This simple Oatmeal Milk Bath Recipe has moisturizing effects. The milk has a gentle skin exfoliating effect. Perfect for a relaxing soak in the bath!
MILK BATH
The winter months can be drying and harsh on our skin…especially if you live in cold, dry areas. One of my favorite ways to hydrate my skin in the winter is taking a bath with a scoop of this Oatmeal Milk Bath Recipe.
Milk Baths can make a lovely gift idea for friends and family. Package it up in a pretty package and add a printable label, and you have an easy and unique gift idea! Make sure to make some for yourself too! This soothing recipe comes together in minutes. Store some under your sink and add it to a bath after a long day.
BENEFITS OF MILK BATHS
It’s believed that milk baths help to:
- soothe and hydrate skin
- reduce fine lines and wrinkles
- exfoliate skin
- improve skin firmness
- reduce dry spots and flare-ups
- ease sunburn
- improve inflammatory skin conditions
- ease tension
WHAT IS AN OATMEAL MILK BATH?
Oatmeal milk baths combine the soothing properties of milk and oatmeal, both of which are associated with reducing skin redness and irritation. Oatmeal is especially known for its skin moisturizing benefits. While milk is a soothing, nourishing and a natural gentle exfoliater.
An Oatmeal Milk Bath will leave your skin refreshed and renewed. These benefits can be especially advantageous for those with skin rashes. Creating this recipe requires simple household ingredients. You can add natural oils and scents to the bath for an aromatherapy boost.
First, you will need to gather these ingredients below. These ingredients may already be in your home. Then following the step-by-step instructions.
OATMEAL MILK BATH INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup whole fat or non fat dry milk
- 1/4 cup baking soda
- 1/2 cup oats
- 5-7 drops high quality essential oil(s) of your choice
HOW DO YOU MAKE AN OATMEAL MILK BATH?
- Take your oats and grind them into a fine powder in your food processor or blender.
- Stir the milk, baking soda and ground oats together.
- Place the milk bath into a clean and well-sealing container.
- To use, add about 1/8 cup to warm water and stir to dissolve.
- Add the oils to the mixture if you want an entire bottle to be the same. If you don’t want the entire bottle the same, you can the essential oils directly to the bath water.
HOW TO STORE MILK BATH
Oatmeal Milk Bath will keep for up to 3 months, if kept air-tight and scoop with clean hands or scoop. Be sure to store in a cool, dry area. Humidity can cause the oatmeal bath to clump together and may cause it to spoil sooner.
SUPPLIES FOR OATMEAL MILK BATH
- glass jar with wood spoon, or mason pint jar
- small wooden spoon or small wood scoop
- essential oil or peppermint extract
- wooden spoon
- mixing bowls (I love these red and white striped bowls)
- printable milk bath labels (can be found below)
- baker’s twine or cute red and white striped ribbon
- cardstock for labels
- scissors for cutting labels
- glue stick for attaching label to jars
OATMEAL MILK BATH RECIPE
Oatmeal Milk Bath
This simple Oatmeal Milk Bath Recipe has moisturizing effects. The milk has a gentle skin exfoliating effect. Perfect for a relaxing soak in the bath!
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole fat dried milk
- 1/4 cup baking soda
- 1/2 cup oats
- 1 each Mason Jar
- 5-7 drops high quality essential oil(s) of your choice
Instructions
-
Take your oats and grind them into a fine powder in your food processor.
-
Stir the milk, baking soda and ground oats together.
-
Place the milk bath into a clean and well-sealing container.
-
To use, add about 1/8 cup to warm water and stir to dissolve.
-
Add the oils to the mixture if you want an entire bottle to be the same. If you don't want the entire bottle the same, you can the essential oils directly to the bath water.
HOMEMADE OATMEAL MILK BATH VIDEO TUTORIAL
Sharing a simple step-by-step video tutorial below to get you started.
In the winter, my favorite Essential Oils to add in this recipe are On Guard from Doterra, Eucalyptus, Lavender and Peppermint. These are a great support if you are feeling under the weather. The bath is great for relaxing you and the oils are a great respiratory support.
If you are looking for oils that are great for you skin, try the following oils.
- Lavender.
- Geranium.
- Basil.
