Oatmeal soap is a cleanser that both nourishes and exfoliates. To make your own soap, you will need 2 cups of ground glycerin soap base, 1 cup of ground oatmeal, 1 tsp. of honey and 5 tbsps. of water. The recipe goes as follows: Cook your glycerin soap base, honey and water until the glycerin has melted. Mix in the ground oatmeal and pour the mix into molds of your choice. Allow the soap to cool, and then place it in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Remove the soap from the molds and use it on a regular basis.
Glycerin
Glycerin is considered a moisturizing aid for the skin because of its hygroscopic properties, which, according to the website PioneerThinking, means it absorbs moisture from the air. The website TeachSoap notes that when glycerin is used as a soap base, it leaves a thin layer on your skin that makes it feel soft and healthy. Glycerin is a solvent and is colorless unless it is mixed with goat's milk, which gives it a milky and opaque quality that adds nourishment to your skin.
Oatmeal
Botanically known as Avena sativa, oats contain 50 percent starch and other alkaloids, saponins and sterols, as well as vitamin B. It is also rich in silic acid and calcium, according to "The New Holistic Herbal" by herbalist David Hoffmann. The high silic acid level makes it a healing remedy for skin conditions such as burns and eczema, according to the Mayo Clinic. Ground oats in soaps gently exfoliate the skin, helping to cleanse the body by removing dead skin cells.
Honey
Honey is highly moisturizing and is considered a natural anti-bacterial and anti-microbial that fights skin irritation and infection, according to herbalist Rosemary Gladstar in her book "Family Herbal--A Guide to Living Life with Energy, Health and Vitality." It is also a nourishing agent, as it contains a range of minerals, including calcium, iron, silica, phosphorus, magnesium and manganese, as well as Vitamin B, according to the website EarthClinic.
Water
It is important to use distilled water when making your oatmeal soap, because tap water may contain traces of chemicals. Additionally, distilled water does not contain minerals and is considered soft, which is useful for soap making, according to the website SoapMakingEssentials.
References
- Pioneer Thinking: What is Glycerin
- Teach Soap: Soap Making Methods
- "The New Holistic Herbal"; David Hoffmann; 1995
- Mayo Clinic: Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema)
- "Family Herbal a Guide to Living Life with Energy, Health and Vitality"; Rosemary Gladstar; 2001
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