I know this is insane, but I kind of feel like we are still struggling to get back to a sense of normal after the holidays. I know, I know, you’re thinking we’re in mid-to-late January now and what the heck is wrong with me.
Well, I’ve been in a cloud of transferring my scratch notes to computerized sewing files, teaching myself to quilt, secretly searching online for another treadle for who knows what reason (hopefully Matt won’t read this!), chasing after my two crazy kiddos, and kind of, sort of catching up on Parenthood episodes (the only show I watch)!
But, I guess, in short, the holidays are just a whirlwind that takes weeks to recover from around here! And in my defense, lots of people do still have those inflatable Christmas lawn decorations still up and we’re approaching Valentine’s Day now. I think we should focus on what’s wrong with them…
Anyhoo, today I wanted to post a recipe for the best dry skin bath soak I have ever tried. With this frigid winter air, my skin is getting super dry! Surprise, the ingredients to concoct the cure have been hiding in my kitchen all these years! I think Aveeno made a boatload of cash off of me over the years due to this oversight. I used to go through those oatmeal bath packets like nobody’s business back in the 90’s! Ha, ha!
Seriously, though, unfortunately for my kids, they have inherited my dry, irritated, hive-y-at-times outer layer. Luckily, I am just totally and completely obsessed with my new blender and always on the hunt for any way to use it. But that’s beside the point. I have to tell you about the perfect recipe for dry, irritated skin. It’s so easy, it’s almost ridiculous. And, of course, the best part is that it actually works.
I used the following:
2 cups oatmeal
2 tablespoons coconut oil
a small bowl
a blender/food processor
3-5 drops essential oils of your choice* (I almost exclusively use this brand
*I want to mention here that if you wish to add essential oils, please, please, please consult an essential oils guide written by someone who is certified as knowledgeable in this area – especially if you have young kids. Though they are a more natural approach than other ‘supplements’ you can buy over the counter, they are very powerful and should be used with care. Some oils shouldn’t be used on children of a certain age, for example. Also, you will need to know what oil to use for your specific situation. (I use this book for my family. I like the format of alphabetical listings of conditions and then suggested oils that are known to be effective. I also like that it clearly outlines what oils and in what quantities are to be used at what age. )
Sorry. You know me; I tend to get wordy. Back to making our bath soak.
Pour your oatmeal into your blender/food processor. Tear open your bag of so-soothing chamomile tea and pour those contents into your blender also. Blend until your mixture resembles a fine salt/powder texture – about a minute. That’s it for the dry part!
Now take that to your bathtub along with your essential oils (if using) and your coconut oil. You want to warm the coconut oil in your hands until it’s melted and place it in a little bowl. Add your essential oils to this mixture and blend thoroughly.
While running your bath water, sprinkle the oatmeal/tea mixture under the faucet. Mix the oatmeal in to the water until there’s little to no clumps. After that is well-mixed, pour your coconut and essential oil (if you are using oils – if not, just the coconut) mixture into the tub. Mix that in really well.
And now you can get in and enjoy!
I like to use this soak on the kids right before bed. It’s nice and relaxing, and the coconut oil stays on your skin like a rich, luxurious (okay, kind of greasy, but that’s good for me!) lotion.
I love it and use it throughout winter to keep the ashy knees at bay!
As a matter of fact, I think I’ll whip up a batch for tonight’s bath!
What’s your favorite natural winter skin soother?
SewOldSchool 
Sounds awesome!
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