So, by now you’ve probably come to terms with bubble baths not necessarily being the healthiest, most nourishing alternative for your skin.
C’est la vie, crunchy people. C’est la vie.
Life goes on, and in much more luxurious, relaxing ways.
Here are your 5 ideas to turn your bathtime into a grown-up spa fit for a queen. Or a Kardashian. Or a Kardashian’s stylist (she probably really needs some spa time right now).
Or you.
Each of them serve a beautifying purpose, and each of them are (of course) environmentally friendly and 100% natural. Straight from nature. No synthetic chemicals applied.
1. Milk and Honey – Bathe Like an Egyptian
You may have heard of Cleopatra. She ruled Egypt. She was beautiful. And she bathed in milk and honey.
As cliche as it may sound, bathing in milk and honey is a fantastic way to get soft, supple skin – all over your body. The lactic acid in milk is very exfoliating, and honey is softening, moisturizing, and all-around beautifying.
The key is to use full-fat milk (or powdered milk) and pure honey. Full-fat milk will not only exfoliate the skin, but it will also moisturize.
How to take a milk and honey bath: Pour 1-2 cups of milk (or 1/2 c. full-fat powdered milk) and 1/2 c. honey under running, warm water. Swish around to mix, and hop in. Close your eyes and imagine 5 beautiful servant men fanning you with palm leaves. Repeat as necessary.
For full effect, brush your skin lightly and in circular motions with a dry brush or a washcloth before getting in the bathtub.
2. Soak in Champagne or Red Wine
It may not be economically feasible to soak in wine or champagne daily, but this bath is a decadent (and highly effective) treat for any skin type. In fact, the veritable Teri Hatcher swears by her wine baths as antiaging and skin softening.
The polyphenols in red wine are incredible antioxidants (read: antiaging) and the tartaric acid in champagne lightens skin and helps reduce discoloration and fine lines. Both red wine and champagne are also great for cleansing pores and then reducing their appearance.
Lest you think this is still a wasteful idea, let it be known that bathing with either of these two heavenly liquids after they’ve gone flat or turned is still a very beautifying experience.
So never again will you have to throw out that last cup of champagne or wine that’s sat alone in the back of the fridge. Now, you can bathe in it. Genius!
How to take a wine or champagne bath: Simply pour a glass (or more) of red wine or champagne into your running bath. Soak for 20 minutes. Feel extravagant.
3. Rejuvenate with Epsom Salts – Sexier Than You Think
Want to feel like you just left a full-body massage given by a man named Hans Hermann (nickname: The Austrian Biceps) without leaving your house? Soak your body in some epsom salts.
Here’s the coolest thing I know about epsom salts: Scientists have proven that your body actually soaks UP the magnesium in epsom salts when you bathe in it. So taking a bath in them is akin to getting a good dose of magnesium.
What does magnesium do? It relaxes you. It soothes aching muscles. It regulates blood pressure. It regenerates and heals skin cells.
And soaking in epsom salts themselves? It reduces swelling, helps heal bruises, and detoxifies your system handily.
So even though the words “epsom salts” may make you think of old ladies in knee-high stockings getting lectured by their doctor, trust me, it’s sexier than you think.
(For the record, any time I ever actually take a bath, epsom salts are ALWAYS involved. Usually, I will add several drops of peppermint essential oil, too.)
How to take an epsom salt bath: Add 1-1/2 to 2 cups epsom salt to your running bathwater. If desired, before adding the salt to your bath, drop in 10-20 drops of your favorite essential oil to the epsom salts. Stir well, and then add to the bathwater.
4. Customize Your Bliss with an Herbal Bath
There are a thousand different ways you can take an herbal bath, and each of them are decidedly healing and relaxing.
You don’t need to run out to the store for dried herbs to take a relaxing herbal bath, by the way. You already have perfect options in your kitchen cabinet right now:
- Sage: Uplifting, calming and astringent – GREAT for people with oily skin or back acne
- Rosemary: Relaxing and great for alertness, also astringent and clarifying
- Peppermint: Energizing (or relaxing) and clarifying
- Chamomile: Extremely relaxing and calming – perfect for dry or irritated skin
- Green Tea: Energizing and mood stabilizing – also antioxidant, antiaging, and very healing for any skin type
Or, of course, you could use things like lavender, rose petals, calendula, orange peels … the list goes on and on.
