A Beauty Expert's Guide To Find A Hydrating Hand Wash For Younger Skin

I'm often reminded of something holistic esthetician Lesley Thornton told me about face washes: "And you can do so much damage with a cleanser. What good is retinol if your barrier is compromised?" I think it's incredible advice, and something I very strongly agree with: Cleansers are the unsung heroes of our skin care routines. 

And it doesn't just apply to the face—any cleanser you use can disrupt the skin barrier and lead to inflammation. 

Many body washes, shampoos, and hand soaps are notoriously stripping of the skin. I think it's important to evaluate your cleansing arsenal from top to bottom to ensure you're being gentle on your skin, no matter where that skin happens to be placed.

And I think it's most true with hands. We wash our hands multiple times a day—arguably, it's the part of our beauty routine we do the most. And yet, such little attention is placed on the product category. 

Your skin barrier is complex and multifunctional. It's made up of the acid mantle (which refers to the slightly acidic nature of the skin1), moisture barrier, skin microbiome, and even has its own immune system.

These all work together to keep the good stuff in and the bad stuff out. When working properly, it can neutralize radical damage, reduce inflammation in the body, and retain moisture.   

The skin is resilient but can, unfortunately, be influenced by a lot of external stressors, such as irritating skin care products.

One of the worst things you can do is to use harsh cleansers, such as sulfates. These dissolve your skin's natural lipids, potentially alter the microbiome, and throw off the skin's pH.

We generally avoid telling folks to use sulfates—they're not "toxic," but they are incredibly harsh on the skin. Rather, we opt for gentle plant-derived surfactants that aren't as stripping.

If this seems like a tall order, just know that mindbodygreen's hand wash contains each one of these. It's a sophisticated formula that uses biodegradable, plant-derived surfactants; hydrators like aloe vera, moringa seed oil, and red algae; antioxidants such as coenzyme Q10; and a special biotech pre- and postbiotic combo to support the barrier.