Why We List Every Ingredient...

Reading the Label: Why We List Every Ingredient (And What They Actually Do)

Pop quiz: Can you pronounce everything in your dog's shampoo? Can you explain what it does? Do you know where it came from, how it was made, or whether it'll still be circulating through the watershed in 2087?

If you answered "no" to any of these questions, welcome to the club. The pet care industry has spent decades perfecting the art of ingredient obfuscation—hiding dubious chemicals behind scientific names, burying harmful additives in fine print, and hoping you're too busy preventing your dog from eating something inappropriate to read the back of the bottle.

We think you deserve better. More importantly, your dog deserves better. And arguably most importantly, the planet deserves better than another generation of "proprietary formulas" that are proprietary primarily because disclosing them would raise uncomfortable questions.

The Ingredient Transparency Problem

Here's how it typically works: You buy a dog shampoo. The front label features a happy dog, some green leaves (the universal symbol for "natural"), and words like "gentle," "nourishing," or "botanical." Then you flip it over and discover the ingredient list reads like a chemistry final you didn't study for.

Sodium laureth sulfate. Methylchloroisothiazolinone. Propylene glycol. DMDM hydantoin. Parfum (which isn't even a real ingredient—it's code for "we're not telling you").

The average consumer can't decode this. That's intentional. Complexity provides cover. If you can't understand what's in a product, you can't object to what's in a product. It's brilliant marketing, terrible ethics, and exactly what we refuse to do.

What's Actually In Your Dog's Shampoo (Traditionally)

Let's talk about what you've probably been washing your dog with:

Sulfates (SLS/SLES). Aggressive detergents derived from petroleum. They clean effectively because they strip everything—dirt, natural oils, moisture, and occasionally your will to live. They're harsh on skin, potentially irritating, and completely unnecessary for cleaning a dog that bathes maybe once a month.

Parabens. Preservatives that prevent bacterial growth in water-based products. They're endocrine disruptors, they accumulate in tissue, and they persist in the environment. But hey, they're cheap and effective, which apparently matters more than "not disrupting hormones."

Formaldehyde releasers. Yes, formaldehyde. The embalming fluid. Some preservatives slowly release it to prevent microbial growth. Your dog is not deceased. They shouldn't smell like a biology lab.

Synthetic dyes. Because apparently your dog cares whether their shampoo is ocean blue or sunset coral. (They don't. Dogs see limited colors. The dye is for you, and it's usually derived from petroleum or coal tar.)

Most of these ingredients exist for one reason: they're cheap, shelf-stable, and allow companies to mass-produce water-based products that sit in warehouses for months. They prioritize convenience over safety, profit over planet, and marketing over meaningful transparency.

Our Approach: Radical Honesty

We list every ingredient on our packaging. Not just the active ones. Not just the ones that sound good. Every. Single. One. And here's the radical part: we explain what they do and why they're there.

Coconut oil (Cocos nucifera). Moisturizes skin and coat. Antimicrobial and antifungal properties help maintain healthy skin. Produces a gentle lather when saponified. Sustainably sourced. Smells pleasant without added fragrance. Your dog may try to eat it. They'll be fine.

Palm oil (Elaeis guineensis). Creates a hard, long-lasting bar that won't dissolve into mush after one use. We source exclusively from RSPO-certified sustainable suppliers—no rainforest destruction, no habitat loss. It matters where it comes from, so we make sure it comes from the right places.

Safflower oil (Carthamus tinctorius). High in linoleic acid, which conditions and softens fur without greasiness. Lightweight and easily absorbed. Particularly good for dogs with dry or sensitive skin. Grows with minimal water requirements.

Purified water. Yes, we use some water in certain formulations. When we do, it's purified and serves a specific purpose—not just filler to make you think you're getting more product. We're honest about when water makes sense and when it doesn't.

Oat protein (Avena sativa). Soothes irritated skin and helps maintain the skin's natural moisture barrier. Colloidal oatmeal has been used for centuries to calm itching and inflammation. Science backs up what tradition already knew.

Shea butter (Butyrospermum parkii). Deeply moisturizing and rich in vitamins A and E. Sourced from women's cooperatives in West Africa through fair trade partnerships. Helps repair dry, damaged fur. Solid at room temperature, which is why our bars maintain their structure.

Plant-based surfactants (from coconut or sugar beets). These clean effectively without stripping natural oils. Biodegradable within days. Gentle enough for sensitive skin, effective enough for dogs who've discovered something dead.

Essential oils (when used). For light scent and additional properties. We list which ones specifically—lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), peppermint (Mentha piperita), etc. Used sparingly. Dogs have sensitive noses; we respect that.

That's it. That's the list. You could eat most of our ingredients. (Please don't, but you could.)

Why Natural and Sustainable Matters

"Natural" has become meaningless marketing speak, we'll admit. Arsenic is natural. Poison ivy is natural. Natural doesn't automatically mean good. But when we say natural, we mean:

Plant-based ingredients. Renewable resources that don't require petroleum extraction or intensive chemical processing. Coconuts grow back. Oil wells don't.

Minimal processing. Cold-pressed oils. Simple extractions. We're not running complex chemical reactions to create something nature already made.

Biodegradable. Everything we use breaks down safely in the environment. The microorganisms in your local water treatment plant can handle our ingredients. They struggle with synthetic polymers and chemical preservatives.

Vegan. No animal-derived ingredients. Not because we're judging your dietary choices, but because plant-based alternatives work just as well without the ethical complications or environmental impact of animal agriculture.

Often organic. When possible, we source organic ingredients. It costs more. It's worth it. Organic farming practices support soil health, reduce pesticide use, and promote biodiversity. These things matter.

The Sustainability Connection

Ingredient transparency isn't just about safety—it's about environmental responsibility. Every ingredient has a footprint. Petroleum-based chemicals require extraction, refinement, and processing that generate emissions. Synthetic preservatives persist in waterways, affecting aquatic ecosystems. Microplastics from synthetic polymers end up in the ocean, in fish, and eventually in us.

When we choose plant-based ingredients, we're choosing:

• Lower carbon emissions (plants sequester carbon; oil extraction releases it)
• Renewable resources (forests regrow; fossil fuels don't)
• Biodegradability (nature handles our waste; it can't handle PFAS)
• Sustainable agriculture (when sourced responsibly)

It's all connected. The ingredient list isn't separate from the environmental mission. It's central to it.

Why We're Telling You All This

Transparency isn't just a buzzword for us—it's a business model. We're betting that given complete information, most people will choose better products. Not everyone, not immediately, but enough to matter.

We could hide behind scientific names and vague terms like "cleansing complex." We could use cheaper synthetic ingredients and pocket the difference. We could jump on every marketing trend and slap "natural" on products that barely qualify.

Instead, we're listing ingredients, explaining choices, and trusting you to care. Because here's what we've learned: people do care. They care about their dogs' health. They care about what goes down the drain. They care about voting with their wallets for the kind of world they want to live in.

Your dog doesn't read ingredient lists. They don't understand supply chains, chemical processing, or environmental degradation. They understand that bath time means treats afterward, and that's sufficient for them.

But you understand. You can read the label, ask questions, make informed choices. You can demand better from companies and reject the ones that prioritize profit over transparency.

We print our ingredients proudly because we're proud of them. Every item on that list earned its place through efficacy, safety, and sustainability. Nothing's hidden. Nothing's questionable. Nothing will make you wonder whether you're slowly poisoning your dog or the planet.

That's not a high bar to clear. It's the bare minimum. We just wish more companies would clear it.

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Check the ingredients on our products. Really. We want you to. Then check what you're currently using. The difference might surprise you.