Eczema, a common skin problem impacting people globally, intensifies during the dry winter season. Yet, a simple at-home solution, an oatmeal bath, can relieve this troublesome eczema flare-up. Starting with a basic recipe and progressing to a more detailed version, learn how to attain skin free from itching and eczema discomfort through a calming oatmeal bath. (1)
DIY – Soothing Oatmeal Bath For Getting Rid Of Eczema
Recipe 1:
Supplies Required:
- Oats – 1 cup full (There is no specific choice. You can use anything from steel-cut oats to rolled oats to instant oats at your convenience.)
- A spoon (It is required for measuring purposes. So you may also take a measuring cup or a simple scooper.)
- A small cup
- One airtight glass or plastic jar
- A grinding machine (A regular blender will also do.)
- Water – As required
Steps To Follow:
- Put the oats inside the grinder jar or the blender and grind until it turns into an almost smooth powder. You may need to do it in multiple batches, depending on the size of your grinder jar.
- Ensure that the consistency of your oatmeal powder is perfect for your bath. For this, take a teaspoonful of it and mix it with a cup of water thoroughly. The mixture should look milky white during stirring. Otherwise, it would be best to ground the oats more to make them powdery.
- Once you finish all the oats, pour the oatmeal powder into the airtight jar, close the lid tightly, and store it.
- On average, you need to take half a cup of this oatmeal powder and add it to the water in the tub each time you bathe. However, do not hesitate to adjust the amount of oatmeal powder as required. Look at the water while mixing it; you will know how much you need.
Recipe 2:
Supplies Required:
- Oats – 1 cup full
- EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) – 3 tablespoons
- Baking soda – (1/4) cup
- A spoon
- A small cup
- An airtight jar
- A grinder or a blender
- Water – As required
Steps To Follow:
- Like the previous method, pour all the oats into the grinder jar or the blender and grind to form an almost fine powder.
- Check the consistency of your oatmeal powder. Put one spoonful of the powder in a cup of water. Stir well. If the water turns milky white, you finish your grinding work. If not, repeat grinding to make the oatmeal powder finer and smoother.
- Once you get the perfect oatmeal powder, transfer it to the airtight jar and store it by closing the lid tightly.
- During bath time, fill your tub with water and add at least (3/4) cup of oatmeal powder to it. Also, add EVOO and baking soda to the mixture.
- Mix all the ingredients properly with the water to distribute everything throughout. You may increase or decrease the amounts of ingredients as per your necessity.
Important Tips
Make sure that you keep the following points in mind while preparing for an oatmeal bath:
- Grind the oats as fine as possible so they do not create a big mess by sinking to the bottom of the tub.
- Instead of grinding the whole oats, put them in a cheesecloth or a muslin bag and let them hang in the water. This will also work the same way.
- When mixed with water, oatmeal can make the tub slimy or slippery. So be careful while moving inside the tub.
Benefits of DIY Oatmeal Bath For Eczema
Both of these oatmeal bath recipes have impressive results. Let us tell you why and how the ingredients work:
- Oats are enriched with antioxidants, which give the ingredient powerful anti-inflammatory properties to fight against eczema and itchiness. Apart from this, they also help in cleansing the skin, keeping up its barrier activities by creating a protective layer, and combating excessive dryness by retaining its natural moisture.
- As we all know, EVOO is one of the miraculous natural skin emollients and moisturizers. It is full of the fatty acid called linoleic acid, which stops the evaporation of water from our skin cells and, thus, keeps the entire skin soft and hydrated for a long.
- Baking soda is an effective solution for skin irritation or itchiness. It is known to increase the pH of our skin considerably so that it gets soothed and we get rid of sudden flare-ups.
Summary
Eczema, a widespread skin ailment, often worsens in winter. A simple yet effective home remedy involves an oatmeal bath. This DIY recipe offers two options: one with only oats and another with additional ingredients like extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and baking soda. Grind oats into a fine powder, store it, and use it in baths to soothe eczema, combat dryness, and benefit from the anti-inflammatory properties of oats.
