The BeautyFluff Blog: Important Hand Washing Tips

Welcome to the BeautyFluff Blog! We hope everyone is staying safe and doing well. Don’t forget, if you need your BFF’s, we are just a message or call away. Your BFF’s are here to help you with all your skin concerns, but today we are also here to help you learn a little more about how to stay safe during COVID-19. We are all living through some tough times and many of us are unsure about the adequate way to keep each-other safe. Here at BeautyFluff, we hope to ease some of your minds by sharing some of our tips and tricks (that will also be implemented into the spa). 

Let’s start off by going over the correct way to wash your hands, what soap to use, AND when to wash your hands according to the CDC and departments of health. Many of you might think this is common sense, however, there might be some very important information you could be missing. Let's begin by talking about what type of soap to use and when to use hand sanitizer. When deciding on what type of soap to use remember- it does not matter. Plain hand soap and water has the same effects as antibacterial soap and water when it comes to killing germs. So, don’t worry if stores are all sold out of antibacterial soap, you can pick out your favorite smelling hand soap and still be protected from harmful germs. If you are in a public area and don’t have access to soap and water don’t worry, hand sanitizer is an alternative when needed. When using hand sanitizer you need to check the label to ensure that it is at least 60% alcohol. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer that is at least 60% alcohol is the only type of hand sanitizer that can get rid of some germs. There are some weaknesses when it comes to using hand sanitizer over soap and water though. Hand sanitizer may not be very effective when your hands are visibly dirty or greasy, it also might not remove harmful chemicals and it does NOT get rid of all types of germs. These are some important weaknesses of hand sanitizer that everyone needs to be aware of before relying so heavily on it. Now that we know what type of soap to use and when to use hand sanitizer, let's talk about HOW to use it correctly to prevent the spread of germs. 

The first step to washing your hands is to get them wet. You can rinse them under warm or cold water- I prefer warm- but make sure to turn the water off for the next step. Next, you want to apply soap and lather your hands thoroughly, but how do you get every spot on your hand thoroughly? By making sure to take your time and lather the fronts of your hands, the backs of your hands, between your fingers and under your nails. You should scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. You can sing “Happy Birthday” two times in a row or if you’ve been getting sick of that song, like some of us, there are many other songs that have 20 second choruses. One of our personal favorites to sing, at Beautyfluff, while washing our hands is “Tomorrow” from Annie. The chorus that lasts about 20 seconds is:

Now, after you’ve sung the song of your choice for at least 20 seconds, you can rinse your hands under running water and dry them with a clean towel. You should try to stay away from using hand dryers, instead just let your hand air dry if there are no clean towels available. 

Now that we’ve got the hard stuff out of the way, let’s talk about when we should be washing our hands, some of these might not have occurred to you. You should make sure to wash your hands before, during and after preparing food. I know a lot of us have picked up baking and cooking, so when you’re testing your new skills remember to stay sanitary and wash your hands and wipe down your working surfaces to stop the spread of germs and prevent contamination. Now after you have prepared your delicious foods you are going to want to wash your hands before you eat them. You should wash your hands before you eat food, in general. If you have pets or have been around animals, you should make sure to wash your hands after touching them, their food/treats and/or their waste. Make sure to also wash your hands after taking the garbage out, using the restroom, sneezing, coughing, and/or blowing your nose. For all you amazing mothers and fathers out there with young children, make sure to wash your hands after changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has just used the bathroom. For all of you out there taking care of family members, make sure to wash your hands before and after caring for someone who is sick, whether it be cleaning wounds or caring for someone who is vomiting or experiencing diarrhea.  

While everyone is at home staying safe, your BFF’s at BeautyFluff are also taking precautions to ensure everyone from our employees to our beloved clientele’s safety. BeautyFluff has also set up some reopening standard operating procedures to provide everyone with a safe BeautyFluff Experience.