mild. I think it comes in an unscented version if that matters, but the scented one doesn't seem to cause people issues, and the scent is mild. I really think a facial cleanser for sensitive skin, that is dermatologist advised as not having any irritants, is the way to go. https://www.amazon.com/Vanicream-Gentle-Cleanser-sensitive-Dispenser/dp/B00QY1XZ4W/ref=pd_lpo_3?pd_rd_i=B00QY1XZ4W&psc=1#customerReviews

It does come in a pump, like hand soap, so may not need to switch containers or anything. 

Another thought is between hand washings, if they feel the need to clean the hands, is to use a mild baby wipe. The "good" brands are nice and wet and you feel you really are getting clean, but would be super mild and non drying. I mean, if you can use it on private parts, has to be mild! But would feel "soapy" and cleansing. Might work to help cut back on the actual washing. Would get ones that are alcohol free, fragrance free, and stop if any irritation, obviously. 

Edited July 3, 2022 by ktgrok

[ktgrok]

OH!!! Had an idea! (can you tell I'm ADHD hyperfocusing on this to procrastinate actual things I need to do?)

If this is about germs/dirt, what about cutting back on NEED to wash, but wearing cotton gloves? Can put on lotion, put on the thin gloves, which would provide a barrier to things the person touches that might be "dirty" and also help keep the hands moisturized. Would need several pairs if this works, to take off and wash. Not sure if this would actually help, depends on if it is a compulsion about germs after touching shared objects/doorknobs or if it is just a hand washing compulsion -my understanding is those can be two different things. 

[Clemsondana]

If you know anybody who uses Melaleuca products, their refillable Renew hand wash has been a gamechanger for us.  Early on we debated whether to continue with ordering from them and the hand wash is one of the things that keeps us ordering, although the correlation of my eczema kid not having any more outbreaks after we started using some of their products also makes me hesitant to go back to store-bought.  Even in the winter, we rarely have to use hand cream.  

[MercyA]

12 hours ago, ktgrok said:

OH!!! Had an idea! (can you tell I'm ADHD hyperfocusing on this to procrastinate actual things I need to do?)

I ❤️ you @ktgrok.  Thank you for all the ideas! And thanks to everyone else as well! There is no place like the Hive.

[kristin0713]

20 hours ago, ktgrok said:

OH!!! Had an idea! (can you tell I'm ADHD hyperfocusing on this to procrastinate actual things I need to do?)

If this is about germs/dirt, what about cutting back on NEED to wash, but wearing cotton gloves? Can put on lotion, put on the thin gloves, which would provide a barrier to things the person touches that might be "dirty" and also help keep the hands moisturized. Would need several pairs if this works, to take off and wash. Not sure if this would actually help, depends on if it is a compulsion about germs after touching shared objects/doorknobs or if it is just a hand washing compulsion -my understanding is those can be two different things. 

This isn't the best way to handle OCD because it will continue to reinforce the fear behind the need to wash. Although harder initially, it is better in the long run to restrict access to soap and washing if possible. 

[Kalmia]

Well, since I picked up the wrong bottle of Cetaphil at the store, the Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser instead of the lotion, and used it as if it was lotion all weekend without noticing my mistake, I'd have to report that it is EXTREMELY gentle.

[Quarter Note]

@MercyA, I feel for your loved one!  I have one who does the same thing.

O'Keefe's Working Hands Lotion has been wonderful for us!

I'll also second the recommendation to try out whatever local artisanal soap is available where you are.  If you'd like a non-local recommendation, we love the bar soap made by By Robin Creations.

Best wishes to your loved one!  Over hand washing is a really hard problem.  Your loved one is not alone!

Edited July 4, 2022 by Quarter Note

[dsmith]

On 7/2/2022 at 11:39 AM, Alicia64 said:

I'

And if the hand washer wants even more moisture: this is a nighttime cream that is very thick: Eucerin. (If the hand washer is willing, slathering the Eucerin on hands and then putting hands into light weight gloves for the summer -- sleeping all night with them on -- would be great.)

Good luck!!

 

Cutemol is also very good overnight with gloves. https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00121TEQW?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

[dsmith]

I had an issue for the first year of Covid with excess handwashing. One thing that I didn't realize was making it worse for me was lotions containing urea, and my skin became extremely sensitive to it. It got so bad that I was having layers of skin cracking and peeling off. Eucerin probably did the most damage, I don't remember which one. I was using it every time I washed my hands. 

[Acadie]

Lanolin on hands under gloves at night works much better than Vaseline. At colder temperatures it’s thick and sticky, but you can check before applying and warm it to a thinner consistency if needed.