How To Make A DIY Oatmeal Bath, Plus 4 Amazing Skin Benefits

Ahh — a warm, relaxing soak at the end of the day. And if that bath is a moisturizing oatmeal bath, even better! With the oats you have in your kitchen cabinet, you can whip up your own oatmeal bath in no time.

In this article, we’ll go through the steps of making an oatmeal bath and three of the wonderful ways it can benefit your skin. And, finally, we’ll mention a few other ways to put colloidal oatmeal to work in your daily routine.

What Is Colloidal Oatmeal?

Before we get into the deets of how to make an oatmeal bath, let’s quickly go over what colloidal oatmeal is. Simply put, the word “colloidal” is a chemistry term for the mixture resulting from the combination of two substances.

So, colloidal oatmeal is oats that have been ground very finely and suspended in liquid. This makes it more easily absorbed into your skin, which is exactly what you want in order to reap all of the benefits!

Colloidal oatmeal might seem like a fancy, science-y word, but you can make it yourself. And that’s exactly what you’ll do when you make an oatmeal bath.

How To Make A DIY Oatmeal Bath

Rest assured that making an oatmeal bath is easy and quick! Here are the steps.

1) Gather Supplies

There are really just two things you need: oats and a coffee grinder. If you don’t have a coffee grinder, you can use a blender.

Use the regular kind of oats from the grocery store — the plain kind that you might already have in your pantry. It’s very possible that you can indulge in this skincare routine today without even making a trip to the store!

2) Grind The Oats

 

To make colloidal oatmeal, finely grind the oats in your blender or coffee grinder. This allows them to absorb water.

Not sure if your oatmeal powder is fine enough? Test it out by putting a bit into your warm bath.

If the particles sink to the bottom, you’ll need to process the oats a bit more. If the powder absorbs water quickly and gives it a milky appearance, you’re good to go.

3) Fill The Bath

Once the oats are ground and ready to roll, fill the tub if you haven’t already. This isn’t the time for a steaming-hot bath. Instead, use lukewarm water.

Just like Goldilocks: not too hot and not too cold!

4) Add The Oats

Add a few large scoops or cupfuls of the ground oats to your bathwater. There’s no science to the exact amount of oats.

5) Soak And Enjoy!

Hop in the bathtub and soak in your oatmeal bath for at least 10 minutes. Relax and enjoy your bath, knowing that you’re caring for your skin at the same time!

6) Pat Your Skin Dry

Once you’re finished, dry off by patting your skin with a towel instead of rubbing. Rubbing won’t do irritated skin any favors!

 

That’s it! Easy, right? You can repeat this bath routine up to three times a day to soothe irritated or dry skin. Speaking of which, let’s jump straight into the benefits of colloidal oatmeal!

4 Benefits Of Colloidal Oatmeal

 

Natural

One of the big benefits of using colloidal oatmeal for skin care is that it’s a totally natural ingredient. It has all sorts of skin-healthy lipids, flavonoids, minerals, and vitamins.

And, of course, pure colloidal oatmeal involves no questionable chemical ingredients such as sulfates, parabens, phthalates, synthetic fragrances, or silicone that can just end up hurting your skin more than helping it.

Anti-Inflammatory And Anti-Fungal

First of all, oatmeal is full of antioxidants and has a natural anti-inflammatory effect. This means that colloidal oatmeal can help to reduce the redness and irritation that result from a variety of skin woes.

But it’s not just that. Oatmeal also has antifungal avenacins compounds, which can help to fight bacteria on your skin.

This anti-inflammation and anti-bacterial powerhouse could make colloidal oatmeal your new favorite natural acne-fighting ingredient!

Skin-Soothing

Closely related to its anti-inflammatory effects, colloidal oatmeal is known to be quite skin soothing. Many people turn to colloidal oatmeal baths to soothe itchy or irritated skin woes from chickenpox and sunburn to eczema and sensitive skin.

Colloidal oatmeal can give your skin a break by creating a protective barrier to keep allergens out. The cellulose and fiber from the oats create a skin-softening emollient that combats irritation and redness.

