Three of our Best Furry Friends think you might…
Pilgrim was a German Shepherd mix I rescued several years ago. (He literally ran into a friend’s arms the day before Thanksgiving, hence the name. When I told my Mom I was bringing someone home with me for dinner, Pilgrim is not what she had in mind.)
Let’s just say that, whenever Pils needed a bath – which was often – I knew to expect a bath for me and the bathroom floor simultaneously. And as someone who paid (and pays) a great deal of attention to what I’m putting in and on my body, this was especially of concern when my at-home grooming station opened for business and I was staring at lists of shampoo ingredients that weren’t easily decipherable.
So I ended up using my own shampoos on him more often than not. I suppose it did the trick, but I longed to find a pure, natural DOG shampoo that would break down that stubborn locked-in-his-paw dirt, brighten his coat, and give him a more pleasing day-to-day scent.
Well, wishes do come true. Free People, in continued partnership with non-profit Best Friends Animal Society, just formulated a shampoo which is precisely what I dreamed of – clean, lather-ful, and cruelty-free.
Let’s just say that, whenever Pils needed a bath – which was often – I knew to expect a bath for me and the bathroom floor simultaneously. And as someone who paid (and pays) a great deal of attention to what I’m putting in and on my body, this was especially of concern when my at-home grooming station opened for business and I was staring at lists of shampoo ingredients that weren’t easily decipherable.
So I ended up using my own shampoos on him more often than not. I suppose it did the trick, but I longed to find a pure, natural DOG shampoo that would break down that stubborn locked-in-his-paw dirt, brighten his coat, and give him a more pleasing day-to-day scent.
Well, wishes do come true. Free People, in continued partnership with non-profit Best Friends Animal Society, just formulated a shampoo which is precisely what I dreamed of – clean, lather-ful, and cruelty-free.
About those ingredients:
It is SO clean that, if you desire, you can get in on the goodness yourself. Or at least not wince when your dog inadvertently gives YOU a bath.
Here are 3 of our fave FP pups (well, their owners translated) about their recent Best Friends baths:
MORGAN/OTTO
The Bath Prep: Otto is a big fan of baths. Typically when I turn off the water after my shower I hear Otto scratching on the other side of the bathroom door waiting to see if it's his turn. We don’t have a bathtub so if I let him in he makes his way straight into the walk-in shower.
The Scent: Smells very fresh and clean.
The Lather: I was actually surprised by how well this lathers. Other natural shampoos we’ve tried don’t make nearly as many bubbles.
The Clean Factor (do you appreciate all-natural products? notice that it may minimize post-bath itch? do you like sustainable packaging): We live in the city and Otto has seasonal allergies so he’s always getting a bath to keep him nice and clean. We love natural products in this household so we were super excited to give this a try -- after using this shampoo t I’ve noticed his coat is silky smooth and it seems very gentle on his skin. My neighbor even commented on how soft he felt!
The Takeaway: I would definitely use this soap going forward! Otto seems like a big fan of it too!
Would You Use This Yourself? I’d give it a try!
JOSIE/MR BUTTS & LILY
The Bath Prep: I prep by making sure I have a plastic scooping cup and their puppy towel ready in the bathroom before I grab them for their bath. They both tolerate baths.... they're sports about them, lol. I think they love the feeling after so they're on their best behavior.
The Scent: Fresh aloe!
The Lather: Soooo good! I applied 3 pumps to Mr Butts and 2 for Lily -- the lather happened quick and got super soapy and smooth to apply.
The Clean Factor: The pups are sensitive to soaps, so I really appreciate natural products. I've actually noticed since the bath they've been far less reactive to skin irritation and seem super content overall.
The Takeaway: The amount of dirt in the bath was shocking! I wash them roughly every couple of weeks, so I wasn't expecting much of a difference with this bath. They were SO CLEAN. I'm definitely going to continue using this product.
Would You Use This Yourself? Lol, no - I have my own needs that extend beyond this product! Respectfully.
