07/23/2020

These Hand Sanitizers Smell Good, Kill Germs

They have become an accessory of the "new normal"

At Cecconi’s in the Dumbo neighborhood of Brooklyn and in West Hollywood, California, diners are offered more with their meal than a grind of fresh pepper or a spoonful of grated Parmesan. On many tables, where you may expect to find a bottle of olive oil or hot sauce, there’s Amass Botanic Hand Sanitizer, a spicy-scented cleanser to keep the restaurant’s guests germ free.

The product is one of a new crop of upscale hand sanitizers, frequently formulated with refined scents and emollients. Like the standard versions, these have an alcohol base but aim to offer a more indulgent experience than, say, a smear of Purell or a quick rub with a disinfecting wipe.

“This is becoming a quotidian ritual for people, an everyday thing that’s part of their lives,” said Morgan McLachlan, a founder and the master distiller at Amass, a Los Angeles company that focused on spirits before it began producing hand sanitizer in March. “Why not have it be a pleasurable experience?”

Please select this link to read the complete article from The New York Times.