I'm no stranger to splurging on my pup [1]. Beau has a winter wardrobe that would rival some humans' and a seemingly bottomless toy box that's always overflowing, no matter how often I purge old plush and rubber options [2]. But when it comes to his grooming habits, we keep things pretty simple. My Boston terrier has short hair that rarely sheds, and he doesn't even play with other pups much these days (as there's no need for doggie daycare or boarding while just at home).
Of course, he does still need the occasional bath, and I knew we needed to try the Ouai Fur Bébé Pet Shampoo [3] as soon as I heard of it . . . because who doesn't love pet products from brands we already love [4]?! Since Beau can't speak for himself, I'll translate to review this new product for the both of us ahead.
What's Inside Ouai Fur Bébe Pet Shampoo
Ouai first released a pet shampoo as a limited-edition product back in 2018, but in honor of National Puppy Day (March 23), it's been brought back for good and rebranded Ouai Fur Bébé [6]. Of course, the same as beauty products for myself [7], it's important that anything I put on — or in [8] — Beau is totally safe and ideally good for him, too. Before I tried out this pet shampoo, I confirmed that there are no sulfates, parabens, phthalates, or other harmful ingredients. Sold.
Its active ingredients do include familiar items like aloe vera for conditioning, an antioxidant (rambutan seed extract) to protect against pollution, and hydrolyzed vegetable protein to boost hair's elasticity and limit breakage. Of course, all three things also promote well-hydrated skin, so no flakes or itchiness on my pooch, either.
Beau's take: He is currently suspicious about our proximity to the tub, but the treats are free flowing, so he's focused on the camera and the chicken in my hand instead.
How Ouai Fur Bébé Pet Shampoo Works
The instructions recommend brushing a dog first, so I gave Beau's coat a few passes with a deshedding tool [9] before popping him in the tub. The other huge appeal of this product (alongside good ingredients) is that it features the same fresh floral Mercer Street scent [10] as Ouai's classic fragrance and human hair-care products [11]. While I did have to put my nose up to the bottle to get a whiff (since it's not overpowering), without a doubt, this is the best-smelling dog shampoo I've ever sniffed in my entire life.
Now that I was even more convinced, I massaged this formula into his coat. Thankfully, there wasn't an excess of lather, as I don't have a handheld shower attachment. It rinsed out easily with no excess residue left on his coat or detectable stripping of his skin.
Beau's take: Since it doesn't smell like meat or peanut butter, he didn't seem to care when I let him sniff the top. Other than shivering a bit when I stopped to take pictures, Beau was otherwise unbothered by me dumping and splashing mugs full of water all over his body (as he doesn't easily maneuver to fit under the running tap).
Final Impressions After Using Ouai Fur Bébé Pet Shampoo
Now, I'm not saying my dog needs to smell like jasmine, peony, and white musk (with a hint of citrus), but I'm not not saying it either, especially now that he does. While I couldn't really notice this fragrance [12] while I was shampooing him, when I pull him in for snuggles, I can still smell Ouai Fur Bébé [13] ($32) lightly on his fur, three days after his bath. (He also feels softer than ever before, and his coat is super shiny, too.)
Sure, he may not look thrilled wrapped in this towel postbath, but he has the doggie version of RBF [14] most of the time so you'll have to take my word for it when I say he knows how great he smells and looks now. (Plus, the extra snuggles and all the biscuits he got for behaving in the tub and posing like a good boy surely made it worth it for him.)
Now, if they'd only make Chill Pills [15] for dogs next . . .
