I have a friend who swears by shampoo meant for horses (she claims that's how she gets such a glossy mane) and by balms meant for cow udders to get soft hands. I never tried the horse shampoos, but I did try Bag Balm, an ointment that comes in a pretty green tin can decorated by roses and a set of cow udders. The can clearly states that Bag Balm is "For bunches, caked bags, cuts, sore teats, chapping and inflammation." This product is meant solely for animals, but has been around since 1899, and many people have used it for their own personal use to heal chapped, dry hands and heal cuts.

Bag Balm is a thick substance that is yellow and slightly gooey. It rubs into the skin easily and it really does make your hands feel slightly coated and soft. I don't have a problem with chapped skin (or teats, for that matter!), but I do get skin that gets dry enough that I can scratch my name on it. My skin instantly looked "moisturized." No more dry spots.

The product can be purchased at various drug stores and at farm supply stores. It comes in small convenient tins of 1 oz all the way up to 4.5 lbs!

The product contains only three ingredients: petroleum jelly, lanolin, and 8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate (an antiseptic).

Now, if this product was meant for humans, I'd recommend it because those who love Neutrogena's Hand Cream would probably love this product, too. However, because this product is meant for animals, I have reservations.

According to the FDA website (www.fda.gov), "FDA is aware of various products that have made their way into the cosmetic market that were originally developed for use on horses and other animals. While many may believe "if it's good for a horse, then it should be good for me," consumers should be aware that FDA does not impose any rules on cosmetic products intended for use on animals. For example, companies that intend to have their product used only on animals are not required to list ingredients on the label. However, if products intended for use on animals are also intended for human use, they must comply with FDA regulatory requirements for cosmetics.

FDA has issued a warning letter about product labeling to one company that has marketed horse grooming products to humans. The Agency is continuing its investigation into this type of product."

Bag Balm, the product container itself, ONLY suggests its use for animals only. What this means, is that this product does NOT have to follow FDA guidelines since it is a product NOT intended for human use. What does it mean to not have FDA-approval? The FDA requires all cosmetics to be used by humans to 1)be made in a sterile environment, including the ingredients themselves (i.e. water with no bacteria, hairnets and gloves, etc.) 2) list all ingredients on the packaging from the most to the least 3) ingredients not approved for human use to NOT be used 4) strongly suggests that products be tested for safety. What does this mean to you? Basically, you can have a product that was not made in a sterile environment, that doesn't list all the ingredients, that may include ingredients that could potentially be harmful to you, and the safety of the product is questionable.

So, people have been using a product for years without any side effects. Does that mean its safe? Not necessarily. Now, I'm not saying this product is not safe. What I am saying is that if you choose to use this product, do so knowing that there may be side-effects down the road (maybe even 20-30 years down the road) and you may not realize that the effect and the cause are related.

Because petroleum (basically Vaseline) and lanolin (from sheeps--and lanolin is also an irritant to some people) are intended for human use, I think the big ingredient that must be keeping it as an "animal only" product is the "8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate" (phew! that's a mouthful!). I tried looking on the internet to find out what I could about it, and I found a UK website listing it under "pesticides." Yelch.

It has been proven that whatever you put on your skin gets absorbed into your bloodstream. If 8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate is not considered safe for humans, I cannot recommend putting it on your skin and into your bloodstream. Who knows what the long-term effects are, and are you willing to risk your health for something that you can get a friendly-human version at any drug store?

If you like the idea of a product that is softening and antiseptic, you can make something similar at home. Mix petroleum jelly with tea tree essential oil (a safe and effective antiseptic). There ya go. At least you know what's going into your blood stream and you can have soft (and safe!) body parts.



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