ALEX/SIMON & HAMILTON
The Bath Prep: Simon and Hamilton recognize the word “bath” and immediately retreat to their dog bed when they hear it. From there, we remove their collars and scoop them up into the tub! They don’t dislike baths, but they don’t love them either.
The Scent: The scent was very mild and clean!
The Lather: The dogs had fun with the bubbles. The lather was light and airy, more than other natural products we’ve used.
The Clean Factor: Our pups do not have an issue with dry skin or itching, so cannot speak to that, but we love that this is a natural product that is gentle on their skin and coat.
The Takeaway: This is a nice product when your furbaby needs a quick and easy bath, or a quick freshen up!
Would You Use This Yourself? In a pinch, for sure!
Also of note: these shampoos have been donated to all of Best Friends Animal Society’s life-saving centers and helps to support Free People’s annual donation to Best Friends.
- Aloe Leaf Juice & Chamomile Oil – soothes and softens
- Oatmeal Extract – calms and reduces itchiness
- Olive Fruit Oil & Shea Butter – conditions
- Plant-based cleansing agents
It is SO clean that, if you desire, you can get in on the goodness yourself. Or at least not wince when your dog inadvertently gives YOU a bath.
Here are 3 of our fave FP pups (well, their owners translated) about their recent Best Friends baths:
MORGAN/OTTO
The Bath Prep: Otto is a big fan of baths. Typically when I turn off the water after my shower I hear Otto scratching on the other side of the bathroom door waiting to see if it's his turn. We don’t have a bathtub so if I let him in he makes his way straight into the walk-in shower.
The Scent: Smells very fresh and clean.
The Lather: I was actually surprised by how well this lathers. Other natural shampoos we’ve tried don’t make nearly as many bubbles.
The Clean Factor (do you appreciate all-natural products? notice that it may minimize post-bath itch? do you like sustainable packaging): We live in the city and Otto has seasonal allergies so he’s always getting a bath to keep him nice and clean. We love natural products in this household so we were super excited to give this a try -- after using this shampoo t I’ve noticed his coat is silky smooth and it seems very gentle on his skin. My neighbor even commented on how soft he felt!
The Takeaway: I would definitely use this soap going forward! Otto seems like a big fan of it too!
Would You Use This Yourself? I’d give it a try!
JOSIE/MR BUTTS & LILY
The Bath Prep: I prep by making sure I have a plastic scooping cup and their puppy towel ready in the bathroom before I grab them for their bath. They both tolerate baths.... they're sports about them, lol. I think they love the feeling after so they're on their best behavior.
The Scent: Fresh aloe!
The Lather: Soooo good! I applied 3 pumps to Mr Butts and 2 for Lily -- the lather happened quick and got super soapy and smooth to apply.
The Clean Factor: The pups are sensitive to soaps, so I really appreciate natural products. I've actually noticed since the bath they've been far less reactive to skin irritation and seem super content overall.
The Takeaway: The amount of dirt in the bath was shocking! I wash them roughly every couple of weeks, so I wasn't expecting much of a difference with this bath. They were SO CLEAN. I'm definitely going to continue using this product.
Would You Use This Yourself? Lol, no - I have my own needs that extend beyond this product! Respectfully.
ALEX/SIMON & HAMILTON
The Bath Prep: Simon and Hamilton recognize the word “bath” and immediately retreat to their dog bed when they hear it. From there, we remove their collars and scoop them up into the tub! They don’t dislike baths, but they don’t love them either.
The Scent: The scent was very mild and clean!
The Lather: The dogs had fun with the bubbles. The lather was light and airy, more than other natural products we’ve used.
The Clean Factor: Our pups do not have an issue with dry skin or itching, so cannot speak to that, but we love that this is a natural product that is gentle on their skin and coat.
The Takeaway: This is a nice product when your furbaby needs a quick and easy bath, or a quick freshen up!
Would You Use This Yourself? In a pinch, for sure!
Also of note: these shampoos have been donated to all of Best Friends Animal Society’s life-saving centers and helps to support Free People’s annual donation to Best Friends.