How to take an herbal bath: While you could make little herbal bath bags, my new favorite way is to brew a very strong tea ahead of time using the herbs (and essential oils, if I want an extra kick). Brew 1-2 cups of very strong herbal tea. Strain and add it to your running bathwater. Then, take the remaining brewed herbs and place them in the middle of a washcloth. Gather the washcloth together at the top and tie tightly with a string or a hair tie. Leave it in the bath as you soak, and then scrub well with it before getting out of the tub.
5. Soften and Soothe the Oatmeal Way
Back in the olden days, when I was a medical transcriptionist, nearly every doctor I had the pleasure of listening to recommended Aveeno baths to the patients who had sunburn, rashes, dry skin, eczema, psoriasis … anything itchy, really.
Would you like to know the only active ingredient in Aveeno soothing baths? Oatmeal. That is all.
And it’s not just for people with dry and itchy skin. Oatmeal is also great for acneic skin, oily skin, and aging skin.
It’s just … softening. Soothing. It caresses your body and makes it feel brand new.
You want to bathe in it. Trust me.
How to take an oatmeal bath: Fill a knee-high nylon or thin sock without holes with 1/2 to 1 c. of oatmeal (not quick cooking or instant). Tie tightly at the top. Place it in your warm bath, with you, and squeeze it softly every so often to release the oatmeal “water.” Before leaving the bathtub, scrub your entire body lightly with the sock. To clean: Over a trash can, turn the sock inside out and scrape all of the oatmeal off the outside, then rinse well with warm water. Wash as normal.
Do You Have a Favorite Bath Additive?
Like we discussed in yesterday’s post, bubble baths aren’t all that great for your skin (and most commercial bubble baths contain unhealthy, skin-irritating ingredients).
Have you ever tried bathing with one of these ideas?
Or do you have a favorite bath additive that I skipped here?
Sorry to Burst Your Homemade Bubble Bath
I have read so many articles regarding the blogger lovers but this
paragraph is actually a nice post, keep it up.
I have a different approach to the oatmeal bath. organic oat flour!
Aveeno packets list only one ingredient… “colloidal oats”… the word “colloidal” simply means microscopic particles…. cooking flour is not quite as fine as the aveeno powder, but almost….. so i just buy organic oat flour at the local health food store (and aveeno is probably not organic)…. and dissolve a cup of oat flour into the bathwater… Depending on my moods or needs I might add corn starch, almond oil, epsom salts, peppermint or lavender oil, or unpasturized honey as well… but there is almost always a cup of organic oat flour in my bath!
Thanks for great information,Really this post is interesting,I always appreciate such type of posts, I think the work done by the author is really great.
I’ve tried teas and Epsom salts. But I’ve also found a combination of green tea (hoji-cha, and oolong from YAMAMOTOYAMA are my favorites) and cooking spices and herbs. I boiled water and put a bay leaf in it, then poured that concoction into my bath along with the tea for an aromatic and relaxing bath. Not to mention tea bags can be used to exfoliate and reduce puffiness under your eyes. I don’t know what bay leaves does for your skin but i do know that the smell from it is relaxing, and it will open up your nose if your a bit stuffy.
Link exchange is nothing else but it is just placing the other person’s weblog link on your page at proper place and other
person will also do same in favor of you.
If you love a relaxing bath check out Bath Relaxer®. A cleverly designed little inflatable cushion which sits half way down the bath under your bottom to stop you sliding. Three suction cups hold it tightly in place, ensuring that you have the most relaxing bath experience ever. No more sliding – simple as that! Bath Relaxer® can also be used as a bath pillow to rest your head, neck and back on.
No matter what I do with my Joomla homepage, I can’t take the giant Joomla banner off of the top of the screen and replace it with my own. Does anybody know how to do this?.
birkenstock gizeh sale
Best bath recipes
yoooooooo if you are a vaagina owner, do not take baths with things that have sugar in them, you can use a sugar scrub as long as it does not get in the Bermuda triangle area. Your vagina is a diabetic! no sugar! you will get an infection!
Lorsque cette buvette faussée ourle inconfortable ce tour, celui-là marche stimuler 1 milliard pareillement dollars
fiel indivisible bicross également 10 milliards absence
bénéfices analogue en même temps que loyaux inattentions
Man, u need to use something other than google translate if you want people to belive you when you pretend to speak french.
