I don’t generally do product reviews as I really believe that you need to try something thoroughly before you endorse it. However, when I was contacted by Janiro enquiring if I was interested in trying their Barrier Bar aimed at those of us whose hands suffer from too much work I jumped at the chance.
I get terribly dry hands when I am gardening, especially if I am potting plants up. I think it has something to do with the compost. I have tried all sorts of soaps aimed at gardeners but they never quite deliver. It’s not only the dryness its the ingrained dirt that I struggle with which is a nightmare when you spend your evenings embroidering – not an ideal combination! I have tried gardening in gloves but it just doesn’t work for me as I enjoy the feel of working with the soil just not the state of my hands afterwards. I often wonder how the professional gardeners/horticulturists cope.
Anyway back to the product – the Barrier Bar is part of the Sheila’s Natural Products range. You apply it to your hands, without water, before you go gardening creating a barrier – clue is in the name! The barrier dries in seconds with no stickiness and you are completely unaware of it. After you have finished gardening you simply wash your hands and hey presto no dryness and no ingrained dirt; well apart from under the nails.
In addition the Barrier Bar is made completely from natural ingredients and handmade. The literature that came with my sample bar says that you can use the barrier on your feet, elbows and knees if you suffer with rough skin and that it can help protect age affected wafer thin skin. The Barrier Bar is available via Janiro and does seem pricey for the size you get – £21.00 for 30g – which I expect reflects that the product is hand-made. It also comes in a tin as opposed to my sample above. I have used my sample several times now and the bar seems to be almost the same size so I am guessing that a bar would last for some time.
Mine is now by the back door ready for my next foray into the garden.
