After a long day in London studying, there’s nothing like coming home to a hot, steamy bath full of herbal wonders.
Avena, or as we commonly call her Oats, is a lovely choice for such times, when you are both exhausted from the early morning, travel and long hours in a classroom, as well as over stimulated from the bright lights, loud noises and hectic pace of the big city. A classic tonic to the nervous system, Avena can help us deal effectively with periods of stress, anxiety and nervous tension. She can help soothe and protect us when we are suffering from the sensory overload usually induced by spending time in a busy city and enable a deep and restorative nights sleep. Oats are also rich in silicon which helps build the skin, nails and hair.
The classic way to have an oat bath is to tie a handful of rolled oats in a square of muslin cloth and hang it under the taps as you run the bath to release a creamy oat milk which is soothing for sensitive, dry skin.
I like to pack my baths with as much medicinal value as possible as we have the ability to absorb many substances into our bodies through the skin. This oat and chamomile bath takes a bit of pre-planning but is quick to do and captures many of the beautiful healing properties of these two wonderful green allies.
If you know you’ll have time for a bath that evening, make a strong infusion of oatstraw herb and chamomile in the morning and leave on the side for the rest of the day to extract all the goodness from the herbs.
I usually use a large handful of oatstraw, with a large pinch of chamomile, in a jar or cafetiere with pint or so of freshly boiled water.
When your ready for your bath strain the herbal infusion into a blender and add a couple of handfuls of porridge oats.
Blend up into a cream.
Stir in 4 drops Roman Chamomile, 2 drops Lavender and 2 drops Sandalwood, or any of your favourite relaxing essential oils.
Pour into a freshly run, hot bath, get in and feel the days stresses melt away.
Magic.
Wonderful writing!
I don’t use essential oils so I mostly give aromatic dried herbs like lavender into my bundle of oats.
This bundle I use to massage my body and with a splash of milk and some honey in the tub I dream away the stressful day and enjoy the nice soft skin afterward🙂
Hi Brigitte,
What a lovely idea! I like the thought of an oat and lavender bath ball, I’ll certainly give it a go.
Yes, I know several herbalists who don’t work with essential oils and use aromatic plants in their whole form instead. They have very different properties don’t they! I like both but I do love the fact that I can gather my own aromatic herbs where as I always have to buy in essential oils. Maybe one day I’ll have my own little distiller!
Take care xx
Hello lovely,
I’m just about to soak some oatstraw…….this sounds like a real treat.
I usually use an old sock packed full of oats, preferably with fresh herbs [chamomile, lavender, comfrey, chickweed etc] when available, but dried if not. I might also add some essential oils such as lavender, pine or juniper. As well as the stress, it’s fantastic for psoriasis, excema, dry skin and itching.
XXXXTherri
[…] And be sure to check out Lucinda’s great post on the merits of the oat bath here […]