The Skinny on Skin Care

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Historically, sales of specific skin care products varied by geography, climate and season although daily hygiene issues need to be addressed year-round.

However, pets experience itchy, dry skin during allergy seasons, as a result of spending time in circulated air conditioning and heat, food sensitivities and for many other reasons. Because of that, demand for skin care products has increased year-round and consumer demand has shifted to emphasize natural, safe, gentle ingredients that provide cleanliness without stripping the skin or coat.

Espree’s Lisa Jordan said they just launched a new line of wipes that contain an organic aloe vera solution that cleans and moisturizes. The wipes are simple to use and disposable.

“Our mild and pH-balanced formula is infused with organically grown aloe vera to soothe and moisturize. It’s perfect for quick cleaning, removes odor, food, drool, dirt, debris, dander and potty mishaps,” she said.

The wipes are hypo-allergenic without added colors or fragrance, are alcohol free and safe to use with topical flea medication. The line includes Oatmeal Baking Soda Wipes, Tea Tree and Aloe Wipes, and specific formulations like those for puppies and kittens too.

“A lot of it depends on the season, application and function,” said Brian Collier, advertising manager at TropiClean, regarding the success of the company’s bestsellers. “For example, this time of year, our OxyMed line of natural medicated shampoos and our Medicated Treatment is very popular. With pets spending more time indoors during the cooler months, their skin can dry out just like ours can and cause itching and irritation. OxyMed helps sooth and repair the skin which makes it very popular this time of year. Some of our fan favorites will always be our Papaya Luxury 2 n’ 1, Oatmeal Medicated, and Hypo-Allergenic. All of our shampoos are soap free, all natural and use a mild coconut cleanser base.”

“We are very excited about an entirely new product line that we plan to launch at the 2015 Global Pet Expo,” said Collier. He was unable to share the details about the product at this time so retailers will need to wait until Global to learn more.

Demand for natural, gentle ingredients has been increasing steadily over the past few years, and 2015 launches seem to be continuing that trend.

“For the New Year we will be adding custom Hygienic Pet Wipes – Eye & Ear and Body & Paw and a Hygienic Detangler Conditioning Spray to our pet hygiene line,” said Casey McGuirt at AdVet Inc. “These new products, like our current products, will be made with natural ingredients, manufactured in the USA, and free of toxins, parabens and other harmful ingredients.”

“Our TropiClean shampoos are soap-free and use a mild coconut cleanser base,” said Collier. “What does that mean? By not using any harsh chemicals and keeping our shampoos soap free, our products clean effectively with a great lather but don’t wash away spot-on treatments like flea and tick medications. Our shampoos are also gentle on the skin so that you can effectively clean your pet while restoring the skin and coat with vital nutrients and vitamins. We also have a solution-based line so that you can find the product specifically fit to your pet’s needs, whether you need a medicated shampoo to help with itching or a deodorizing cleaning to help with those smelly pets of ours. Our goal is to provide solutions to fit your family’s needs.”

Moving forward, skin care for pets is becoming as technologically advanced as human skin care with an emphasis on safety. For example, just like people, pets are susceptible to skin cancer. In addition to limiting sun exposure, specialty products like the sunscreens produced by Epi-Pet can protect dogs’ skin from over-exposure to harmful rays.

“We are focusing on innovative ways to use natural ingredients and botanical extracts that promote healing and skin rejuvenation,” said McGuirt about the coming year.

According to her, their ingredients are selected for hygiene and health, and new ingredients will rise in popularity to achieve those aims.

“One ingredient that should be trending is arnica extract,” said McGuirt. “Arnica, which can be found in our waterless shampoo spray, is a homeopathic remedy that promotes healing, is an anti-inflammatory, and a pain reliever. It is useful for anything from muscle aches and strains to arthritis symptoms to rashes and bug bites. Our products absolutely give your pet a deep clean and a fresh scent but the added health benefit of our ingredients really is what sets them apart from the rest.”

The over-arching theme shared by each of these manufacturers is that pet owners are utilizing skin care products to take an active role in their pets’ overall wellness.

“Consumers are making choices based on health and using daily maintenance as a preventative tool,” said McGuirt. “Hopefully, this trend in taking an active role in your pet’s health will continue. After all a hygienic pet is a healthy pet.”