If you’ve been following us for a while, you may have heard of hypochlorous acid (HOCl). Hypochlorous acid has received a lot of attention recently for being an inexpensive, available, toxic-free and practical antimicrobial that is useful in a broad range of applications. Some of these applications include veterinary care and eye products. Another use you might have read about is in wound healing products, so you might be wondering – Is hypochlorous acid safe to use on skin in skincare products? The short answer is: YES! Here’s what you need to know about the effects of hypochlorous acid on your skin in skincare products.
Top 5 Things You Need to Know About Using Hypochlorous Acid On Skin
1. It’s the same substance created by your own immune system.
Our bodies create hypochlorous acid to fight infection and promote healing. As our white blood cells respond to pathogens, our immune systems generate HOCl to kill microorganisms and neutralize toxins and inflammation. HOCl is used in veterinary medicine, ophthalmology, and wound care. How cool is that?
2. It’s used in dermatology.
Hypochlorous acid’s antimicrobial superpowers are being harnessed by dermatologists for fighting acne and skin infections. They are also using it to soothe and repair skin damaged by chronic skin conditions like
eczema, rosacea, and psoriasis.
3. It’s free from allergens and hypoallergenic.
Hypochlorous acid is made from incredibly simple ingredients, which are salt and water. To produce hypochlorous acid, an electrical current is applied to the salt and water solution in order to convert the chemical composition into hypochlorous acid. There are no skin allergens added like fragrances, dyes, or preservatives.
The Mayo Clinic designed their SkinSafe ratings to help consumers avoid common allergy-causing ingredients across all types of products, from personal care to laundry. Their “SkinSafe” designation is reserved for products that exclude the top most common allergens and those that are best for sensitive skin. We’re proud that Force of Nature earns their top rating in the household cleaning category.
Conventional cleaning products commonly contain harsh irritants, like bleach and ammonia, and ingredients that can trigger allergies and asthma, like fragrances.
And while handwashing with soap and water is always best, hypochlorous acid at the concentration used in our product, Force of Nature, is gentle enough to cleanse your hands in a pinch or on-the-go.
4. It’s used in skincare products for acne, redness, inflammation and more.
From toners to mists to post-workout face refreshers, you’ll see hypochlorous acid popping up in several types of skincare products. For example, hypochlorous acid gained popularity during the coronavirus pandemic for helping to reduce skin conditions that are exacerbated by mask-wearing. This type of acne (acne mechanica) is found when we have to wear equipment like athletes who wear helmets. To combat what’s been termed “maskne,” dermatologists use hypochlorous acid to help reduce bacteria that builds upon the skin as a result of trapped sweat and makeup “like a hand sanitizer for your face.”
5. Hypochlorous acid skincare products come in a huge range of prices.
There’s an extremely wide range of prices in hypochlorous acid based skincare products, and most of them are priced at a premium. You’ll see facial sprays, mists, and toners priced from $4 to $8 an ounce.
We’re All About Better-For-You Products
At Force of Nature, we’re dedicated to helping families and businesses find products that are better for them and the environment, whether it’s cosmetics, deodorant, or pet gear. Our goal is to arm you with the information you need to make more informed product choices, since in a lot of categories, manufacturers don’t have to be 100% transparent about the ingredients they use.
When it comes to household surface cleaning, we’ve created our powerful, effective all-in-one cleaner, deodorizer, sanitizer and disinfectant that has no harmful residues or fumes. Our sustainable, toxin-free cleaning system uses electricity to convert tap water, plus a small recycable capsule of salt, water and vinegar, into an all-in-one cleaner, sanitizer and disinfectant with hypochlorous acid as the antimicrobial. It’s the only carbon neutral certified, EPA registered sanitizer and disinfectant. It elimininates single-use plastic bottles and costs up to 80% less per oz than the leading brands like Windex, Lysol, Formula 409 and Clorox Clean-Up. At just 10 cents an ounce, it’s a super cost effective way to make hypochlorous acid right on your countertop. We’re proud to offer a product that is effective enough to not only clean and disinfect your home or workplace, but is also gentle enough to use without gloves or rinsing and around children, pets, and people with allergies. It kills 99.9% of viruses, bacteria, and germs and is an EPA-registered disinfectant included on the federal EPA’s List N, the disinfectants approved for use against SARS-CoV-2, the cause of Covid-19. Learn more about our little appliance that allows you to make hypochlorous acid on your countertop.
