The oatmeal bath is both relaxing and emollient, especially when the skin is itchy (for example during chickenpox or if you have touched poison ivy), or when it is inflamed (for example as a result of allergies, insect bites or sunburn.). Oats are excellent for the skin, smell good and leave it soft. Inside the oatmeal bath you would stay indefinitely. As an added bonus, there are limitless variations of the traditional bathroom, some of which are described here. Follow these steps to prepare a simple but effective bath to soothe the skin in the comfort of your home.
Ingrediants
- Natural oats (preferably whole); the minced one is the best
- Lavender buds (about 1 / 4-1 / 2 cup) (optional)
- Essential oils (or other) of lavender (optional), for a relaxing bath, first check any precautions
- 1 / 2- 1 cup of buttermilk or regular milk, for a relaxing and softening bath (optional)
- Epsom salts, for an invigorating bath (optional)
Steps
Step 1. Fill about 1 / 3-3 / 4 of a cup of oats
The amount depends on how large the piece of muslin or the coffee filter you use is.
Step 2. Pour it from the cup into a bowl
Step 3. Press the dry oats with the back of a spoon
It is used to eliminate any agglomerations that may have formed.
- If your oats are already finely chopped you can skip this step.
- If the pieces are large, put them in a plastic bag and crush them using a rolling pin.
Step 4. Add more oats if desired
If you are taking a relaxing bath, feel free to add other elements. If you are using oats to treat itchy, rash, inflamed or sore skin, it is probably best to avoid this addition to avoid worsening existing conditions. Among the things that can be added are:
- Lavender buds. If you don't have them, take a dried lavender stem and blossom it inside the bowl.
- Add a few drops of your essential oil to the bowl. Choose one that is safe for the bathroom. Although this step is optional, it increases bathing pleasure. If you have skin problems however, skip it.
- Mix everything with a spoon until it is well blended.
Step 5. Put the contents of the bowl into a coffee filter or a small piece of muslin using a spoon
The filters used in the images in this tutorial were size 4 (suitable for 8-12 cups of coffee) and required 4 tablespoons of brew to fill.
Tie everything with a rubber band, string or ribbon. A rubber band is probably the easiest thing to use, unless a friend is holding the bag while you tie it with the ribbon
Step 6. Fill the tub with relatively warm water
If you add milk as well, pour the buttermilk or regular milk into the tub under the water as it comes out of the tap.
Another optional step is to add about 3/4 cup of Epsom salts to the buttermilk to relieve muscle pain and help you get very soft skin. Skip this step if you take a bath to treat an itchy skin or irritation
Step 7. Throw the oat / lavender bag into the tub, away from running water
Let it cool down. As soon as the tub reaches a tolerable temperature, the heat will cause the oats and lavender to disperse.
Step 8. Get into the tub when it's lukewarm
Once in the bathroom, you can gently "squeeze" the bag to release more liquid into the water; don't squeeze it too much if you use the coffee filter though or it will break off releasing the oats into the tub. Enjoy the bath for as long as you want, even if, in case of irritated skin, it is better not to exceed 10 minutes to avoid making it worse.
- Light a few vanilla or lavender candles for an even more relaxing setting.
- If you have a skin condition, dry yourself carefully by dabbing with a soft towel on the affected areas.
- Repeat as needed. The beauty of oat baths is that they are gentle enough to be done daily if desired.
Advice
- To make oats exfoliate, mix them with fine salt and lavender oil.
- Colloidal oats are very finely chopped and can be added without packing it in the bag. You can buy it at the pharmacy, follow the instructions.
- Since the coffee filter is made of paper, you can throw it away without spilling the oats all over the place. The muslin or cheesecloth also goes into the compost although you can simply rinse them, dry them and recycle them until they are exhausted.
Warnings
- Use common sense to avoid getting burned with hot water.
- Don't put the bag under running water, the pressure will break or open it and you'll end up with a tub of porridge to clean up.
- This solution absolutely does not replace medicinal treatments of any kind: it is just a nice suggestion to relax or soothe the skin.
- Do not enter the hot bath if you have a skin condition, always check that the water is lukewarm.
