Summer Paw Balm

Our dogs would follow us anywhere, even to roads that hurt and burn their paws. In extreme temperatures, it's important to remember that dog's don't wear shoes and shouldn't walk on terrains that are too hot or freezing and if they do, we should take proper care of their paws.

I use this balm on our dog because she sometimes has cracked skin on her paws from all the different surfaces in our farm. It's made to soothe the skin and help fast repair.

• balm container
• saucepan and heatproof bowl for water bath

Ingredients:

• 50 % of shea butter
• 30 % of neem oil
• 10 % of rice bran oil
• 10 % of oat lipid oil

So, for example, for 100 g/3.4 oz of balm, you'll need:

• 50 g/1.7 oz of shea butter
• 30 g/1 oz of neem oil
• 10 g/0.34 oz of rice bran oil
• 10 g/0.34 oz of oat lipid oil

Although neem oil has a scent that isn't really pleasant, it has great properties and I like using it for repair cosmetic products. Among oils, it is strongly anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. Shea butter is good for all types of skin and it has a lot of vitamins but I like using it as base for all ointments because of its texture. Rice bran oil is rich in vitamin E which also helps the skin repair fast. And oat lipid oil is my star which I use also to make eczema creams. This oil contains ceramids, among other things, which are crucial for skin repair (I repeat the expression "skin repair" a lot but it's what this instructable is about).

This project is for beginners and it doesn't require any special skills or training. I'm making a 100 g batch in this instructable and it's enough to apply just a thin layer of the balm, so 100 g is a lot that will last us all summer.

Weigh all the ingredients and put them in a heatproof bowl. Pour some water in a saucepan, place the bowl in it and heat up the water and slowly melt the oils. It's actually just the shea butter that needs proper melting, the neem oil will melt instantly and the rice bran and oat oil are liquid at room temperature. Stir until the mixture is completely liquid.

Pour the balm in a container and let it get solid, then leave it in the fridge for half an hour and it's ready for use.

Keep the balm in the fridge, its shelf life is as long as the shelf life of the ingredient that expires first.

Clean the paw from all dirt, wet it with a drop of water and apply a thin layer of the paw balm. It's not one of those balms that absorb instantly, so give it a few minutes and make sure your furry friend doesn't run around and leave greasy traces. Even after it absorbs, the skin stays a little shiny and it should be visibly more hydrated. If you feel like treating yourself as well, feel free to do so, this balm does wonders especially for the cracked heels!