Why I support cow dung and urine in beauty products
I cannot say whether or not products made of cow dung and urine are superior to other skincare products currently available in the market as I am not aware if enough research has been carried out to validate this claim. But what I can say for sure is that use of cow dung and urine is not new for us.
Apart from the mention of their medicinal properties in ancient texts, cow dung was in use as a substitute for a much later discovered soap for cleansing purposes. Known for its anti-bacterial properties, it is said that cow dung can be used as a body pack for detoxification and prevention of pimples. In its dry and powdered form, cow dung was used to treat skin diseases. So much so, it was even said to reduce infection and improve blood circulation. Cow dung and urine can be included in cleansers, scrubs and masks for both face and body. Besides skin and body, the ash produced from cow dung was even used to clean teeth; as it was said to strengthen gums. In fact, a cottage industry set up by the name, Govardhan Goutpadan, carries out research on the benefits of cow therapy and also manufactures various medicinal products and toiletries from cow urine and dung such as soaps, tooth-powders, shampoos and pain relief balms.
Not just this, cow dung has been used in areas such as farming, energy generation and construction which also help farmers earn additional income. According to Govardhan Ecovillage, manufacturing and subsequent sales of such products made from cow dung and urine will help generate more revenue. The preparation of these products also requires less investment. Similarly, if cow dung and cow urine are used to make medicines, they will also be economically beneficial to farmers. But there should be no middle men in the entire process, if farmers have to benefit from this business model.
Also, making these beauty products from dung and urine would entail mixing them with other natural extracts and perfumes before they can be rendered fit for everyday use. There are ayurvedic prescriptions that can be followed to prepare herbal beauty products. I would also like to point out that there are many alternatives to cow dung and urine, too. Plant extracts and oils; precious metals and gems are some of the ingredients recommended by ayurveda that we have used in our skincare products.