UPDATE (11/18/13) – it’s just come to my attention that while Pet Head doesn’t test on animals, it’s unclear whether they have vetted their ingredient suppliers to be sure they do not test. So for now, Pet Head is in the unsure category. 🙁
Mr. Riley Mathews (AKA Jen’s 4-legged, canine son) asked me to write this review of his favorite Pet Head products. The following is paraphrased from the many conversations we have had regarding cruelty free pet products.
First of all, don’t assume that pet products and even pet FOODS are cruelty free. I think it’s fair to say that most people don’t think about animal testing when they buy pet products. One would assume that animal lovers create products for other animal lovers and would never harm a fly, but that is of course, not the case.
In 2007, Pet Head was created by Kyara Mascolo the original creator of Bed Head hair care products. Pet Head products are made with human grade ingredients, so you can actually use them yourself if you want! Pet Head formulas are cruelty free, pH adjusted and free of parabens, petroleum derivatives, propylene glycol, sulfate and DEA.
The Oatmeal Natural Shampoo smells like caramel to me – very sweet and delicious! It’s made with a blend of oatmeal, aloe vera and vitamins E & C to heal and protect sensitive skin. Jojoba oil and oatmeal work together to moisturize the skin and soften the coat. Although Riley is not a fan of bath time, he even admits that this shampoo smells good and keeps his fur nice and soft. My favorite thing about this product is actually the bottle itself. The bone-shaped top comes off and underneath is a built-in applicator, so you can squeeze the shampoo onto your squirmy dog without getting it everywhere. If the bottle gets knocked in the tub, you won’t lose any product. Genius!
The Doggie Fragrance also smells amazing! Like strawberry lemonade to be exact. It covers up the wet dog smell instantly, so your little guy or gal can get back to snuggling with you.
The Oatmeal Paw Butter is great for rough, cracked or chapped doggie paw pads. Riley stays in the house a lot, and we live in Los Angeles (no snow to deal with here), so he doesn’t need this very often. But after a long walk on the sidewalk concrete (which sometimes involves Riley dragging mommy around), it can come in really handy. It’s made with: shea butter, oatmeal, mango, vitamins E and F, jojoba, coconut oil, olive oil & aloe vera. Just gently massage into paws, and go play. You can use this on yourself as a great nail conditioner too!
Okay, so Riley is a boy dog, but when I heard about this canine-safe dog nail polish that dries in 10 seconds, I had to try it. I painted the nails on one of his paws purple (to my boyfriend’s horror) and it did dry super fast. Riley didn’t mind at all, but we did get some weird questions at the groomer a week later… (did you put purple nail polish on just one of his paws?). It’s safe for humans & dogs—free of toulene and formaldehyde. This is clearly not a product for everyone (or every dog) but it’s kinda cool that it exists should the need arise (dog show? dog birthday? dog wedding? I don’t know…). If you do put it on your dog, let it wear off naturally (I could be wrong, but nail polish remover and dogs don’t seem like a good mix).
Have you tried Pet Head products? Which ones are your favorites?
The nail “pawlish” sounds perfect.
So Bed Head is still cruelty free??
Doggies can be cute and vain like their owner. Good that there are beauty products that pets will love.
Yes – we only write about products that are cruelty free on My Beauty Bunny.
I have tried Pet Head products and found them really good however there is two ranges that I am currently looking into one is made in the US called Dogtails and the other in the UK which has just been launched called Wild Wash. Both have got really good reviews.
It’s nice to hear that pet products are being made cruelty free.There are not that many companies that are able to say that their products are cruelty free. I have heard of Wild Wash and want to give it a go. They have a website on the way.
Mr. Riley Mathews looks adorable in his dog clothes (polo dog shirt). We use pet-head for our dog, a small Maltese, that we adopted a few years ago. I make and sell dog clothes and pet apparel at http://www.whirlydogsupplies.com – Whirly Dog Supplies and have been debating on selling their products. Unfortunately, their discount for wholesale is very small. However, I believe in Pet Head products because of the quality and ingredients. We love our dogs and pets, we want to give them the very best and I truly believe Pet Head is one of the best!
Cruelty free products, always good and with fragrances as well. Sounds great
really good recommendations, thanks and i’ll try some for my dog .many thanks again
Cruelty free is great! We have a 7 month old Saint Bernard puppy and she certainly smells “doggy,” especially after a bath! I might try that strawberry lemonade spray. She’s such a cuddly one-it would be nice to welcome her into my arms, even when she’s damp.
I love beauty products to my doggies. It’s cute you know I do really love taking care of my dogs. Sound great this Cruelty free products. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this product! Specifically, I use the strawberry Yogurt leave-in conditioner. It smells like HEAVEN, and my cats do not seem to disagree. It’s a bit pricey, but it’s worth the up-charge to buy cruelty free, imo. I, in fact, LOVE the smell of this so much, I have been known to sneak it in the ends of my own hair after a shower. It detangles really well, and you don’t even need perfume. You smell like slight strawberry/bubblegum/yummy heaven all day. Love this product! Thanks for reviewing it and spreading the word about cruelty-free! (Vegetarian for ten years now, and I also have three rescues.) Cheers, all! Happy bath time!
Amanda.
Enjoy 20% off Dogtails with promo code DOGTAILSFRIENDS
Thanks for sharing these great cruelty free pet products. There is nothing worse than a product that has been tested on animals :(.