“Hand sanitiser was like squeezing ketchup,” Andrea Lisbona tells me. With her brand Touchland, that couldn’t be further from the experience. A lightweight spritz, a delightful aroma and a status symbol with its well-duped design, Touchland transformed the category – and did so ahead of its time.
Founded in 2018, Lisbona could never have predicted that, just two years later, hand sanitiser would become one of the most important items in our wash bags. “I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of taking products that are often overlooked and reimagining them through the lens of design, emotion and experience,” she explains. “At Touchland, we’ve built our brand around elevating everyday essentials and transforming them into objects people love to carry, use, and display. Our mission is to reinvent self-care on the go, creating products that accompany people throughout their day and turn even the smallest moments into something more joyful, expressive, and memorable.”
Yet during the pandemic, the brand found itself without stock. When the world demanded more hand sanitiser than ever before, the chicest sanitiser on the market had a waiting list in the tens of thousands. In 2021, Lisbona tells me, 25,000 people were waiting for a restock.
The brand has more than made up for lost time. It has expanded from the US into Canada to the Middle East and now, much to the delight of those in the know who stock up on the distinctive rectangular bottles by the suitcase load when travelling internationally, Touchland has arrived in the UK at Space NK.
Its cult status has as much to do with its design as it does with the celebrity following that it has amassed. Kate Hudson and Zooey Deschanel have posted about the brand organically on social media, while Lewis Hamilton has been spotted in the F1 paddock on race weekends spritzing the instantly recognisable sanitiser. Kim Kardashian is also said to be a frequent purchaser.
That recognisability is no accident. Lisbona had the foresight to approach Touchland with the Apple model in mind: create a product so distinctive that you know what it is the moment you see it. “From the beginning, we wanted Touchland to be more than a product; we wanted it to be a status symbol and a conversation starter. Every design decision was intentional. We drew inspiration from principles like the golden ratio to create a silhouette that feels balanced, ergonomic, and instantly recognisable. The result is a design that is modern, tactile, and seamlessly fits into life on the go, whether it’s slipping into a pocket, a handbag, or sitting beautifully on display.”
Credit card-sized, with a satisfying spritz worthy of its own ASMR video, the design is as functional as it is aesthetic. The latter is even more so with its collaborations – teaming up with Crocs for a Jibbitz-adorned case or Hello Kitty with a designated aroma. Lisbona wanted to ensure the product wouldn’t accidentally spray itself or spill inside your bag. It also won’t dry out your hands, and there’s none of the heavy alcohol scent traditionally associated with sanitiser.
In fact, fragrance has become one of Touchland’s defining features. The brand partners with Swiss flavour and fragrance manufacturer Givaudan to develop scent combinations that wouldn’t feel out of place in a perfume wardrobe. More recently, it has expanded beyond hand sanitiser into hair and body mists. “Fragrance is one of the most powerful ways to transform an everyday experience, so it has always been central to the Touchland DNA,” Lisbona reveals. “We partner with Givaudan, one of the world’s leading fragrance houses, to develop a proprietary olfactive signature that is uniquely Touchland.”
The scents have proven popular not only for playful, candy-like aromas like Wild Watermelon and Berry Bliss, but also, with the hair and body mists, Touchland is tapping into one of fragrance’s buzziest trends: customisation. The notes are calling out to be layered. “We create scents designed to uplift the everyday, spark nostalgia, and bring moments of joy throughout the day,” Lisbona continues. “Our fragrances are intentionally refreshing and approachable rather than overpowering. Even people who typically shy away from fragrance often discover a Touchland scent they love. We like to think of them as transportive, capable of turning a simple act of self-care into a sensory escape.”
Try Peach Lychee with Vanilla Velvet – you will not be disappointed.
