If dry, itchy skin forces you to seek out a dermatologist, then you may find relief in this easy home remedy. Try out colloidal oatmeal if you are feeling irritated with dry and flaky skin.
If you have not tried colloidal oatmeal yet, this ingredient is primarily used in body care such as skin, face and hair products. It can give you a special moisturizing effect along with offering various benefits as well.
So, what is colloidal oatmeal? Colloidal oatmeal is finely ground oats suspended in an aqueous or liquid based solution. Colloidal oatmeal is often used as a salve for itchy, dry, or irritated skin.
The benefits of colloidal oats are far reaching in natural body care, that’s why it is commonly found in skin, face and hair care products.
Now, you should get into some more details about colloidal oatmeal. From this article, you can learn some benefits of this useful ingredient and also understand whether it is safe and effective for regular use.
What does colloidal mean?
In chemistry, colloidal means to separate the dispersed substance, or the colloid, within the mixture. A colloidal suspension refers to the whole mixture where the colloids are engaged or suspended in a liquid.
Colloids can also be remobilized to a low extent under changes of ionic strength. Colloids can be a gelatin solution that can maintain a high osmotic pressure in blood.
You should also know that colloids can stay longer in the intravascular system than crystalloids, that is because the particles are dispersed at much greater volumes due to the minute size.
What is a colloidal solution?
A colloidal solution is also known as a colloidal suspension. It is just a mixture in which the substances are suspended in the form of fluid. A colloid is a small and tiny particle and it can easily spread out throughout the liquid substance.
Colloidal solutions are divided into these different types:
- Foam
- Emulsion
- Sol
- Hydrocolloid
- Reversible colloids
A colloidal solution is very essential in medicine as it can greatly influence blood conditions. It is very much beneficial to control the osmotic pressure and equalizing concentrations within the blood.
How is colloidal oatmeal different from regular oatmeal?
Colloidal oatmeal is not the same as regular oatmeal. Both both colloidal oatmeal and regular oatmeal are made from whole grain oats, but colloidal oatmeal is the aqueous solution of water and oats.
Colloidal oatmeal is processed from the whole oat, whichincludes the oat bran, endosperm and the germ as well. On the other hand, regular oatmeal is made from the oat groats with the bran removed.
Because it contains fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals, colloidal oats are an emollient, or substance that softens or soothes the skin when applied [1, 2, 3].
Ground oatmeal or regular oatmeal has limited usage when compared to colloidal oatmeal.The suspended solution is commonly used in cosmetic makeup sets, skin care, face care and hair care.
The rich nutrient content in colloidal oatmeal can help reduce inflammation and affects of aging due to a lack of skin elasticity and moisture. It has been proven to soothe inflammatory conditions such as eczema, dermatitis, xerosis and more [4, 5, 6].
The beneficial properties are sourced from the avenanthramides, which are a group of plant chemicals found in oat groat. A study demonstrates how avenanthramides found in colloidal oatmeal is able to diminish cytokines, a type of proteins found in your body that cause inflammation and also affect heart health [7, 8].
By now you should have a better idea for what is a colloidal solution is, and how colloidal oatmealis used in products we commonly utilize.
Can you eat colloidal oatmeal?
Yes, you can eat 100% pure colloidal oatmeal that is blended with water. However, any body care products containing colloidal oatmeal are not safe to eat.
The benefits of oats are far reached, but you will have to maintain its proportion if you want to consume it regularly. Colloidal oats are finely ground, which isn’t the type of oats eaten on a regular basis.
It is safe for children and people of all ages, however you should not give it to those with an oat allergy.
The most commonly served oats are steel cut oats, rolled oats and quick oats. However, that doesn’t mean that some people don’t enjoy oat flour in baked goods or as a thin porridge.
Colloidal oats are mostly used in beauty products. They are applied as a natural product used to protect your skin from environmental pollutants, dryness and moisturizing skin with essential nutrients.
Is colloidal oatmeal good for body care?
There is no doubt that colloidal oatmeal is perfect for your body care routine. The main function is to act as a barrier between the body and environment, and give a soothing effect to the dry, itchy and flaky skin.
