Friday, February 3, 2012

Fruity Doggy Soap

As a request I took on the task of developing a doggy soap.  So, I researched and found a recipe I thought would do well, then tweaked it to my liking by adding different essential oils and infusing some teas.  This dog soap is basically a Castile soap.  The oils are made up of olive and coconut.  I used nettle and chamomile teas in the lye solution.  I discounted my water to 28% considering this is mainly an olive oil soap.  Nettle is very much known for treating hair and scalp conditions, its good for all hair types.  Chamomile is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and it also has antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-parasitic properties.  I used essential oils of eucalyptus, sweet orange, citronella, and lemongrass.  All of the essential oils add anti-fungal properties and the citronella and lemongrass add anti-parasitic properties.  It also has finely shredded orange peel in it.  This soap was hot processed, so it was already saponified when the essential oils were added thus keeping the benefits of the essential oils in the soap.  It is theorized that with cold-processed soap that essential oils don't survive because the saponification process kills not only their scent, but their therapeutic benefits.  I'm not licensed in Aromatherapy or am I a professional in Aromatherapy.  I've done massive amounts of research.  I have found mountainroseherbs to be very helpful with information regarding herbs and essential oils. Here is a picture and you will notice the pretty swirls the orange peel gave the soap and the pretty color the tea leaves gave.  :)

This will take at least 2 weeks to cure and harden up.  It smells wonderful!  I'm so excited for my best friend to try this soap on her dogs and be my critic!  I do hope that it helps with their itching and that "dog smell" that all dogs get.  It should be wonderful!

And as recommended, anytime a shampoo-type bar soap is used on hair, dog or human, please follow up with a apple cider vinegar rinse.  Soap is Alkaline between 8-10, so the apple cider vinegar will bring your hair back into normal pH.  Here is one I use:

Brewed Nettle tea strong.  I keep this in the refrigerator and use an old shampoo bottle.  I fill the shampoo bottle 3/4 of the way with the nettle tea, then add 3 TB of apple cider vinegar.  I use this as a rinse after shampooing and rinsing.  I leave the rinse in my hair, but sometimes I rinse it out, just depends on what I'm feeling at the moment! :)  The apple cider vinegar smell will leave once your hair is dried.

I think doggies and their parents will be very happy using this soap and making bath-time more enjoyable!

Happy Soaping! :)

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