Health & Beauty and your birdy

[Skittys_Daddy]

So, when I got Skittles - I had to stop using hair gel and body spray. Now, not to be "tmi", but I'm a male, sweat a lot and have a lot of body hair - I'm also VERY sensitive to 'body odor', including my own. I'm a hygeine freak, I admit it. But balancing that with keeping harmful fumes from Skittles is proving difficult.

I used to use Gold Bond body powder and it worked great. However, despite applying the powder in the shower, I found powder remnants on shelves in the living room. A 'white powder', so I smelled it and it was the body powder. So I recently stopped using it cause I worried that Skittles might inhale it or lick it off the shelves. So, now I'm trying to figure out something else.

I've heard of several products for men but cannot find them around here. I just wonder if anyone else has any suggestions for 'bird-safe' products that I can use.

I imagine there are plenty of people, male and female, who have good suggestions on how to balance personal hygeine with the sensitivity of their birds.

The reason I'm posting this in the 'conure' thread is because this is where I spend most of my posting.

 

[ToMang07]

Use regular corn starch based non-scented baby powder....or a box of corn starch....since that's all it is.

 

[Kyoto]

I have a recipe for deodorant made with coconut oil! Let me look it up for you it works for me, but I am a girl :3

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

Thanks Kyoto! I'm trying to stay away from the 'powders' now due to the 'remnants' thing. So something a long the lines of a 'non-irritant' deodorant would be great.

I had to switch to non-aluminum deodorant cause the aluminum in anti-perspirant will stain the pits of your shirts (and Skitty likes to chew my shirts).

 

[itchyfeet]

Oh I feel your pain! Ya know how birds like to preen hair? and I have the most babyish, flyaway curly frizz you could imagine. So does my daughter, my mother, and my grandmother. And I can't use anything on it unless it's bird free time.

 

[TacoNTiki]

How bad is hair gel for birds? I had never heard that it was bad until I came on this forum. I have always used hair gel but don't really let my fids preen my hair. Although they do get in a mouth full before I take them off.

 

[Kyoto]

Trying to find the recipe a friend sent me via Facebook... but it isn't loading ><!!!

I'll get it to you as soon as it loads....

 

[Aquila]

You can make a hair gel from flax seeds actually, though I don't know offhand, it's basically just from the gel that forms when they're soaked in water. It's nothing super strong, but it's totally natural. Aloe vera gel can be used as well.

Corn starch has replaced talc in most body powders, so I'd suggest getting a box and maybe adding a few drops of peppermint or eucalyptus oil? Even tea tree oil would be good; even a vanilla bean but that might be a bit too girly.

I just googled "natural body care" and came up with a bunch of results, so you might be able to get some ideas there, or find products that would be safer.

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

@itchy feet, @TacoNTiki I don't miss using hair gel - I just keep my hair shorter now. Besides, Skittles cares more for preening my beard than anything now, since it is more curly than my head hair. I just know that the chemicals in hair products are dangerous for birds IF they come into direct contact (IE preening your hair)

@Aquila Yeah, I had done a long of googling too. I had come across corn starch and eucalyptus oil as well. I don't really want to use those cause I want to stay away from the 'powder' and well, the oil would make me smell like cough drops. LOL.

I actually have some vanilla bean body wash. I like the smell of it - it has 'tropical ocean' type scent, like the cocoa butters and so on. But I've not been able to find any decent freshener that doesn't wash off, other than lotion which I don't want Skittles licking off.

When I went to Walmart, earlier this evening I got a 3pack of Dove Men+Care. I recently tried one of their body washes in "Extra Fresh" and was very pleased with it. This 3pack has a bottle of face & body wash, a bottle of 2in1 shampoo, and a stick of non-irritant deodorant for 48hr protection.

This item must be new cause I'd never seen it before. Not quite sure about the shampoo though. It says it has caffeine and menthol. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to wash my hair with it or add it to my coffee. Nonetheless, it smells nice but I'm gonna look into that shampoo. I'm not too worried about the shampoo though, I rinse well.

I'm hoping this works. I'll keep you all posted. Thanks for all the suggestions.

@kyoto Looking forward to that recipe.

 

[itchyfeet]

Oh THAT'S what I need to do! Grow a beard!!
Hubby will love that :54:

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

@itchyfeet

Well, Halloween is coming soon. LOL.