HELP! Trying to formulate moisturizing Dog Shampoo Bar - Need help from a pro!!

[TeresaT]

Aye - it's not like animals are killed just for the fat and the meat is then thrown away

That's funny. I'm picturing just that in my mind. Big juicy steak in the garbage and big nasty blob of fat on the scale with my smiling face waiting for it to be bagged. The rendering pot awaits!!

I add tallow to all of my soap (and castor oil, too). I love the texture and hardness it gives to the soap. AND my skin has not looked or felt this good in a long time. I have an autoimmune disease called Sjogren's Syndrome and my body attacks all of the moisture producing glands. I have EXTREMELY dry eyes, mouth and skin. An alligator looks good compared to me! Since I've been making/using my own soap -- with tallow -- much of my skin problems have been alleviated. I will never go back to a commercial product and from now on, I will always use tallow for my skin.

 

[Susie]

If you think tallow makes good soap, try lard.

 

[TeresaT]

If you think tallow makes good soap, try lard.

I started with lard and switched to tallow. Not because I think it's so much better, but because I render it myself. If I can source raw pig fat, then I'll probably switch to lard. I like that whole rendering process. The beef fat I've got comes from a local farm that pasture raises their cows, no grain at all. They also raise pigs and sheep, but they didn't have any pig or sheep fat. I've still got about 8 lbs of beef fat in the freezer that I need to render. I'll start on that tomorrow. Once that's done, I'll call Sequatchie Groves to see if they have any fat and what kind. I don't know why, but I find the whole process soothing. I take this nasty lump of stinky fat and eventually turn it into something I wash my hands with. It's magical somehow.

 

[HappyHomeSoapCo]

http://spottedhipposoap.blogspot.com/2010/11/castor-canundrum-miracle-bean-or-toxic.html?m=1

So far, I've read this on the harmful effects of harvesting castor oil. What do you think? I'm going to read more. But I too, only want to use humanely harvested ingredients. Castor oil is crucial in a good bar of soap, as far as I've learned anyway. So I'd be at a loss if I chose to stop using it.

Are there any alternatives to castor? Anything similar?

 

[Susie]

Did you read all of that?



"The Facts:
I found no substantiated evidence that exposure to the plant's leaves causes permanent nerve damage, in fact Castor plants grow quite readily throughout the United States (predominantly in Florida, Texas and California). They are even used as ornamental plants in gardens.
However, prolonged contact with the plant's sap, flowers, seeds or leaves may result in a rash. If introduced to the eye, conjunctivitis may develop (you can read more here).
Also, like ragweed, the Castor plant (Ricinus communis) does produce a great deal of pollen, which can cause allergies. In severe cases, people may develop asthma.
Perhaps the most documented effects of Castor are seen in the factory workers where the oil is produced. Factory workers exposed to dust from the Castor seeds may develop allergies and suffer from asthma (you can read more here).
So how bad is all this?

Well, the same risks and ailments are common among
Coffee factory workers
Cocoa bean processors
Soybean factory workers
Confectionery plant workers
Spice processors
So, in my view, the negative effects associated with Castor processing are really more of an occupational hazard than a call to arms or reason to boycott. This site published a fairly comprehensive table outlining a variety of biological agents that have been linked to occupational asthma across a variety of occupations."

 

[reinbeau]

Since this thread is discussing a dog shampoo, shouldn't a new thread be started to discuss castor oil issues?

 

[HappyHomeSoapCo]

Yes, Susie, I read all that.

I do see the dangers involved. And I'm still contemplating the whole issue. But I think the writer makes a good point. An occupational hazard is still a hazard. But when we use so many things that are associated with a health hazard, are we to boycott it all together? Castor oil has many good benefits. If there were an easy alternative I'd jump ship in a heart beat. But I'm not sure if there is one?

Since this thread is discussing a dog shampoo, shouldn't a new thread be started to discuss castor oil issues?

Possibly. One of the OP concerns was castor oil. I haven't seen much info talked about this so I thought it'd be ok to elaborate. Considering the OP would like to avoid it.

 

[Dahila]

If you think tallow makes good soap, try lard.

Do like I do: Tallow and lard )

 

[Susie]

Yes, Susie, I read all that.

I do see the dangers involved. And I'm still contemplating the whole issue. But I think the writer makes a good point. An occupational hazard is still a hazard. But when we use so many things that are associated with a health hazard, are we to boycott it all together? Castor oil has many good benefits. If there were an easy alternative I'd jump ship in a heart beat. But I'm not sure if there is one?

If you did read all that, I think you missed the point of no substantiated evidence.

 

[HappyHomeSoapCo]

Susie, I'm hoping it's true. I want to do more research. Reading one blog that says there's no substantial evidence is great to read but I want to be sure. So many people claim the opposite.

 

[TeresaT]

Yes, Susie, I read all that.

