"I'm the problem, its me" by Rachel Colant

I’ll admit it—I wasn’t a Botaniqa believer. My friends touted it, even sending me samples. These seasoned competitors maintaining dogs in show coat; I just couldn't believe they were achieving such stunning results with the same products I had tried. Surely, there was no way.

Then… I read the website. And I had the earth shattering realization– it wasn’t the products; it was me! Yes, me—the self-proclaimed queen of prep work and meticulous bathing—realized I did not know how to bathe dogs in Botaniqa.

Slightly embarrassed, still a little rankled, I went to the tub with a dog fully committed to disproving my friends. But then, everything changed. Drying my dog after my first real Botaniqa bath, it was as if the clouds parted and a choir of angels descended; we celebrated together. The dog caught his reflection and shed a single tear of joy. And in that moment, I was a true believer.

Because I don’t want any other groomers to endure the same humbling experience, I’m here to share my favorite routines using Botaniqa's 3 Step Method for some of the most common salon dogs. Trust me, once you get it right, there’s no turning back.

The 3 Step Method is as follows: reset, revitalize, replenish. 

Step one of bathing should always be to reset the coat and create a neutral base, so the purpose-specific shampoo used in step two is effective on the coat. Step three is conditioning to add moisture and hydration back into the skin and coat after removing oils in step one. Conditioning helps maintain the integrity of the coat and lowers the risk of tangling and damage to the hair. 

Sample Routine - Drop Coat Haircut:

Basic Deep Clean Shampoo
Moisturizing and Protection Shampoo + Volume Up Shampoo
Sleek It Up Coat Mask 

Sample Routine - Terrier Maintenance:

Basic Deep Clean Shampoo
Harsh and Shiny Shampoo + Regenerate Boosting Serum
Moisturizing & Protection Coat Mask

Sample Routine - Oodle Coat Haircut:

Basic Deep Clean Shampoo
Volume Up Shampoo + Harsh and Shiny Shampoo in equal parts
Regenerate Boosting Serum in shampoo AND/OR Moisturizing and Protection Coat Mask

Sample Routine - Double Coat:

Basic Deep Clean Shampoo
Moisturizing & Protection Shampoo + Color Enhance Shampoo
Moisturizing & Protection Coat Mask + Sleek It Up Coat Masks (3:4 to 1:4 ratio)

Author: Rachel Colant @rachelcolantgrooming