Advanced Refreshing Gel Hand Sanitizer vs Hand Wash Natural Seventh Generation: which is safer?
Hand Wash Natural Seventh Generation is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Purell
Advanced Refreshing Gel Hand Sanitizer
PFAS grade
Excellent 75/100
Overall grade
Good 61/100
Verdict
Buy
Hazard flags
⚑ 2
Material
aqueous gel (alcohol, water, carbomer, glycerin, fragrance)
Confidence
78%
PossibleFragrance allergens
ReportedSkin irritation from alcohol
Our pick
Seventh Generation
Hand Wash Natural Seventh Generation
PFAS grade
Excellent 100/100
Overall grade
Excellent 92/100
Verdict
Buy
Hazard flags
⚑ 2
Material
water-based surfactants, plant-derived ingredients
Confidence
82%
PossibleFragrance allergens
PossibleHeavy metal contamination in botanical extracts
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Skin irritation from alcohol on the Purell and not on the Seventh Generation.
- We flag Heavy metal contamination in botanical extracts on the Seventh Generation and not on the Purell.
- Both carry a flag for Fragrance allergens, so neither choice avoids it.
- The Purell is aqueous gel (alcohol, water, carbomer, glycerin, fragrance) where the Seventh Generation is water-based surfactants, plant-derived ingredients, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- The gap is 25 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Seventh Generation is the one to buy.
Both products run through the same public rubric: materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →
More hand sanitizer: see the full ranking