Spotlight On Colloidal Oatmeal - What is it, and what does it do?
Updated: Oct 15, 2022
Ever taken an Aveeno bath or been recommended to take one? When I used to suffer from chronic urticaria (hives) - an autoimmune condition now better known as CIU - I was often recommended to take an oatmeal bath; advice I always rejected, because hives come from the inside out (caused by a mysterious allergic reaction or an overactive immune system that attacks the body's own mast cells). There is no stopping the itch from chronic hives with topical treatments because chronic hives simply don't disappear or heal from the outside in. However, my youthful pooh-poohing aside, oatmeal does serve a VERY important purpose in the tub. If you suffer from skin-surface conditions like heat rash; poison ivy; insect bites; cuts and scrapes; rosacea; sunburn; eczema; or any type of dry, irritated skin, oats may very well provide the natural, inexpensive relief you have been looking for.
Colloidal Oatmeal vs Regular Oatmeal
You may have seen the term 'colloidal oatmeal' appear on natural skin care products and bath products. Perhaps this has you wondering: what is the difference between colloidal oatmeal, and the steel-cut, quick or instant oats you eat for breakfast every morning? The answer isn't simple, but it's fairly straightforward in that oats are oats. Oats contain B vitamins and skin-soothing, inflammation-reducing compounds whether they come in whole, unflavoured form or in powdered form, like colloidal oatmeal does. The main difference is that colloidal oatmeal, which contains the extremely valuable oat bran, is finely powdered into particles of such a small size that the skin can readily absorb it and take full advantage of its soothing, moisturizing, softening powers.
Skin Care Benefits of Colloidal Oatmeal
The humble oats you used to have to eat for breakfast instead of the Lucky Charms your childish heart desired, may benefit you as much on the outside as the inside! Colloidal oatmeal can:
Protect against pollutants with its antioxidant benefits
Soothe common sensitive skin issues like rough, dry skin, rosacea and dermatitis
Control acne
Calm the redness and pain of sunburned, scraped or irritated skin
Act as an antihistamine (see, those hives doctors were really on to something)
Stimulate collagen production
Reduces itching from rashes and sores like chicken pox
Is it any wonder that colloidal oatmeal appears in so many lotions, creams, baths, and other natural skin care and personal care products?
How to Make Colloidal Oatmeal More Effective One of the best ways to benefit from colloidal oatmeal is in a bath; after all, your entire body will be immersed, and able to soak up the myriad benefits. But the only thing better than one skin-softening natural ingredient is, in our opinion, more than one! In this case, more is more - especially in our rushed and hectic lives, making the most of bath time is important. That's why our Lav You Forever Oatmeal Bath Tub Tea contains not only colloidal oatmeal and whole oats (which dissolve in the tea bag underwater) but also pH-balancing baking soda and incredibly luxurious coconut milk powder. This is a true milk bath, vegan-style: silky smooth water, scented with a hint of lavender essential oil and lavender buds, with no bits to float down the drain - just discard the oversized tea bag when you're done.
We've introduced three ways to Lav You Forever!
-Single bath sachet
-Set of 4 bath sachets
-Value bag with reusable muslin bag - just fill it halfway with the oatmeal bath, tie it, place under hot running water, and when your soak is over, discard the contents so you can rinse out and reuse the muslin bag for bath after bath.
We've got you covered this summer...if it ever warms up enough to go to the cottage and get sunburned and bitten, Lav You Forever will take the sting away!