One of the reasons we expanded our skincare range to Health & Wellness was because we want to create more homegrown options for Kiwi families. And as we've all come to realise, hand health is pivotal to defending your body from unwanted bacteria and viruses. 

The simple truth is that pandemic or not, we should all be taking our hand health very seriously. Think how many times you naturally touch your face and if you look at the statistics for New Zealand, our flu season was barely a season last Winter. 

I was an Election Day worker last year and one of the worst parts of it was ensuring we were taking every possible precaution for public health. We saw hundreds of New Zealanders and almost every single one of them mentioned the smell of the hand sanitisers we were encouraging people to use. The smell of your products can stop people from using them as much as they should be. It was the only feedback I gave the Electoral Commission. Because as trivial as it sounds, that hand sanitiser smelt and felt awful, which is a big issue when you're wanting thousands of people to use it consistently.

That's why I was so pleasantly surprised when I first used the Bees Brilliance Manuka Hand Sanitiser and the Anti-bacterial Handwash. I shouldn't have been surprised because every one of our products smells amazing. When you're using a product many times a day a great smell is just so important! And you know that you're not only supporting a Cruelty-Free brand but one that is owned and makes everything in our factory in Brightwater, New Zealand. 

Here are my favourite tips for keeping myself and others healthier through prioritising regular hand health habits:

• I recommend keeping your sanitiser in the car so that every time you get back in you remember to use it
• I still sing 'Happy Birthday' out loud every time I wash my hands, find your 20-second song and enjoy it
• Dry your hands super well - if they're damp it can create an environment that new bacteria wants to hang out on
• Remember that we're doing these things to protect ourselves, our families and our whole community - it's not easy but we're fighting this together, as a team