Tɦank you, this is the worst thing I’ve stսdy
oatmeal?
One look at his mother’s face and he knew that she was aware of that awful night.
Drew stayed there a little longer, so this fan came running up to
our publicist and said ‘Well, where’s Jonathan’. [Related: Kelly Osbourne has maintained 50-lb weight loss for over 2 years].
Do you use dried herbs or can you use fresh ones??
Ok this is a rather silly question but I have NEVER taken a bath before because I’m just a shower fanatic. Anyway, I was wondering after you soak in the bath do u have to rinse off after your done with soap or do you just rise off with the shower and step out the bath? Lol
When you have finished just sitting in the bath put soap on then lie down and relax hope this helped
Why would you tell somebody to put soap or one without rinsing it off to dry out their skin?
Amber I’ve always taken a quick shower rinse after a bath. I lather up all over once then rine, and get out.
I just had a shower and used milk and hony instead of soap, my sking feels great and i was wondering if it can be left in the face as a night cream? And no i have not asked the same question, this is the first time i am at this site
I just had a shower and used milk and hony instead of soap, my sking feels great and i was wondering if it can be left in the face as a night cream?
A oatmeal bath for eczema really does help also.
I like to watch tv
I love your idea for the Egyptian bath using milk and honey, how creative !
My reccomendation. Oatmeal, Sage, Fennel seeds, green tea,good quality coffee (preferably from a local roastery), and epsom salt. Blend it in a coffee grinder until powdery). Then add 2 drops of Sweet orange oil and 2 drops of teatree oil. Why fennel seeds read this http://www.stylecraze.com/articles/amazing-benefits-of-fennel-seeds/ . It makes you feel great and makes your skin and hair shine and glow.
Wow, my mind is blown haha. I never new there were so many natural remedies for your skin problems that not only help with those, but stimulate the senses than putting on the boring Old Spice body wash i’ve been using for the past five years (i’m a guy, please forgive me :). I just had an epiphany that bathing is one of the most important things you do everyday, so why not splurge extra there (I’m cost-watching guy, hence the old spice). But this is a million times better for you, relaxes the mind, makes you feel better, and hell, skin is the one of the most important things that we should be taking care of, right? Literally about to go to the store and try each of these out one day this week as we dive in the New Year! Thanks Betz!
-Amrith
Hi I have 4 children and 2 have the eczema really bad and I find the oat mix for the bath is fantastic but I have also discovered that since the kids have eaten porridge for breakfast with honey and blueberries you would never know from looking that they even suffer from it. It has cleared up incredibly. so externally and internally oats are great.
This is a topic which is near to my heart… Many thanks!
Exactly where are your contact details though?
I’m very into homemade anything and recycling anything possible. I’m trying to become much healthier and conservative. So far I’ve only read about the baths but I love that! I made a binder of all homemade face masks and make up and what not’s that work great and I just added these in there. Though I was wondering, for the oatmeal bath, is there any specific type or brand of oatmeal that you would prefer over another? Possibly anything organic? Same with the red wines! Any 2 or 3 specific wines you’d recommend over another?! THANKS!!! 🙂
Yay thank you so much for this awesome list! I could really use the milk & honey as well as the epson salts. Do you think I could use them all together and maybe add vanilla, lavender, or peppermint for relaxation? 🙂
Honeyed bathwater. *sigh* You’ll believe you’re Cleopatra.
It’s great for the hair, too. My hair loves honey!
I’ve not tried any of the other suggestions: so many luxurious bath options! I can’t wait to try them all!
I make my own rosewater for the bathwater (I’m guessing it’s the astringent or alcohol content that leaves my tub shiny and bright afterwards). Also, I have tried making fresh coconut milk for the bath. Words cannot express how soft and fragrant both my skin and hair were with both these positively luxurious bath additions! The problem is, shelflife, esp. with the coconut milk: it has almost no shelf life. *Sob*
Homemade Rosewater lasts about 6 months if bottled properly and refrigerated. 1-2 months in refrigerated clean repurposed wine bottles.
If you have 2-4 T lavender buds, or even better, a fresh lavender plant, do this for me:
*Cut some flowers and stuff into the toe of a clean sock, tieing with an overhand knot or wrap into a washcloth. Or you can use a rubber band to hold the contents in.
