Who knew your favorite hearty winter breakfast food was good for all sorts of other things?
Soothe Your Pup's Dry Skin
Winter weather and being indoors with the heat running constantly can lead to dry itchy skin. And I'm not just talking about people....pets can struggle to adjust to the elements, especially if they have sensitive skin.
My senior rescue gals (a Yorkie & a Chihuahua) both have various skin ailments and an oatmeal shampoo is a great way to pamper my beloved pooches.
All you need is a cup of dry oatmeal (old fashioned oats NOT quick cooking). Grind the oats in a food processor or blender until they are a fine consistency, like flour. Stir in a third of a cup of baking soda. At this point you can add some coconut oil for a bit more moisture. Now add 2-4 cups of water (depending on the consistency you want). Use immediately or within a day or so but refrigerate if you aren't using right away.
When you bathe your dog, just wet his or her coat and apply this oatmeal mixture as you would normal shampoo. It won't lather up like a harsh detergent shampoo, but get it into their skin and problem areas. If your dog will cooperate, leave on for 10-15 minutes. Otherwise, rinse and you're good to go!
Oatmeal Face Mask for Glowing Skin
Besides keeping you full as a hearty breakfast option, oatmeal has other benefits that are great for skin. Did you know it both soothes and softens? This is why it is such a good option for a DIY home face mask.
Depending on your skin type, you may want to mix oatmeal with milk which has lactic acid to exfoliate dead skin cells. Here's a great mask recipe you can make to treat your skin this winter:
Add a spoonful of whole old fashioned oats into a mixing bowl. Add two tablespoons of milk (whole or 2%). Stir until mixture is full mixed. You can also add yogurt or cream as a substitute for milk.
First clean your face as you normally do to remove makeup. Then apply the oatmeal mix to your skin (face, neck, etc) and let it set for 15-20 minutes. After that, wash with lukewarm water to clean the mask from your face.
Non-Toxic Activity Dough for Kids
Looking for something fun and simple for your kids to do on a snow day? Oatmeal can be mixed into a fun and easy "play" dough that's non-toxic and inexpensive to create.
To make it, combine a cup of instant rolled oats with 2/3 all purpose flour and 1/2 a cup of water. Mix everything together and even let the kiddos get involved in the process. You can add food coloring to give your dough some different hues.
Happy National Oatmeal Month y'all!