If you want to remedy acne and inflammatory skin problems, along with achieving a flawlessly smooth skin complexion, then you can apply colloidal oatmeal. It can be an excellent remedy for acne, chickenpox, aging skin and to exfoliate dry skin as well.
Let’s check some detailed benefits of colloidal oatmeal for body care.
Skin Care
Colloidal oatmeal is a natural cleanser, exfoliator and moisturizer. This dry food staple can be a beneficial part of your daily skincare routine.
The finely ground oatmeal solution can boost your skin tone and overall complexion with the nourishing power. Colloidal oatmeal in the form of lotions or oatmeal baths have proven effective for skin care and treatment [9].
In addition, it has been used to treat symptoms of eczema, xerosis and may alleviate itching caused by chickenpox. Colloidal oatmeal has demonstrate the ability to soothe skin irritation, itchiness and dryness [10, 11, 12, 13, 14].
Here are some of the many ways colloidal oats help the skin:
- Relieves the itchy skin
- Acts as a dry skin quencher
- Gentle and soft exfoliator
- Lock in natural moisture
- Deeply cleanse skin
- Acts as a skin protectant
- Improve overall skin complexion
Face Care
Colloidal oatmeal is perfect for face care, shaving creams and exfoliating treatments. If experience sores from acne and other types of irritated blemishes, then it is a perfect face mask to help reduce your facial problems.
You can get a perfect blemishes-free face with the natural moisturizing effect from this oatmeal. It has an anti-aging properties that many people apply to their entire body by taking an oatmeal bath.
Hair Care
Colloidal oatmeal has a moisturizing effect that is beneficial for both the scalp and hair follicles. As a result, this type of oatmeal is used in so many shampoos and hair care products.
Colloidal oats are the perfect remedy for dry and itchy scalp, and it can also prevent dandruff. Make your hair beautiful, bouncy and silky smooth by using hair care products with gelatinous consistency of finely ground oats.
Does colloidal oatmeal exfoliate?
Colloidal oatmeal has the benefit of exfoliating your skin by providing the power to scrub off dead skin cells. Apart from this, it also adds a moisture to the skin by applying essential vitamins and minerals.
when using 100% pure colloidal oats, use it without any obligations as a soothing ingredient for all skin types. Unless you are allergic, there are minimal causes for concern or oat side effects for external usage.
Is it OK to use colloidal oatmeal every day?
Yes, colloidal oatmeal can be used every day as an all around skin care solution. If you have a dry skin problem, then consider this oatmeal twice a day.
Bask in the improved results from using colloidal oats in your every day skin care routine. The benefits will show significant signs of advancement as it is recommended to use twice daily for getting the best results.
How to make a colloidal oatmeal paste?
You can make colloidal oatmeal by using a coffee grinder, blender or food processor to pulverize rolled oats. Grind until the oats become a fine powder, the process is similar to making oat flour.
To make a colloidal oatmeal paste, combine the finely ground oats with water using equal part liquid to oats ratio. Apply the paste to provide a calming relief to affected areas.
The colloidal oats can also be combined with olive oil, coconut oil, almond oil, vaseline or any lubricating moisturizer that you are familiar with using.
For best result, choose a good quality of oats at peak freshness. The fats, minerals and vitamins are the key components in colloidal oatmeal that provide benefits to soothe your skin.
The Bottom Line
For centuries, colloidal oatmeal has been used as a salve to soothe itchy, dry, and irritated skin. We have tried a few different products and this by far is our favorite brand of colloidal oatmeal, please let us know what you think!
Colloidal oatmeal is made from finely powdered oat grains. The powder is blended with an aqueous or liquid solution that is generally added to familiar beauty products. Additionally, it can be made at home using rolled oats and a blender, then sprinkled into a soothing bath for overall body care.
Research has demonstrated natural plant chemicals that exhibit antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that protect and moisturize skin.
Unless you have a known oat allergy, colloidal oatmeal is generally recognized as safe for most people to use, including children.
It has brought relief to moisturize aging skin, nourish dry skin and alleviate the insistent itch caused by chickenpox and poison ivy.