How to Make DIY Oatmeal Bath for Dry, Itchy, Sensitive Skin

This cold weather and all the stress of 2020 calls for some relaxation time. Scroll down to find how to make oatmeal bath, what are its benefits for your skin and how oatmeal can help you treat dry skin, itching, eczema and many inflamed skin conditions…

I’m not gonna lie – I’m not a huge soaking-in-a-bath person. I love baths, but I barely ever get the time to actually have one.

But every now and then, I feel like a nice, relaxing, comforting bath is the only thing that stands between me and a meltdown. You know what I mean, we all have those moments. When everything seems so overwhelming, you just want the rest of the world to leave you alone so that you can relax a bit and catch a breath.

In those moments, I’ve found that a nice, long bath really helps. And more often than not, I’d choose to make an oatmeal bath, simply because a DIY oatmeal bath was one of the easiest, cheapest solutions I could find.

But, it didn’t take me long to notice that oatmeal baths seem to be doing some magic for my skin as well, not just for my wellbeing. My body skin tends to be on a dry side, especially during the winter. But after the bath, it would become much softer, smoother and not so easily irritated.

Soon I discovered that many, many other girls had a similar experience as I did. And that there were even several studies conducted to explain how such a humble ingredient such as oatmeal has such a beneficial effect to the skin…

The Benefits of Oatmeal Bath for Your Skin

First things first – oatmeal bath has many benefits for dry skin. Oats contain beta-glucan, which can help you improve your skin’s natural protective barrier. It creates a film on your skin that helps the skin to retain moisture and protects it from chemicals, pollutants and other irritants.

Also, oatmeal has amazing natural anti-inflammatory properties. In fact, it is such an effective skin protectant, even the FDA has allowed colloidal oats to be listed as an active ingredient on skincare labels.

Natural oatmeal baths can help you soothe an array of dry and inflammatory skin conditions, such as eczema, insect bites, sunburns, psoriasis, contact dermatitis, itching and all sorts of rashes.

Oatmeal might be a perfect solution for very sensitive skin that gets easily irritated by common cosmetic chemicals, artificial scents and colors. In fact, oatmeal soaks are so calming and gentle to the skin, pediatricians often recommend it for treating diaper rash.

Oatmeal can also help protect your skin against free radicals. The main antioxidants oats contain are aventhramides, vitamin E and ferulic acid.

Another reason why oatmeal powder is a great bath soak ingredient is that oatmeal contains saponins. Saponins are natural cleansers that gently cleanse the skin without drying it out.

For all these reasons, oatmeal bath bombs are pretty popular DIY bath products. And I personally love using oatmeal powder to my DIY face masks for sensitive skin.

But, making an oatmeal bath is still one of the easiest and most efficient ways I’ve found so far to use all the benefits of oatmeal for my body skin…

How to Make Oatmeal Bath

Want to make an oatmeal bath that will help you thoroughly hydrate your skin, gently cleanse it, treat dry skin, soothe irritations and even help with eczema? Literally all you have to do is dissolve 1 cup of oatmeal powder (either colloidal oatmeal or finely ground rolled oats) in a tub full of warm water.

(I you are using rolled oats, make sure you use and organic brand, to avoid pesticides. Also, the finer you grind the oatmeal, the better it will dissolve in water and the better your skin can use it.)

When your bath is ready, just sink in and try to relax. Some light music or a few scented candles can help with that. Enjoy your bath for around 20 minutes or until the water starts getting cold.

Once you’re done, don’t forget to apply a body moisturizer. Do this right after the bath, while your skin is still warm and slightly damp. The moisturizer will trap the moisture into the skin and prevent drying out.

So, the only ingredient you absolutely need to make a DIY oatmeal bath is some oatmeal powder. How simple is that?

But, if you want, you can add a few more ingredients, to make your bath time a really special experience. You can add only one or as many as you want of the ingredients enlisted below…

Ingredients to add to a diy oatmeal bath

• Baking soda is a great choice to add to your DIY oatmeal bath. It soothes the skin, plus it is alkaline and it can help with setting your skin back in balance. Baking soda also makes the water feel silky and soothing. You should add around ½ cup of baking soda to the bath.
• Sea salt can really help you relax while restoring and detoxifying your skin. And you can use the salt that hasn’t completely dissolved to gently exfoliate your skin. You can add any quality sea salt you have on hand. I usually like to add 1 cup of Himalayan pink salt to my oatmeal bath.
• Milk, just like oatmeal, is very soothing and hydrating to the skin. It softens the skin, provides it with many nutrients and it can help dissolve dead skin cells. You can add 2 – 3 cups of whole, coconut or almond milk or 1 cup of powdered milk.
• Natural plant oils are another great ingredient for treating dry, sensitive skin. They reinforce the skin’s natural protective barrier, make the skin soft and smooth and soothe irritations. You can add a few tablespoons of any skin-friendly oil, such as olive, coconut, avocado or any nut or seed oil.
• Clay can even further enhance the bath’s detoxifying, purifying and skin soothing properties. Although, clay can also dry out the skin when overused, so you’ll need to be careful with that. But, ½ cup of kaolin or bentonite clay to your DIY oatmeal bath every once in a while would hardly be problematic for your skin, especially if you apply a body moisturizer right after.
• Dried lavender, rose or chamomile flowers can also enhance your bath time, help you relax and relieve stress. Different flowers also have different benefits for your skin.