Why Syndet?
Not all shampoo bars are the same.
Although they may look alike, shampoo bars generally fall into two categories: soap bars and syndet bars. At Felagia, we've chosen to formulate our products as syndet bars because they offer a gentler way to cleanse your dog's skin and coat.
What is soap?
Traditional soap is made through a process called saponification, where oils or fats react with an alkali. This naturally creates a cleanser with an alkaline pH, typically around pH 9–10.
While soap cleans effectively, its naturally high pH differs considerably from that of healthy canine skin.
What is a syndet bar?
A syndet bar is made using carefully selected cleansing ingredients (surfactants) instead of soap.
This allows the formula to be soap-free, pH balanced, and designed to cleanse effectively while being gentle on the skin. Every Felagia shampoo bar is built around Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, a modern amino acid-based surfactant chosen for its excellent skin compatibility.
Why does pH matter?
Your dog's skin has a natural protective barrier that helps retain moisture and defend against environmental irritants and microorganisms.
Using a cleanser with a pH closer to your dog's natural skin pH helps support that protective barrier and leaves the skin feeling comfortable after bathing. That's why every Felagia shampoo bar is carefully formulated to be pH balanced.
Why we chose syndet
We believe healthy skin starts with gentle cleansing.
Instead of traditional soap, we chose a modern syndet base that combines effective cleansing with excellent skin compatibility. The result is a shampoo bar that's gentle enough for regular bathing while helping keep your dog's skin and coat clean, soft, and comfortable.
Every Felagia shampoo bar is:
✓ Soap-free
✓ Sulfate-free
✓ pH balanced
✓ Fragrance-free
✓ Made with a gentle amino acid-based surfactant
✓ Designed to support your dog's natural skin barrier
Why Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
A different kind of cleanser
Most shampoo bars rely on traditional surfactants designed to create lots of foam and strong cleansing. We chose a different approach.
Felagia shampoo bars are built around Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate—a next-generation amino acid surfactant that is exceptionally gentle while still cleansing effectively.
Derived from naturally occurring amino acids and renewable plant-based fatty acids, it helps remove dirt and excess oil without unnecessarily stripping the skin's natural protective barrier. The result is a clean coat that feels soft, comfortable, and balanced after every wash.
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate is widely used in premium facial cleansers for sensitive skin because of its excellent skin compatibility. Yet it remains surprisingly uncommon as the primary cleansing ingredient in solid dog shampoos.
It is also approved for use in COSMOS-certified natural cosmetics, aligning with our commitment to carefully selected, high-quality ingredients.
At Felagia, we believe dogs deserve the same thoughtful skincare technology that people increasingly expect from their own products.
Why Fragrance-free?
Dogs experience the world through their sense of smell. Their noses are remarkably sensitive, making strong fragrances unnecessary for them—and sometimes less than ideal.
At Felagia, we've chosen to leave out added fragrance and essential oils from every formula. Instead, we focus on ingredients that support healthy skin and a clean, comfortable coat.
There are several reasons for this choice:
Gentle on sensitive skin
Fragrances are among the most common causes of cosmetic skin irritation in both humans and animals. By keeping our formulas fragrance-free, we reduce unnecessary exposure to ingredients that may not be well tolerated by every dog.
Nothing to mask, only to care
A clean dog doesn't need to smell like perfume. A healthy coat has its own natural scent, and our goal is to cleanse effectively without covering it up.
Respecting a dog's remarkable sense of smell
Dogs rely on scent to explore their environment and communicate with one another. We believe grooming products should clean gently without overwhelming one of their most important senses.
Thoughtful, minimalist formulations
Every ingredient in our shampoo bars has a purpose. If an ingredient doesn't contribute to cleansing, skin comfort, or product performance, we carefully consider whether it belongs in the formula at all.
For us, fragrance-free isn't about what's missing—it's about making room for what matters most: gentle, effective care for your dog's skin and coat.
Purposeful ingredients
Every ingredient has a purpose.
We believe effective skincare starts with thoughtful formulation—not long ingredient lists.
Whenever possible, we prioritize Finnish and organic ingredients, combining Nordic botanicals with modern skincare science.
Explore the ingredients that make each formula unique.
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
Amino Acid-Based Cleanser
The heart of every Felagia shampoo bar. This modern, amino acid-based surfactant gently cleanses while helping support the skin's natural barrier. Commonly used in premium facial cleansers, it remains an uncommon choice in solid dog shampoos.
Colloidal Oat
Naturally Soothing
Finnish organic colloidal oat has been used for generations to care for dry and delicate skin. Rich in beta-glucans and naturally occurring lipids, it helps support the skin's natural protective barrier.
Inulin
Natural Prebiotic
Derived from chicory root, inulin helps support a balanced skin microbiome by nourishing beneficial microorganisms that naturally live on the skin.
Birch Water
A Nordic Botanical
Organic Finnish birch water contains naturally occurring sugars, minerals, and amino acids. It brings a touch of Nordic nature to our moisturising formula.
Betaine
Natural Osmolyte
Derived from Finnish sugar beet, betaine is a natural osmolyte that helps support the skin's moisture balance and comfort during cleansing.
Sea Buckthorn Berry Oil
Rich in Natural Lipids
Organic sea buckthorn berry oil is naturally rich in fatty acids and antioxidants that help condition the skin and leave the coat soft and healthy-looking.
Vitamin E
Protective Antioxidant
Vitamin E helps protect the oils in our formulas from oxidation while contributing conditioning benefits for the skin and coat.