Use gloves, even with water based products. Get several pairs if you are planning to layer colours on your project. Applicators will rinse free very well, but the dyes and pigments in water based products can stain your hands.

Here is a tip: when cleaning up your work area after using WATER BASED products, just grab all the wet application cloths in your gloved hand and peel the glove off your hand over the cloths for quick disposal. Never do this when using oil based products. All oil based application materials must be carefully disposed of.