Toxin-Free Itch Relief: My Oatmeal Bath Recipe
Skip the store-bought oatmeal baths and oatmeal lotions for itch relief! Save your money, your skin, and your health by making your own safe version!
This Aveeno baby oatmeal bath only lists active ingredients on the box. In fact, none of the Aveeno Oatmeal baths list their inactive ingredients on the boxes.
Active Ingredients:
Colloidal oatmeal 43%(Skin protectant)
Inactive Ingredients:
Mineral Oil, Calcium Silicate, Laureth-4
LET’S INVESTIGATE THOSE INACTIVE INGREDIENTS.
Mineral Oil is a Possible Carcinogen
According to SafeCosmetics.org, mildly refined mineral oils always contain significant amounts of PAHs.
Laureth is a Possible Carcinogen
Laureth is also a potential carcinogen because 1,4-dioxane (not on any ingredient list) is an accidental by-product of a petrochemical process used to make Laureth’s harsh ingredients milder. It’s also an eye and skin irritant.
Sources:
"Natural" products contain carcinogenic contaminant -EWG
The Dirty Dozen: Sodium Laureth Sulfate -David Suzuki Foundation
What Makes You Itch?
Many things can make you want to scratch:
- Eczema
- Dry skin
- Dermatitis
- Psoriasis
- Poison ivy
- Insect Bites
- Hives
- Shingles
- Chickenpox
- Sunburn
When soaking our children and ourselves, especially with open rashes, let’s make sure the soak ingredients and the lotion we put on afterwards are safe.
Oatmeal Bath Recipe for Itch Relief
1 cup of sometimes called “old fashioned” or whole oats/oatmeal
½ cup of Epsom salts
2 Tbsp baking soda
**To enhance the effectiveness of the powdered oats, I like to add magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts) and bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
Place the ingredients in a blender and pulse. When all the oat flakes are ground down to a fine powder, it is done.
To Use: Make sure the bath water is lukewarm, not hot. Sprinkle 1 cup of your DIY oatmeal under running water as the tub fills.
Soak for about 10-15 minutes. The water should feel soft and silky on your skin. **If you soak too long, your skin will dry out. That will make your itch worse.
After the bath, gently pat yourself dry so your skin still feels damp.
Immediately apply a gentle, fragrance-free moisturizer with all safe, nourishing ingredients. My #1 choice is the Lotus Glow Balm. It’s incredibly moisturizing and soothing. Use on dry, itchy and reddened skin as a calming balm. Here are some additional safe, fragrance-free nontoxic moisturizers. They are scented only with natural ingredients, so you get itch relief and smell good without the toxic or harmful-to-your-health-ingredients.
To Reduce The Itching
If you do not have time for a bath or need additional itch relief, I have found this combination to be safe and effective.
First, dot some pure Aloe Vera on the area.
Then, add a dot of Counter+ Charcoal Facial Mask and let it dry.
