tread lightly: skin care

My little one developed a sore, red, dribbly rash on her face over the last couple of weeks. Changing laundry detergent helped, but I also wanted something immediate to soothe her poor sore skin. I lamented to my child & community nurse last visit that several commercial potions and lotions I had tried hadn't worked. The only one with some short-term success was one containing "soothing oatmeal" along with several other chemicals. So she suggested just oatmeal. In the bath. *blink*. Just put it in a stocking and kind of swish it around, she said. Too embarrassed to ask if oatmeal was different to rolled oats, I toddled home.

But you know, I gave it a go. With rolled oats, because that's what I had in the cupboard. And it worked! I had to kind of squish the soggy oats in the stocking to make the 'milk' come out. I also stopped using any other products, in case she was reacting to them, or they were further irritating the rash. The redness didn't miraculously disappear, but over the next few hours it calmed down. I've even taken to making a mini-pot with warm water and just dabbing it on the skin with my finger. So there you go...oatmeal bath for soothing rashy skin!

Next on the agenda, much to my darling's absolute mortification is my Great Natural Deodorant Challenge. I am currently trying the first of two recipes, and am quite surprised by the results!
S.