One note before we move on: Keep in mind that while an oatmeal bath is a great way to soothe tender, lobster-red skin, the best option is to avoid getting a sunburn in the first place!

Before time in the sun, apply a mineral sunscreen, like Babo Botanicals Clear Zinc Sunscreen Lotion, to provide effective SPF protection without oxybenzone or octinoxate.

Moisturizing

In addition to being wonderfully soothing, colloidal oatmeal moisturizes your skin, which is another important factor in keeping your skin in tip-top shape.

Oats can hold a lot of water thanks to starches and beta-glucans. When colloidal oatmeal is applied to your skin, it attracts moisture and locks it in with a protective barrier.

Other Ways To Use Colloidal Oatmeal

 

A colloidal oatmeal bath is a wonderful (and, as we’ve seen, easy!) way to soothe and moisturize your skin. But it’s not the only way to take advantage of all the benefits of colloidal oatmeal.

Before we sign off, we’ll mention three ways to use natural colloidal oatmeal products for your whole family.

Colloidal Oatmeal Conditioner

Colloidal oatmeal isn’t just for your skin! Your hair can benefit from this natural ingredient, too. That’s why we recommend Babo Botanicals Moisturizing Conditioner.

This extra-gentle conditioner is specially formulated for those with sensitive hair and scalp. The colloidal oatmeal and organic calendula work to nourish, hydrate, and condition your hair, while organic coconut oil leaves your locks soft, smooth, and shiny.

Plus, it contains our exclusive Nutri-Soothe™ blend, which is rich in vitamins and antioxidants.

From babies to adults, our conditioner is ideal for the whole family! Read more in our article Why And How To Use Conditioner For Healthy Hair.

Colloidal Oatmeal Miracle Cream

 

With the soothing, protective, and moisturizing effects of colloidal oatmeal, you could consider Babo Botanicals Miracle Moisturizing Cream an oatmeal bath in a bottle!

A rich formula with the perfect blend of active botanicals to help protect delicate skin, this cream is a must-have for dry, irritated, or chafed skin.

In addition to colloidal oatmeal, it contains shea, coconut oil, organic calendula, and our organic Nutri-Soothe™ Complex.

Colloidal Oatmeal Baby Products

 

One of the great things about colloidal oatmeal is that it’s great for the whole family, including the little ones!

Diaper Cream

Another way to add oatmeal to the diaper-changing routine is to apply Babo Botanicals Soothing Diaper Cream to your baby’s bottom at every diaper change. It’s specially formulated to create an optimal moisture barrier for your baby's skin.

This pediatrician-approved cream contains calming and nourishing calendula and colloidal oatmilk and 25% zinc oxide to help prevent redness, inflammation, and diaper rash.

Plus, this diaper cream is vegan and free of gluten, dairy, SLS, sulfates, parabens, phthalates, synthetic fragrances, dyes, and formaldehyde. Feel good about what you’re putting on your baby’s skin!

Healing Ointment

To relieve eczema, bug bites, or dry, chapped, and irritated skin, turn to Babo Botanicals Sensitive Baby All Natural Healing Ointment. From their tiny lips to their baby bum, this ointment does it all!

Medical-grade colloidal oatmeal helps treat and prevent eczema, itchiness, flare-ups, rashes, and dry spots. And this ointment is free of mineral oil, preservatives, and added fragrances.

Sit Back And Relax In An Oatmeal Bath

 

Soaking in an oatmeal bath can benefit your skin in multiple ways because colloidal oatmeal is anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, soothing, and moisturizing. And it’s super easy to do!

Follow the instructions in this article to grind oats and add them to a warm bath. Then sit back, relax, and enjoy your oatmeal bath and everything that it offers your skin!

Last but not least, remember to reap the benefits of colloidal oatmeal by choosing skin and hair care products made with colloidal oatmeal.

Try Babo Botanicals Moisturizing Conditioner, Miracle Moisturizing Cream, and, for the little ones, 3-in-1 Sensitive Baby Face, Hands & Body Wipes and Soothing Diaper Cream.

Natural, skin-soothing relief is at your fingertips!