*Scrub lightly with the washcloth, using it plain or with soap, like a loofah sponge; and occasionally, let it float in the tub, sponging up warm bathwater and squeezing the fragrant contents into the hot bath.
*Squeeze the bathwater contents of the fragrant loofah over your head, face, anywhere on the body. You can also rub the fragrant contents on your skin and hair once your bath is complete and before towel drying. You’ll feel absolutely clean and the smell is utterly relaxing, so prepare for a snooze in the tub or shortly afterwards.
My personal favorite bath soak, is 1/2 cup white vinegar, and 1/4 cup hydrogen peroxide (3%). The vinegar helps balance the body’s PH, gets rid of stubborn dead skin cells to make your skin nice and soft, and is an anti-fungal so it helps prevent yeast infections. The peroxide is an anti-bacterial so it helps your body fight various skin infections like acne or razor burns. I had a serious problem with chronic bladder infections that kept putting me in the hospital, with really bad bleeding etc… this bath soak in combination with an as-needed antibiotic from my doctor has cured it. i almost never have to use the antibiotic.
ロンシャン京都
I’m home alone on a Sat. night after gardening all afternoon. I decided to take a bath but no bath salts left. no money and already half-naked, I googled natural soothing bath treatment in desperation, and after getting through all the ADVERTISEMENTS – I came to “5 Natural…” @ Crunchy Betty. It was exactly what I wanted. WOW! I love it. I don’t really want to figure out who is Crunchy Betty right now; just get into the bathtub.. But I will come back and check more of your advice and tips. THanks for a lovely evening
Do you think I could do a bath with milk, honey, AND oatmeal?I loved the results of milk and honey!
Yes you can, I just did. I altered it a bit to be a chai bath; milk, honey, cinnamon, cardamon, ginger, vanilla, nutmeg and some tea bags for the chai, and then the oatmeal… because I have it! It worked great and smelled great and my skin feels super soft!
That sounds absolutely amazing! I LOVE Chai! I just found this article because my skin has been super dry (happens easily working in the warehouse!)
Great Article. Thank you.
I use black tea and epsom salts. 🙂 it makes my skin extremely soft, and blemish free. 🙂 helps with scar tissue, too.
Also, soy milk or almond milk are nice alternatives to cow’s milk. Or goat milk if you want to get really fancy.
Sliced lemons or limes, or lemons AND limes. Slice them, then give the slices a squeeze into the bath water and then drop all the slices in. This is powerful fresh Vitamin C, plus lemon is a natural skin-brightener, AND the bath will smell delicious and fresh. Add bath salts (or, if you’re on a budget, just common table salt) and some green tea bags. If you have a Korean or Japanese store near you, you can buy a huge bag of green tea bags for cheap … or just order them online. This is my favorite go-to bath using common and easy to get items.
mmm….nice
Does taking milk baths whiten the skin?
Nope! But it makes your skin amazingly soft.
Not necessarily. Unless you repeatedly bathe in it and you use a gallon of milk no. For paler skin milk baths help……….. but you need a lot of milk to actually pale it.
Apple cider vinegar and ginger, when I’m sick! The ginger makes your body sweat out the toxins and the Apple cider vinegar makes my skin and hair shiny and soft.
My favorite is 1 cup dry milk powder, I tsp. matcha (blend together) and 2 tablespoons coconut oil (don’t really have to premelt because the heat from the water will do it for you. Dump in the bath and relax!
Casey How much coffee and sea salt did you use I would love to try this because I am starting to have some cellulite on my thighs. Thanks!
Baking soda! Baking soda is a wonderful exfoliant (it leaves your skin silky soft!) and soothes rashes and irritated skin. Borax on the other hand can help with yeast infections.
Really? How much do you use? I have yeast infection that never goes away no matter what medications I use!
Cleopatra was neither Egyptian nor was she beautiful. She was from Greece
that depends on which cleopatra you are talking about.
But no doubt she knew how to catch a man!
Yup. Marc Antony and a fellow you may have heard of, Julius Caesar… why aren’t handsome army generals and dictators lining up for me?!? Got to try the milk and honey bath…
I bathed with sea salt and instant coffee for about 2 months and it removed stretchmarks and cellulite. I mixed the same ingredients into my body wash and used it when I showered too. Use a non-harsh loofah.
Hey Casey, that bath sounds wonderful! I definitely have trouble with cellulite & stretch marks. I was wondering what amount of sea salt and instant coffee you added?
