Four Common Grooming Shampoo Ingredients and What They're Used For

 
At PetEdge, we have almost 250 different pet shampoos for groomers to choose from.

This includes the exclusive brand shampoos that we make ourselves (Top Performance, ikaria, Pet Effects and Paw Earth) as well as popular national brand shampoos from companies like Bio-Groom, Tropiclean, Eqyss, Espree, Lambert Kay and lots more.

Having a big selection of shampoos is important because it helps us meet the needs of a lot of different groomers. Every groomer has their favorite formulas, and we do our best to carry them all.

But if you're a first time groomer, or if you're looking for a new shampoo to treat a specific problem, all those choices can sometimes be overwhelming.

So here's a helpful guide to some of the ingredients you might find in our most popular grooming shampoos.

 
 
Botanicals:

Botanicals are essential oils that are distilled from the leaves, roots, stems and flowers of plants. Botanicals that are commonly used in shampoos include lemongrass, cinnamon, cedarwood, sweet lavender, rosemary, ylang ylang and eucalyptus, though it's possible to get an extract from almost any plant.

Many botanical extracts have natural properties that are beneficial to pets.

Cedar, lemongrass, and peppermint botanicals have natural insecticides that can help to rid pets of fleas and ticks.

Ginger, aloe vera and chamomile extracts have healing properties that help to soothe irritated skin.

Ylang ylang and juniper extracts have natural antibacterial properties and are good for eliminating odor-causing bacteria. Our ikaria Renew shampoo, shown above, has ylang ylang and juniper extracts to reduce odor, dander and skin irritation. 

Tea Tree Oil: 

Tea tree oil is a natural essential oil extracted from the leaves of the Melaleuca alternifolia tree in 
Australia.

Tea tree oil has natural antibacterial and antifungal properties. When used in diluted form, it is a great choice for soothing sensitive, irritated skin and for healing hot spots. 

The groomers on the PetEdge product support team call our Top Performance Australian Shampoo one of our "oldies but goodies." This gentle shampoo has tea tree oil to stop irritations and infections, and aloe vera to soothe skin as it heals.

 
                                            D-Limonene:

D-limonene is the chemical compound that gives citrus fruits like oranges and lemons their distinctive smell. 

It is a natural insecticide that works great for treating pets with fleabite dermatitis.

Our Top Performance Citrilux Shampoo is made with d-limonene along with soothing eucalyptus and aloe vera. While it is not officially labeled or designated as a flea and tick shampoo, groomers have been using it to combat flea and tick problems for years.

Our staff groomers say that it also makes an excellent degreasing shampoo. "Try it on greasy cocker ears!"

Oatmeal:

There is some disagreement among groomers regarding when and how often to use an oatmeal shampoo on dogs. Dandruff and flaky skin, if not treated quickly, can turn a normal change of season from summer to winter, into a real problem. One of the best is earthbath® oatmeal and aloe shampoos. It's PH-balanced and soap free. Using an oatmeal shampoo can exfoliate the dogs skin and eliminate the scratching and itch. However, if the dog has problem skin it is better to use a degreaser shampoo which can be less abrasive.

What types of shampoos do you use in your salon? Leave a comment below or on our Facebook page.

 About the Author:

PetEdge is a leading distributor of wholesale pet products and discount dog grooming supplies. Shop our catalog and online at PetEdge.com for over 20,000 products at the guaranteed lowest prices. Plus, be sure to check out our free shipping offer on qualified orders of $150 or more.