Beauty Treatments

Oats have been used in beauty treatments for centuries.

The texture makes them a perfect skin exfoliant. They’re also great for face masks and skin cleansers, and you’ll find them in several ranges of shampoos, soaps, moisturisers and skin cleansers and face masks. Oatmeal baths can help to relieve the itch from chicken pox, exzema and other uncomfortable conditions. It’s easy to make your own soothing oat bath by grinding two or three cups of porridge oats in a blender and adding to a warm bath. It can be great fun mixing up natural skin fixes in the comfort of your own home. Here are some for you to try.

Honey and Oat Bath Milk

½ cup porridge oats

2 Tablespoons honey
¼ cup powdered milk

Mix ingredients together and put onto a large square of muslin. Bring the square together and tie some string or ribbon around, and tie a tiche knot. Hang the bag onto your bath tap, so the running water goes through the bag as it fills your bath. small fabric bag (muslin works well for this). Tie the bag

Oat Face Mask

This soothing yoghurt mask from the book ‘Natural Beauty’ by Roy Genders, helps to reduce large pores and clear skin of impurities. It really makes your face feel soft and smooth.

2 tablespoons oats or oatmeal
2 tablespoons of natural yoghurt

Grind the oats or oatmeal to a fine powder using a mortar and pestle, or blend in a blender. Stir into yoghurt and place in the fridge for several hours. Remove from fridge and apply thickly to face. Leave on for 30 minutes before rinsing off in lukewarm water containing a little lemon juice.

Oatmeal Soap on a Rope

This is really easy to make, and lasts for weeks.

1 large bar of soap
3 - 4 tablespoons oatmeal
4 - 5 tablespoons water

Firstly, grind your oatmeal in a blender until finely milled, but stop grinding before it reduces to flour, as you want some texture to help exfoliate the skin.

Grate the bar of soap and put into a large microwaveable bowl with the water. Microwave on high for 2 - 3 minutes, making sure that the soap doesn’t bubble over. Stir every minute.

Once the soap has dissolved, add the oatmeal until you are happy with the consistency. Then pour into a mold and let the soap cool. If you like your soap on a rope, you can add some rope into the mould while it is setting – pour half of the soap into the mould, then add the rope, then top up with the remaining soap.