Could you tell me how much salt and coffee you used?
It’s certainly not a favorite, but adding a little more than 2 capfuls (that’s CAP of the bottle, NOT cup) to your bath (adjusting as you add more water) and soaking for 10-15 is a good way to eliminate bacteria. I took it when I had staph (if you do, clean your tub after!!), but I still take them occasionally now.
If you think this is bad, ask any dermatologist, they’ll agree that a deluded bleach bath can be good. You can shower after if you don’t like smelling like bleach.
I’ve also heard it helps with poison ivy.
My dermatologist also recommended bleach baths for my eczema, 1/2 cup in a full tub. Reason being that eczema is caused by allergies to common bacterias, the bleach baths kill bacteria on your skin. This worked WONDERS for me.
Also works well on STAPH infections and MRSA.
My favorite addition is the best sunburn cure ever! Add 4-5 bags of green tea and about 1/2 cup of baking soda to your hot bath and soak for at least 10 minutes. Usually my burn is gone by the next day!
Have you tried the jelly baths that are so popular in Japan? I haven’t, as I don’t have a bath tub, but I’m curious to know what folks think of it.
I think I may just try the milk and honey bath tonight. Thanks for the tip. 😀
The milk and honey sounds divine maybe WITH a glass of red wine to drink. 😉 We love DIYs at taaz.com, come share if you’d like!
I am just learning about transdermal magnesium therapy all the benefits it carries. I have been doing a mag salt spray and a mag oil rub – I think it makes a big difference and epsom salt baths help too!
I just took a milk and honey bath.. and it was wonderful! My skin is so soft.. but I did notice when I shaved my legs that I got razor burn.. was that from the lactic acid in the milk? Also, when you say full fat milk, do you mean whole milk or 2%? (I used 2% because that’s what I had) Thanks for the great post and blog. Also I just got the book and I love it! Next thing to try: Oatmeal bath. =)
sorry if this question is a little….tmi? but do you ever feel a little … strange in the *ahem* nether regions when adding peppermint oil to your bath water? i had some uncomfortable situations using the doc bronner’s peppermint castile soap, and i’m curious if taking a bath with peppermint oil is as strong as actually washing with the soap. i’d prefer to find out before i try it of course haha.
I’m not sure exactly what you mean by “uncomfortable situations”, but while I LOVE dr. Bronners for lots of applications I have been specifically instructed by my obgyn not to use it (or any other harsh soaps) on my, ahem, nether regions because they can lead to yeast infections. It may be that it wasn’t specifically the peppermint that caused the irritation, but a harsh ph level. Just a thought.
I just took a bath with oatmeal and loved it. I tend to prefer showers to baths, but this was so relaxing I think I’ll do it again whenever I’m under a lot of stress. It was so relaxing! I didn’t have plain oatmeal, so I used a multigrain type with barley and a few other grains mixed in, but it seemed to work well. It was easy to wash out the sock, too.
Do you think I could do a bath with milk, honey, AND oatmeal? Or will it somehow “cancel out” some of the benefits?
No, it will have 2 times as many goodness.
I loved the results of milk and honey! It was amazing! You know how some people are funny looking but completely beautiful because of their personality? I have some funky facial features that hold me back a lot. Now I am beautiful because of my skin and my personality! My skin is soft and glowing, and that in itself makes me more confident and happy. Thanks so much for the tip(:
Do the oats help with acne at all??????
I may have missed something but I want to make sure, because I have really bad body acne.
Bacne
Whatever you want to call it.
Amber, yes, you should definitely use the oatmeal bath recipe for acne! I’ve had bacne in the past and regularly slathered an oatmeal mask on it for 20 minutes a few times a week, and it really helped me! So while I haven’t tried the above method, I bet it would definitely help you. Let us know if it does!
It may not be a bath recipie, but one way to fight acne with oatmeal is to take a handful of oats and a bag of green tea, mix to a powder and use in place of a facial cleanser. It works wonders
I want to try ALL of these… and I’m going to add lavender to each one! 🙂
How I wish my toilet was bigger! I’d probably bring some of these ingredients with me next time I go on holiday and rent a hotel room equipped with a tub!
You have to request a room with a tub? And you wish your toilet was bigger?….WHERE ARE YOU FROM???!
