You can’t deny that we have certainly been living in some strange times. Who in a million years would have thought that we would end up in self-isolation for close to two months, walk into the stores that are open wearing masks and find the toilet paper shelves continuously BARE??! I am a big horror movie fan, but never wanted to live in one!
As we are preparing to start returning to SOME sense of normalcy, the new norm will still have us maintaining our hand washing and sanitizing habits to prevent getting infected by the virus and to help stop the spread of the virus and hopefully, eventually, killing it all together. When you are on the go and don’t have soap and water, you need to rely on hand sanitizer. Unfortunately, hand sanitizer is about as hard to come by as toilet paper these days. Same goes for rubbing alcohol which is the main sanitizing ingredient in hand sanitizers. You can opt to make your own hand sanitizer, but you will still run into the rubbing alcohol scarcity. If you can find it, it takes a couple weeks to get it. I have included a link through Amazon where you can purchase rubbing alcohol to use as the base for this Essential Oil Hand Sanitizer recipe that has a delivery time (as of the date of this blog) of around 7-10 days.
This DIY recipe is easy to make and easy on your skin. You will love the delicious, warm, spicy scent of the essential oil I chose for this recipe. I am using doTERRA’s On Guard Essential Oil. On Guard is a doTERRA essential oil blend that helps purify the air when diffused and is used as a non-toxic cleaner on surfaces. It’s non-toxic, has protective qualities and the fact that it is a Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade essential oil are the main reasons I included it in this Essential Oil hand sanitizer. The ingredients for On Guard are: Wild Orange Peel, Clove Bud, Cinnamon Leaf, Cinnamon Bark, Eucalyptus Leaf, and Rosemary Leaf/Flower essential oils.
If you are not familiar with the doTERRA company, let me tell you a little about them. doTERRA was founded in 2008 and was built on the mission of sharing highest quality essential oils with the world. They are based in a state of the art facility in Pleasant Grove, Utah. Their mission is to change the world one drop, one person, one community at a time. This means that every oil sold by doTERRA is responsibly and sustainably sourced. doTERRA makes it a top priority to protect the environment during the production process and provide fair treatment of all harvesters and growers. They also opened a non-profit called the doTERRA Healing Hands Foundation®. It helps support community development projects in the communities that they source their oils. Some of the projects include funding for and building of schools, health clinics, training facilities, and clean water systems. doTERRA generously donates to cover all administrative costs of the foundation so that 100% of all donations go directly to aid.
Why choose doTERRA essential oils over other less expensive oils? There are many essential oils on the market that are heavily contaminated or made with synthetic chemicals. Essential oils should be completely natural and safe. You can easily inadvertently buy something you think is natural but turns out to be synthetic if you aren’t careful. Every batch of doTERRA essential oils goes through a rigorous testing process and then each oil is sent to an independent third party for further testing and validation. If the oil passes the tests, it’s labeled as CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade® which means it has been labeled one of the purest essential oils on the market.
Whether you choose to use the On Guard essential oil for this recipe or a different scented oil from doTERRA or another company, is up to you. I chose to use a doTERRA oil because I am 100% confident in the quality and safety of the oil and the quality of the company that stands behind their products with 100% confidence. With that being said, I hope that you find this Essential Oil Hand Sanitizer easy to make, safe to use and pleasing to the senses.
Essential Oil Hand Sanitizer Recipe
INGREDIENTS:
5 tablespoons aloe vera gel
4 tablespoons water
¼ teaspoon vitamin E oil
8–10 drops doTERRA On Guard
2/3 cup rubbing alcohol
8 ounce spray bottle
INSTRUCTIONS:
In a bowl, combine aloe vera gel and vitamin E oil. Add eight to 10 drops of doTERRA On Guard Protective Blend to the aloe vera mixture. Add water and mix well to combine. Add more or less water depending on the consistency you want. Pour into plastic spray bottle. (Note: High quality essential oils can be stored in plastic containers if highly diluted.)
Here are some links for ingredients listed in the recipe:
Affiliate Disclosure: Blog posts may contain affiliate links. This means if you click a link and make a purchase through that link, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I will only link to products or services that I have personally tried or believe in. Laura Uzun is a participant in the Amazon.com., Inc. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Some blog posts have been sponsored. This means I received compensation for publishing the post. However, all thoughts and opinions remain my own.
RUBBING ALCOHOL: 950ml Bottle of 99+% Pure Isopropyl Alcohol Industrial Grade IPA Concentrated Rubbing Alcohol: https://amzn.to/3cE7XFa
PURA D’OR USDA Organic Aloe Vera Gel, Lemongrass Scent (16oz) – I prefer this brand because it is USDA grade Aloe Vera Gel and made in the USA: https://amzn.to/2LD5S0s
PURA D’OR Organic Vitamin E Oil (4oz / 118mL) 70,000 IU 100% Pure Natural USDA Organic and made in the USA: https://amzn.to/2LHmzYp
doTERRA On Guard Essential Oil Blend: https://bit.ly/2LAN167
If you are interested in becoming a wholesale member or doTERRA Wellness Advocate click here: https://bit.ly/3cJk4AM
You can sign-up with a starter kit that saves a lot of money and includes a variety of different oils to try out and get to know or you can pay the membership fee of $35 and buy a single product. Being a wholesale member grants you access to wholesale prices. Being a doTERRA Wellness Advocate offers you the ability to own your own business and become a part of the doTERRA family. The choice is up to you!
CORONAVIRUS DISCLAIMER: This hand sanitizer is not a substitute for proper handwashing. And while this home remedy contains commonly-accepted natural antiviral ingredients, it has never been tested in a lab to determine its efficacy against viruses such as the coronavirus. The only version of this hand sanitizer recipe that includes the 60%+ alcohol content that the CDC and other health organizations recommend for hand sanitizer to properly kill coronavirus is the version using 190 proof grain alcohol (Everclear)—and this version has still not been tested for efficacy against coronavirus. A tested recipe that contains the proper level of alcohol can be found through the World Health Organization. As always, check with your health care professional before using any home remedy on you or your family.
ESSENTIAL OIL DISCLAIMER: This recipe uses what are generally considered safe essential oils, but please keep in mind that while completely natural, all essential oils are powerful plant compounds that you and your family (including your pets) might have a reaction to. Never use essential oils undiluted or take essential oils internally (diluted or undiluted) without the guidance of a professional, and always read up about the possible side effects of each type of oil before you use it. Avoid the use of essential oils (diluted or undiluted) during the first trimester of pregnancy, on small babies, and on anyone with severe allergies to the plants the oils are derived from. And if you see any reactions in yourself, your family, or your pets, stop use of your essential oil products immediately and contact a medical professional.