- Frankincense.
- Ylang Ylang.
- Lemongrass.
- Cypress.
- Tea Tree (Melaleuca)
- Juniper
- Chamomile
- Clary Sage
I found a beautiful image with some oils that are great for the skin here.
I share 6 Tips for Staying Healthy in the Winter here if you are looking for ways to keep the illness away.
If you are interested in learning more about Essential Oils, click here.
PRINTABLE OATMEAL MILK BATH LABELS
To download the labels, simply click on the link below. There is a larger label and a smaller label so you can use the one that fits your container the best.
PRINTABLE OATMEAL MILK BATH LABELS
OTHER SPA RECIPES
- Frankincense Sugar Scrub
- Myrrh Bath Salts
- Homemade Bath Salts Recipe
- Coconut Lime Sugar Scrub
- Peppermint Sugar Foot Scrub
- Candy Cane Sugar Scrub
- Lemon Sugar Scrub
- Citrus Bliss Sugar Scrub Cubes
- Lavender Sugar Scrub
- Brown Sugar Scrub
- Pumpkin Spice Sugar Scrub
- Grapefruit Sugar Scrub
- Chocolate Sugar Scrub
- Cinnamon Vanilla Sugar Scrub
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Sarah says
Thank you so much for this recipe. This will be
a great gift to make. I didn’t see the link for the
labels. Please let me know if I am just missing
the link. Thanks again & Merry Christmas!
Amy says
It wasn’t working. Let me fix it! Thanks for letting me know!
Ahh, I can’t even begin to imagine how comfy it would be to soak in the oatmeal milk bath! Thank you so much for the recipe. :)
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
You are so welcome! A warm bath will be just what is needed after the holiday rush!!
Just what I’ve been looking for to make and give this holiday season! Thank You so much for this recipe and the printable labels:) Merry Christmas Amy and all the best to you and your family in the New Year!
I am so glad to hear that Deborah! Merry Christmas to you! I hope you have a lovely holiday!
Just made this for moi! I will also test it on my girls who have extremely dry skin. A friend of mine has a birthday coming up and I will certainly do this for her too! It’s SOOO easy to make and looks good on the side of my bathtub :)
Thank you,thank you, thank you!
Yay! I hope you love it! It really is so easy to make and is a fun gift idea! You are welcome!
I am very interested in getting started with essential oils, however, my budget is extremely tight. I am taking a lot of measures to cut out unnecessary expenses, and trim down the necessary ones. For example, making my own cleaners, etc. What I need is a cheaper way to get started on essential oils. I am a single parent putting a child through college, so there really is not a lot of room in the budget.
You could try using vanilla extract instead. It’s super cheap at costco
Michelle- Great idea. Thank you for the suggestion.
Hi – I was wondering how many drops of essential oil do you put in the mix? (I might have overlooked it!)
LOVE LOVE LOVE your site! Thank you…
5-7 drops should work great. Thanks.
I saw this and had to try it. Wow, it was so amazing. Easy to make and a joy to bath in. If you haven’t tried it, you should.
Thanks Deb! Glad you enjoyed it so much!
How many grams of mixture does this recipe make???
Mary, not sure on the grams. Sorry.
Where did you get the jars?
Melissa- I found them at our local Hobby Lobby. Thanks.
I only had non fat dry milk, added geranium and lavender, making for my daughter, this would make an awesome gift! Very excited, hope it helps her extremely itchy, dry skin!!!!
Jennifer- So glad you are making this. I sure hope it helps as well!
Loved this recipe! Thank you for sharing!
Amber- Thank you for following along!
Can you use Steel Cut Oats as well? Thanks
Aprille- Yes, that should work just fine.
What kind of dried milk did you use?
Kayls- Any brand should work just great. Thanks.
Do have to use baking soda and the essential oils? And will Quaker old fashioned oatmeal work?
Shanna- Yes on all of those questions. Hope you enjoy it. Thanks.
Can you use any kind of dry milk?
Angela- Yes, any brand should work.
I absolutely love this recipe! I do have a question though, how much mixture should I add into the bath? Thank you in advance!
Ali- I use about a 1/2 cup. You can use more or less though.
Can we use this one every day ? If it safe for the baby?
