Brandy, our 10 year-old rescued dog who came with skin problems.

A humble bar of Handmade Soap- 100% natural ingredients and Chemical-free.

Why would one revert to the use of washing with an old-fashioned bar of soap  for pets (and ourselves for that matter) when we now have the readily available fuss-free solution typically found in a bottle in liquid form called the shampoo? It often comes in a pumped dispenser too for our convenience.

Like many of you, I have been guilty of indulging in liquid soap formula attractively packaged in novelty bottles of different shapes and sizes for my personal hygiene in the name of convenience. Then there are all this oh-so-intelligent marketing ads to promote the  enhanced benefits and performance the products are to deliver (be it super silky hair, faster hair growth , increased skin softness and elasticity etc.) through its advanced scientific technological research and development.

Well, only that my sensitive skin started acting up with itchy eczema flaring up and I was left with little choice but to find an alternative solution. I started taking a further interest in what goes into my liquid soaps and shampoos as I diligently did when finding a similar solution for my rescued dog, Brandy’s problematic skin .

Prior to my own skin allergies, The Mans Best Friend Medicated Dog Soap has already soothed and healed my Brandy’s skin once we switched from the supposedly natural oatmeal pet shampoo. So in a bid to heal myself, I started  comparing the old bottles human and pet shampoos and liquid soaps found within our household  and noticed a common theme in the key ingredients found in these “modern” body care products.

• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)

SLS, an ester of Sulphuric acid  provides the illusion that we are getting maximum cleanliness from the foamy lather it creates when mixed with water. Sulfate is a harsh detergent that causes dryness, flakiness and coarseness to the outer layer of skin. It is extremely damaging to sensitive skin, resulting in the reduction of barrier functions to normal healthy skin.

• Ethyoxylates

Ethyoxylates are non-ionic surfactants  which can increase the spreading of toxic environmental contaminants which are harmful to the eco-system, humans, animals and other living micro-organisms.

• Parabens

Parabens, which are esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid are often used in cheap production of shampoos and soaps as it acts a good preservative, thereby reducing the need to use other natural and quality ingredients.

On top of the nasty ingredients that can be found in many shampoos and cheap, synthetic soaps, much energy and resources have been used in the production of these fanciful, often non-biodegradable packaging and bottles used to contain shampoos and liquid soaps. That just means further depletion of natural resources, pollution of our seas and the surmounting landfills found in our excessive, consumerist global culture.

Perhaps it is time to pause and take a minute to look what actually goes into the production of the soaps and shampoos that we use, even if it says “natural”. Is it really? Just look at the ingredient fine print.

So it is back to basics and what Nature has to offer. The humble bar of soap has much to offer- less nasty ingredients, less packaging and a much more smaller carbon footprint in its production.

The Mans Best Friend Medicated Soap is 100% natural and chemical-free made only with the finest ingredients from natural oils and essential oils. It is eco-friendly and just as importantly, very economical. Because you would need to use your hands to rub the lather into your pet’s fur when you use a soap bar as opposed to using shampoo, your beloved pet gets a nice massage too. Brandy sure loves her warm nice massage from our regular pet groomer that comes round every fortnight.A simple bar of soap goes a long way.

So with the Man’s Best Friend Medicated Soap in mind, I became a natural soap convert for myself and I am enjoying the homely joys that comes with it. Now my own eczema is healing and on the road to recovery.

Hmm, now who says we can’t learn a thing or two from dogs?:D