Homemade oatmeal bath soaks can help soothe irritated skin using all natural ingredients. An inexpensive DIY oat bath is quick and easy to make.
Oatmeal bath soaks can be beautiful with the addition of dried flowers which also have beneficial properties. Whether you are making this bath soak with oatmeal for yourself or to give as gifts, you will be surprised to find how easy it is to make!
There is a reason that oatmeal is often found in lotions, creams and other skin healing products. Oats have been a remedy for dry skin for thousands of years. Their natural skin-soothing properties not only relieve itching, they also lock moisture into the skin and help repair the skin barrier.
With proven antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties (source), a DIY oatmeal bath soak can be beneficial to your skin!
Lavender also has a variety of skin healing properties:
- Antioxidants
- Antibacterial
- Antifungal
- Fights acne
- Anti-inflammatory
- Skin soothing
- Calming
What Type of Oats to Use for an Oatmeal Bath
Any type of oat can be used, such as:
- Quick-cooking oats
- Slow-cooking oats
- Instant oats
The best choice is to use organic oats.
Do not use a flavored oatmeal, though.
Colloidal oatmeal is the absolute best option for soothing baths. Colloidal oatmeal is finely ground into a soft powder and used in skin care products, bath soaks and lotions. This type of oatmeal is designed to dissolve in water.
DIY Oat Bath Soak
Materials
- 1 1/2 cups oats
- 2 Tablespoons Dried Lavender
- Lavender essential oil (optional)
- Linen, muslin or cheesecloth drawstring bag (optional)
Directions
Combine the oats and lavender flowers together. Add as many flowers as you would like to make the oat bath soak pretty.
The more flowers, the more floral bath you will get!
Optional: Grind the oats into smaller pieces to make the bath “milkier” when using the soak. You can do this in a blender, food processor, coffee grinder or with a mortar and pestle.
Optional: Add 10-20 drops of lavender essential oil for a stronger lavender bath soak.
Once everything is combined, add to a jar or linen bag for storage.
How to Use Oatmeal Bath Soak
To use in your bath, sprinkle about a cup of the oats and lavender mixture over the water as the tub fills.
However, the oats and lavender flowers may clog up the drain as you empty the bath after soaking.
The best way to use this bath soak is to add the mixture to a natural linen bag or a cheese cloth tea bag and tie closed. Then hang the bag off of the spout as the water is flowing into your bath tub.
You can make your own reusable tea bags with natural fabric.
Leave the bag in the tub during the entire soak. When you are done, you can easily remove the bag and discard the oatmeal lavender mixture inside.
Oatmeal bath teas, with the oat bath soak in a muslin bag, are great for gift giving!
How Long to Soak in an Oatmeal Bath?
Soak for at least 15 minutes in an oatmeal bath to get the skin soothing benefits.
You can soak longer if desired.
Benefits of Oatmeal Baths
DIY Oatmeal Baths are excellent to soothe skin. These gentle baths can be used for babies, kids and adults.
Oatmeal baths can relieve skin conditions such as:
- Dry, itchy skin
- Atopic dermatitis
- Eczema
- Heat rash
- Diaper rash
- Allergic reactions
- Dandruff
- Chickenpox
- Cradle cap
- Psoriasis
- Hives
- Sunburn
- Poison Ivy (see our Jewelweed salve recipe for poison ivy relief, too)
For more natural ways to soothe irritated skin, see our DIY Dry Skin Balm and our easy DIY beeswax balm.
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