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As a worker in a medical / health care field, my hands are never far from soap and water. Working safely with patient specimens—blood, urine, amniotic fluid . . .and others too unpleasant to mention—requires gloves, barrier gowns, common sense, training, and excellent job skills to minimize exposure to pathogens that might be present in any specimen.

You can imagine the care that we take before venturing out to the break room, the lunch room, or before leaving for home at the end of the day. At least the smart ones do. And we do not hesitate to correct those whose sloppy habits could endanger ourselves or others.


The last defense in health care hygiene is always thorough handwashing, often many times each day. With that constant handwashing comes the peril of dry, cracked, chapped hands. Constantly removing the natural oils and water from skin cells tends to dry and crack the natural barrier of the skin.

Even I, a manly person of the . . .well, the male type, needed to find _something_ to help me with my chapped hands problem.


C. O. Bigelow Chapped Hands Soap Free Cleanser has been my savior. Perhaps that sounds a little strong but it is one product that I have found that really helps my hands. And I will tell you a secret . . .I do not use it as the directions suggest. ( How typically 'male'..! )


Sold as a 'soap free chapped hands cleanser', the product is intended to be used by applying ". . .a generous layer on hands . . .(and rinsing) under warm water and pat dry." With primary ingredients of hydrogenated polyisobutene and petrolatum the product is really more of an emollient lotion, a 'refatting' agent that aids in the restoration of lipids to the upper skin layers and 'seals' the skin to prevent moisture loss. To be honest, I would not trust this "soap free cleanser" to _clean_ my hands.

But I do use C. O. Bigelow Chapped Hands Soap Free Cleanser as the ingredients almost demand it should be used: as a "chapped hands" lotion. Well, they got part of it right!

The ingredients above are mixed with aloe vera oil (5%), jojoba oil (1%), and various other waxes, plant extracts, and vitamin E to produce a paste/lotion that approximates the color and consistency of petroleum jelly, Vaseline®. Just the smallest amount of the nearly odor-free gel/lotion can be applied to each hand and rubbed thoroughly in. Too much will leave the hands feeling 'slimy' and perhaps needing that 'washing' dictated by the directions on the product.

Your own use and experience will quickly give you an idea of the appropriate amount. I do know that the small amount I apply each time suggests this 6.5 oz jar will last for quite some time. A lesser amount will blend easily into dry, chapped skin. My hands are left with just a bit of a sheen that seems to dissipate over a few minutes. Leaving the product on my hands seems to make much more sense than washing it off.



The Bottom Line
C. O. Bigelow Chapped Hands Soap Free Cleanser is perhaps better used as a hand lotion than as a 'cleanser'. There is no reason to trust it to be an effective 'cleanser' while there is every reason for it to function effectively as an emollient hand lotion.



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Certified Lean-n-mean review.


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Recommended: Yes