“Toilet” means “bathroom.” (Think about it… not all “bathrooms” have baths, do they?) Anywhere in Europe you may have to request a tub.
You must be American. Hence the arrogant ignorance
When my daughter was in a car accident and had soft tissue injuries in her neck and back the chiropractor we were seeing prescribed the following bath. We affectionately call it our “Salad Bath”
1 cup Epsom Salts
1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Tbs. Fresh Ginger
Her response to it was she felt like a wet noodle, and slept like a baby.
My massage therapist always instructs me to take a “detox bath” after a massage. Alot of toxins get loosened up inside you after a massage so this bath combo helps draw them all out. But you don’t need to limit it to post-massage, she says it helps her any day she’s feeling (“poopy”) not so great.
1/2 cup Epson salts
1/2 cup Salt
1/2 cup Baking Soda
It works great, is super easy, and helps anytime 🙂
Very cool recipe. Thank you 😉
I love to bathe, and you’ve just given me 5 extra reasons to take a bath tonight 🙂
Christy- eczema- boo, but try a calendula cream/ointment for those times when you can’t bathe in oatmeal. you can find some with decent ingredients at whole foods (but be careful, there were so many with fragrance, BAH) Welenda baby care calendula is ok, I just got some calendula flowers to make my own from mountain herbs cause i have all the time eczema…
Betty- oh my gosh! the last cup of red wine, you totally are my hero, I always feel so bad throwing anything out, but that flat wine, I just look the other way as it goes down the sink- NO MORE! WOO HOO
and thanks for the tip on bubble bath, i made some for the kids and my nieces for Christmas, and um, BOO, it’s not so bubbly. Thier skin feels great from the other au natural ingredients, but they were disappointed by the lack of bubble. You saved me scouring the internet for a better recipe.
WoW Wine Baths, I will give it a try this weekend! It’s probably diluted enough to not stain your skin right?
Good to know about the oatmeal, my son just got Poison Ivy and I saw the Aveeno oatmeal at CVS for $10 and wanted to make it at home but didn’t know if ‘Colloidal oatmeal’ was something special, now I know.
Thanks!
Fricking love these ideas. You seriously rock!!!!!!!
Now I’m going to sing “Bathe like an Egyptian” all day. 🙂
Do you think it’s possible to just use a soaked oatmeal sock to rub over eczema spots? I have two kids under two years old (read: no time to take a bath), but just developed a few really random patches of eczema. I’d love to get the oatmeal benefits without taking a whole bath. (I know, I should make time for such luxuries . . . but if I can just hold an oatmeal-filled sock to my elbow and be able to talk to my husband on the couch at the same time, that’d be super.)
P.S. I’m day 9 no ‘poo, thanks largely in part to your blogs about it. 🙂
You can I do both of my daughters have patches of eczema I soak the sock in warm water then just rub it over the spots its gets like a slimy coating thats what you rub on there and then just keep applying for a while then rinse off.
Christy, try using Coconut Oil on the eczema. That’s what we’ve found works best…usually I’ll apply it 3-4 times a day and the eczema is usually gone after 3-4 days.
Yeah, I’ve tried coconut oil. It helps with the itching temporarily, but hasn’t stopped the spread. I’ve wondered if maybe it’s a yeast issue and not eczema???
I have patches of eczima I tried everything that I read on the internet I also went to several doctors aroud the world and all of that didn’t work. In the past couple of months I have found two creams that cured my eczima. The first one is called Latriderm cream (15g), first you should soak a cloth in hot water with salt (for each cup of water add 3 table spoons of salt) then press it gently on the eczima keep it for a minute. Then dry the are and add the cream, you should do this every morning and night and the eczima will be gone by 3-4 days. The other cream that I use is called Elica (mometasone Furoate 0.1% w/w)., I apply it every morning and night for 2 weeks then the eczima is gone, and just to be on the safe side apply it for 2 more weeks but not daily maybe just in the weekend morning and night. This will remove the eczima perminantly. My docter have also adviced me to not cover the eczima with anything becouse this would prevent the oxygen reacting with the eczima and that would lead to a bigger patch of eczima.
Use Argan Oil for ecsema. You can search about it on google.
Oatmeal baths are GREAT for eczema! I’ve had pretty bad eczema since I was a baby and I love taking oatmeal baths. Also, you can buy oatmeal bath powder, which is what I like to use.
http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=16475&catid=290055&aid=337953&aparam=aveeno_soothing_bath_tre&CAWELAID=61248254
Just make sure it’s only oatmeal in the ingredients, as your kids probably have sensitive skin.
