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It is common knowledge that a hot bowl of oatmeal is a healthy and delicious start to your day, but what you don’t know is the amazing skin benefits one can derive from oats as a beauty product. Oatmeal is great at removing excess oil and dirt from the body and face, thanks to the saponins it contains. Their cleansing and exfoliating properties make oatmeal a powerful ingredient in many face scrubs, cleansers and shampoos.
Face Exfoliator
As a facial mask, combine 1 tsp. of ground oatmeal, 1 tsp. of lemon juice, and 2 tsp. of yogurt and apply to the face like a mask. This scrub tones and hydrates the skin.
You can also use ground oats to eliminate excess oil from your scalp, which will give you an extra day or two between washings. Plus, oatmeal has strong anti-inflammatory properties and can be used to relieve itchy, uncomfortable skin.
Hand Scrub
If you have a sink drain that can handle the roughage or you’ve got a mesh drainer, you can make an awesome hand scrub with oatmeal, lemon, honey and a dash of olive oil. You can add in your favorite essential oils for fragrance, or just leave as it is. It’s great for sensitive skin because it exfoliates gently.
Here’s one of the many recipes:
Add two tablespoons of oatmeal to ¼ cup water and leave to soak 10 minutes, until it’s softened and gel-like.
Add 1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of honey and ½ teaspoon oil to oatmeal and mix well.
Rub mixture all over hands over the sink! Allow mixture to soak for two minutes.
Rinse with cool water. Pat dry.
Apply lotion to your hands to lock in moisture.
Bath Soak
Oatmeal, best known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits, is especially good for sensitive skin. It can be used in the bath for skin softening and very gentle exfoliation. Next time your skin is feeling rough from the harsh effects of the sun, add a 1/2 cup of oatmeal to your bath with some lavender essential oil. Your skin will feel softer and the aromatherapy effects of the lavender will help you relax and rejuvenate. Then to scrub with oatmeal, you can Fill a thin sock without holes with a cup of oatmeal and tie up the sock at the top. Place it in your warm bath, with you, and squeeze it softly every so often to release water. scrub your entire body lightly with the sock when done with bathing.
Skin Reliever
Oatmeal mixed with cool water can be beneficial for sunburn, windburn, redness, chicken pox, eczema and itchiness. Bathing in colloidal oatmeal(finely ground) can really soothe irritated skin.