When searching for more natural ways to soothe itchy, irritated, or inflamed skin, oatmeal tends to come up quite a bit. It’s earned a bit of a reputation for being able to reduce problematic skin and we believe that reputation is well earned.
Usually, the oatmeal used to soothe skin isn’t exactly the oatmeal you eat for breakfast. Most of the time it’s colloidal oatmeal which starts out as regular oatmeal that is blended into a very fine powder that is mixed with liquid, allowing it to be better absorbed into the skin.
How Does Oatmeal Soothe Your Skin?
Although you may have heard of oatmeal being used for its skin-soothing properties, you may not know exactly how oatmeal soothes the skin. The main way that oatmeal works is that it binds to the skin in a way that creates a protective barrier for the skin.
This helps to protect the skin from outside irritants, but it also holds in moisture and works to reduce inflammation at the same time. So when you use oatmeal on your skin, you’re not just protecting your skin, you’re helping to lock in the moisture that will help keep it healthy so it doesn’t dry out and get worse. Additionally, it can also help with inflammation and work to help clear skin.
Need a little more convincing? A study done in 2016 was performed on 50 healthy females who had moderate to severe dry skin on their lower legs. The women were treated with a colloidal oatmeal skin protectant lotion. The results showed significant clinical improvements in skin dryness, moisturization, and barrier and demonstrated that colloidal oatmeal can provide benefits for dry and compromised skin by strengthening the skin barrier.
What Skin Problems Is Oatmeal Good For?
Oatmeal is good for many different skin conditions. Oatmeal’s properties make it soothing to the skin and can help with any type of problem that is created by dry, itchy, or inflamed skin.
This includes things like dry, flaky, cracked, itchy skin, as well as severe red, irritated skin. The best part is, there are no side effects and most people aren’t allergic to oatmeal so it’s a safe method to soothe your skin, especially when compared to lab-made products that may contain all kinds of chemicals people can react to.
Oatmeal Baths
One of the most popular ways to use oatmeal is to put it in your bath. This can help to prevent the water from drying out your skin and allow you to soak in it to promote protected and moisturized skin.
If you can treat yourself to a regular oatmeal bath it can be especially helpful during those winter months when our skin tends to be the most dry and itchy.
Using Products That Contain Oatmeal
Using products that contain oatmeal on a regular basis can truly improve your skin and the way it feels. In fact, one study back in 2012 showed that sustained skin moisturizing was documented in subjects with dry skin that lasted up to 2 weeks after they discontinued using the product with colloidal oatmeal.
Living the busy lives we do, it’s not always easy or time-efficient to make our own oatmeal products or draw an oatmeal bath. Luckily, the beneficial properties of oatmeal are well known so there are a lot of ready to use products out there like our Oatmeal, Milk and Honey Goat Milk Soap and our Oatmeal, Milk and Honey Lotion or Body Butter. If you are sensitive to or just prefer unscented products the Unscented Goat Milk Soap in our shop also contains oatmeal to help soothe dry, itchy skin without any added fragrances.
Oatmeal Facial Masks
If you’re feeling like doing a bit of DIY skincare, you can easily prepare an oatmeal facial mask at home. These are great if you have the urge to do a skin treatment late one night and you don’t feel like running out to the store to buy a pre-made facial mask.
For the simplest of masks, you can make your own colloidal oatmeal by blending it into a fine powder, mixing with water until it forms into a paste, and applying it to your skin for 15 minutes. Then just rinse it off and you’re all set with hopefully less irritated skin that now is a bit more protected.
As you can see oatmeal isn’t only good for you to eat, it’s great for your skin too! If you struggle with dry or itchy skin, try using oatmeal or oatmeal products to protect and relieve your skin.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Is there a woman who isn't looking for a better way to take care of their skin?
The whole idea behind Legends Creek Farm is less is more. Women shouldn’t have to agonize over finding multiple products and taking a ton of time to look and feel their best.
You should be able to simplify your skin care routine, and pare down to just a few items that allow you to look and feel your best. That’s why we originally created Legends Creek Farm and our line of products that can easily replace everything in your cabinet.