You can even rub the clumps of oatmeal (which will become like paste in the water- you’ll see) on red irritated areas.
I’d be cautious about the coconut oil, or any oil for that matter. Allergies to oils like that are common.
Right after the bath, put lotion like Vanicream (the purest cream I’ve found–no lanolin, proteins, formaldehyde chemicals, or fragrences) on, then Vaseline to hold in the moisture.
…
I just now realized that you said your kids are tiny and can’t take baths.
Sorry!
You can still rub the powdered oatmeal on your kids with some water to make a paste, and the lotion and Vaseline thing is true. Definitely be moisturizing as much as possible with the least amount of irritants, preservatives, and fragrances possible, that’s the most important thing.
Some might tell you to use Eucerine lotion–this is not the most sensitive you can get, though it is great for those who aren’t irritated by it. Aquaphor has lanolin–NOT good, it’s made from sheep’s wool, or skin, or something, and treated with a ton of chemicals.Some doctors may suggest Crisco–yes, Crisco, the stuff you used in the best cookies and fried chicken. My momma used this on me when I was a baby, and it worked great. Years later, I tried it again, and couldn’t figure out why I was getting irritated. I had since developed an allergy to soy and Crisco doesn’t tell you about some oils they use (like soybean oil) on their packaging. So be cautious of this one.
Vanicream products are the best I’ve used so far.http://www.psico.com/products/vanicream_skin_cream.cfm
http://www.drugstore.com/search/search_results.asp?N=0&Ntx=mode%2Bmatchallpartial&Ntk=All&srchtree=1&Ntt=vanicream&Go.x=0&Go.y=0
Vaniply, made by the Vanicream people, is great. It’s a little greasier and more of a protectant combined with a moisturizer, somewhere between Vanicream and Vaseline. http://www.psico.com/products/vaniply.cfm
CeraVe is also pretty good, though I don’t use it.http://www.drugstore.com/search/search_results.asp?srchtree=1&Ntt=CeraVe&N=4294937884&Ntk=All
I encourage you to try these^ and be patient. Eczema is really tough to deal with. If your children continue to have it as they get older, it will take its toll on them. It can be so painful it will hurt them to be kissed by you. Other times, it may not be so bad but they will worry about whats wrong with them when a mean boy says he’d never hold their hand because it’s wrinkly like an old woman’s. There’s a lot of frustrating trial-and-error involved with treating eczema. I’m a young woman STILL trying new things and getting frustrated. Keep in mind that reactions to irritants (as in, an eczema flare-up as a result of something that irritated them) can occur up to around 4 days after use, not just immediately.
I hope that this is just baby eczema and not something for the long term, but if it is, I just gave you some great advice that I’ve been working for years to figure out. Haha, okay I should stop now.
Okay
Good luck and bless your sweet little babies’ hearts!
Oh my gosh I can’t stop myself:
A couple more things:
-Cracks in your babies’ sensitive skin will make them more susceptible to infection. I’ve gotten staph before. (I’ve taken bleach baths, like I said above.) No HUGE worry, but just keep this in mind.
-If this continues, be wary when doctors suggest topical or oral steroids to clear up flare-ups and bad reactions. Though sometimes they are a lifesaver and a godsend, when I was a child, doctors gave me steroids too often (and my mother didn’t know and my doctors weren’t aware enough of long term effects to care) and as a result now my skin is VERY thin. Ask about the risks.
-Be cautious of the “natural” stuff. Stuff like aveeno and natural or organic products can be great, but they are more likely to contain stuff like soy or almond or oils that may or may not be triggers.
-Be cautious of the internet. This is horribly ironic, but I rarely do this (give advice via internet) and I am a good source. Just be wary of some people. Some have been basically cured by going gluten free or eating all healthy foods or going to an acupuncturist. Though these may work for some, and that’s great, do not think that these are the cures. There is no cure. This is very important to remember. Don’t get sucked in to the lucky ones’ stories.
Alright, now I’m done. God I hope you or someone with eczema reads this and makes my over-doing-it worth it.
Good luck!
–
hydrogen peroxide detox bath.
Thanks you Meg. That was a really helpful post. I’m bookmarking this page!