These Hand Sanitizers Are Guaranteed To Blast Germs Without Drying Out Your Skin

While washing your hands with soap and water should be your go-to, hand sanitizers work in a pinch. Let's face it, sometimes you don't have soap or a dependable sink sitch—and that's where hand sanitizers sparkle. In those circumstances, hand sanitizers are a pretty solid backup plan, according to doctors and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

"Hand sanitizer is a good way to disinfect when you don't have access to soap and water between hand washes," says Dr. Andrew Alexis, MD, chair of Mount Sinai's department of dermatology. Still, you've got to use the stuff correctly, check the expiration date, and make sure it contains the right ingredients and recommended percentage of alcohol.

So, what kind of hand sanitizer should you use? "Alcohol-based sanitizers with 60 percent alcohol or higher are best at killing many types of germs," says Dr. Alexis. If your bottle contains any less than that, it may reduce growth of germs but not kill them. The CDC confirms a high alcohol content (also at least 60 percent) is required to kill germs.

And look for one of these three active ingredients on the label: ethyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, or benzalkonium chloride. "Other active ingredients may be ineffective," says Dr. Alexis. Those ingredients all indicate that the formula contains alcohol, and as long as it hits that 60 percent mark, you're covered.

Here are the best hand sanitizers you can find on shelves and online in 2021.