Cleaning your hands like a lady

THE HEIGHT of chic (and good sense) these days is having very, very clean hands — after all, we’re still in the middle of a pandemic. Handwashing with soap and water helps defeat the spreading coronavirus, and a Philippine-made soap is going extra tough on them.

Meet Dr. Coco, a new hand soap from Consumer Care Products, Inc. (CCPI) It’s made with coconuts from the Philippines, and claims to kill 99.9% of viruses and bacteria on the hands. “Not just remove it,” said Mario Garcia, Marketing Lead for CCPI during a press conference on Zoom last week.

It is 100% sure about one thing: 100% of the product is nature-derived, said Star Estacio, General Manager for Food and Personal Care BU, CCPI, and 91% of it is made from coconuts.

The product works its ways through the use of Coco MCT (medium chain triglycerides) that are part of coconut oil. Ms. Estacio calls it a “natural moisturizer.” “Because it’s a medium chain triglyceride, the molecules are smaller. It can penetrate the skin. You are protected on the surface, and beneath the skin.”

Some of us have been handwashing overzealously with increasingly stronger products, leaving us with dry and cracked hands. Maybe you won’t cry like Scarlett O’Hara’s sister who wails, “You can always tell a lady by her hands,” but Ms. Estacio says, “Sure, but cracked hands can lead to skin infections.”

The MCT in Dr. Coco works two ways: it moisturizes and protects your hands — through a thin film, sure, but the thin film it leaves behind also becomes a microbial barrier, allowing it to kill 99% of bacteria for up to four hours. “That’s clinically proven,” added Mr. Garcia, discussing the product testing they have done.

So the O’Haras from Gone With The Wind can think they can tell a lady with her hands, but can they use them to tell a Miss? Former Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach stepped into the call as the hand soap’s brand ambassador. She too complained about dry hands. “It happened to me, at the beginning of this whole craziness that we’re in. I’m really happy with Dr. Coco; hindi nga drying sa kamay (It doesn’t dry my hands). I also love the smell.” Dr. Coco comes in two scents: lavender and green tea.

Dr. Coco is available to order online from both Shopee and Lazada. A 250 ml bottle costs P114.75 on Lazada. For more information about the product, check the official website: drcoco.com.ph. One can also follow Dr. Coco’s official social media accounts: DrCoco.ph on Facebook, and @DrCOCO on Instagram. It is also now available in retail stores like Mercury Drug, Watsons, Landmark, South Supermarket, and Unimart. — JLG