I do see the dangers involved. And I'm still contemplating the whole issue. But I think the writer makes a good point. An occupational hazard is still a hazard. But when we use so many things that are associated with a health hazard, are we to boycott it all together? Castor oil has many good benefits. If there were an easy alternative I'd jump ship in a heart beat. But I'm not sure if there is one?

Have you heard of "popcorn lung?" Apparently, working in a microwave popcorn facility can cause lung problems for the workers. Stock market traders have a higher rate of heart attacks per capita than other businessmen. There are risks and hazards associated with all types of jobs (as stated in the article), including making soap. You can get lye burns and the fumes are pretty nasty, you don't want to suck them in.

Everyone has to decide for him/herself what to use or not to use and why. Personally, I think not using a product because the workers "might" end up with asthma or allergies or lung disease isn't a strong reason.

Deforestation, for me personally, is a major issue; I won't use Palm oils.

Known carcinogens are an issue, so I'm not going to use anything that science has proven will cause cancer in humans.

Potentially toxic "natural" substances are scary to me, so I'll stay away from wintergreen, pennyroyal and sage. Sure I'm smart enough to use them correctly; but, I'm also smart enough to know my ADHD wins most battles.

I'm not trying to be argumentative, but one of the reasons cited for potentially not using castor oil is worker safety. If people stop using castor oil, worker safety will no longer be an issue because there will no longer be jobs for those workers. I'm not exaggerating. Look at our history. How many American workers lost jobs because American companies shut down (and or moved operations) because they could not or would not comply with worker safety issues (as well as finding cheaper labor).

If I had a choice between a job that caused allergies to kick in or no job at all, I'd be taking steroids and harvesting castor. IDK. Maybe I'm the only one that thinks like that?

OK. I'll shut up now. Sorry. Had to get it off my chest.

 

[HappyHomeSoapCo]

Great points, Teresa! I completely agree!

 

[Charlie]

Avocado Oil

Please make sure you do your research. Avocado is toxic to dogs. So is tea tree oil in small dogs. If you have a sensitive skin dog NO ESSENTIAL OILS. And keep in mind oat is not good if a sensitive skin dog is susceptible to yeast infections. It promotes it.Basic is the best.

 

[reinbeau]

Avocado oil is NOT toxic for dogs, here's one link on the subject, there are more. There's more danger of choking on the pit. Tea tree oil, undiluted, is dangerous for dogs and cats, however, diluted it is still used as a skin treatment on dogs. Research is the key, not scare mongering.

From this link:
"The Key to Effective, Safe Tea Tree Oil Use

Research shows tea tree oil is safe for dogs and cats and effective only when it is diluted correctly – i.e., diluted in large amounts of water. The recommended ratio is 0.1-1.0 percent strength, to be dispensed topically. Oral application is not safe for your pet.
A few items are important to note:

• Using undiluted tea tree oil on animals is always a mistake. Unless diluted correctly, it’s not recommended for cats, and while it’s effective for dogs, never apply it to raw, open wounds.
• In the U.S., child-resistant packaging or safety warnings aren’t required for 100 percent tea tree oil as they are in Australia, where the bulk of the plant is grown.

The upshot is, use care any time you make decisions that will affect your beloved pets, just as you do whenever you feed or expose them to any kind of treatment. When it comes to treating your dog or cat, it’s important to be well informed about safe and effective natural treatments to avoid expensive trips to the vet, as well as exposure to potentially harmful medications and treatments."
​

 

[cmzaha]

Avocado oil is NOT toxic for dogs, here's one link on the subject, there are more. There's more danger of choking on the pit. Tea tree oil, undiluted, is dangerous for dogs and cats, however, diluted it is still used as a skin treatment on dogs. Research is the key, not scare mongering.

From this link:
"The Key to Effective, Safe Tea Tree Oil Use

Research shows tea tree oil is safe for dogs and cats and effective only when it is diluted correctly – i.e., diluted in large amounts of water. The recommended ratio is 0.1-1.0 percent strength, to be dispensed topically. Oral application is not safe for your pet.
A few items are important to note:

• Using undiluted tea tree oil on animals is always a mistake. Unless diluted correctly, it’s not recommended for cats, and while it’s effective for dogs, never apply it to raw, open wounds.
• In the U.S., child-resistant packaging or safety warnings aren’t required for 100 percent tea tree oil as they are in Australia, where the bulk of the plant is grown.

The upshot is, use care any time you make decisions that will affect your beloved pets, just as you do whenever you feed or expose them to any kind of treatment. When it comes to treating your dog or cat, it’s important to be well informed about safe and effective natural treatments to avoid expensive trips to the vet, as well as exposure to potentially harmful medications and treatments."
​

Doggies, racoons, deer, cats and on and on love Avocados and do not die from them. My cat that was abandoned by a neighbor lived on avocados before I took her in. Animals that eat fruit and veggies love avocados. Do your research and I use small amounts of tea tree oil in my doggie shampoo