Kanch- You can use it everyday. It should be safe for babies, but I would not use as much though. Thank you.
Do I have to keep this refrigerated?
Casey, you don’t need to keep this refrigerated. Thanks and enjoy.
My favorite bath recipe. It really helps with my poison ivy rash. My favorite scent with it is tea tree and lavender.
Lisa- I did not know that is helped with poison ivy. I also love those scents. Thanks for the information.
Hi there, what a lovely sounding recipe. My son and I have a big excema break out right now. I forgot all about the oatmeal baths I gave him as a baby! Thanks to you this amazing homemade recipe will impact our lives for the better!
Thanks,
Terra
Terra- I sure hope it helps with you sons execema!
Hi! I was wanting to give this to someone as a Christmas gift, and am super excited to see how it works. I was wondering where I could get the wooden scoop that was in the pictures?
Kristen- It was a jar that I had from something else. So I am not sure where it came from. Sorry.
What size mason jar is pictured here?
Bonnie- It is a quart size.
Can you substitute nonfat milk as opposed to whole fat?
Missy-I would think that would be fine!
I am wondering how safe it is to add essential oils into this, without using a carrier oil. All the other items on the ingredients list are water soluble, which means pure essential oils would be sitting on top of the water. Pure essential oils should not be in contact with skin… it can cause burns and other problems. I saw one instance where a child had the equivalent of 20 drops of essential oils in his bath (because other parents told the mother it was fine), and he had trouble breathing, migraines, and had to have an ambulance called.
From everything I have seen, no carrier oil when using essential oils is a big no-no.
Sarah- Thanks for your concern. We have never had an issue, but you could definitely use a carrier oil if you are more sensitive. I use the DoTerra Oils and here is what they recommend for dilution: https://www.doterra.com/US/en/essential-oil-safety-and-application-appropriate-dose-topical-dilution
If i didnt want to use dried milk, what would u suggest i use to substitute? Thanks!! :)
If you’d rather use a non-dairy product, powdered soy milk and powdered coconut milk would both make great alternatives! Great question!
That sounds so relaxing right now!! I bet it smells amazing! Can’t wait to make some!
Kristyn- It does smell amazing! Hope you make some!
I am excited to make some!! A nice relaxing bath with this, sounds wonderful!
Natalie- Hope you make some soon!
Hi, this looks amazing. Just a question please. Is the 5 to 7 drops of essential oil the amount you put into the bath water each time OR is it 5 to 7 drops of oil into the whole mix?
Robbie- The essential oils go into the mix. Enjoy!
I love this recipe!! I can not wait to try it! How much does this recipe make? Thank you for posting this!!
Miche- It make about 2 cups.
If I wanted to add epsom salt to your recipe, how much would you recommend?
Kristen- I would probably try adding only a 1/2 cup at first. I have not tried adding epsom salt though. You will have to let me know how it works.
In your recipe, it only lists oatmeal, a jar and essential oil. Did the recipe get truncated in reposting? You mention milk and baking soda in the directions.
KL- Just added those ingredients back in. Thank you.
I could use this right about now! Merry Christmas!
Natalie- Merry Christmas!
This totally helps my skin, during the winter. It makes it so smooth! It’s nice to use & a cinch to make!
Kristyn- Mine too!
Hello Amy!!
I am very interested by getting began with important oils, however, my budget is extraordinarily tight. What I need is a cheaper way to get commenced on critical oils. I am a unmarried discern setting a child via college, so there certainly isn’t always a whole lot of room in the finances. I am taking quite a few measures to reduce out needless fees, and trim down the important ones. For instance, making my very own cleaners, etc.
They can be quit pricey but in the long run I feel like they are healthier overall for you. Lemon, Peppermint and Melaleuca are some of the oils that I use the most and are interchangeable for different uses.
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing oatmeal milk bath idea! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it really helpful! Highly recommended!
Allyssa- Thank you.
I could use a soak in this right about now!! I love making some & always have some handy. My girls like to sneak it, too!
Kristyn- Me too!
I keep a jar of this in my bathroom. I love using it & it was simple to make. It would make a great gift!
Natalie- It really is so simple to make.
This is such a unique and fun idea! I love how it makes your skin soft, too.
Katie- Thank you.