I am so loving my oats now! Mixed with yogurt, it makes the best facial mask and delivers instant wonderful effects for me.
Benefits of oats for our skin
Oats possess some wonderful skin care properties because they have the best amino acid balance of all cereal grains and a high silica content, making them great emollients that restores the skin’s natural moisture. They are also said to be highly absorptive, hypoallergenic, and can be used to cleanse, exfoliate, soften and soothe the skin; suitable for most skin types.
In fact, oats have been clinically proven to help heal dry, itchy skin and you may have come across information of ancient Greeks and Romans using oat baths to heal skin ailments. In modern days, many people use oats to soothe the skin and ease the discomfort of skin irritations caused by rashes, abrasions, insect bites, poison ivy, and even chicken pox. Modern manufacturers like Aveeno and Aveda for example, have also used oats as a common ingredient for their skin care products.
Oat mask to reduce pore size
I recently picked up this oat yogurt mask recipe from the book, Natural Beauty by Roy Genders which is supposed to help reduce large pores and clear skin of impurities. The benefits of oats plus the the lactic acid and enzymes in the yogurt soothes, softens and hydrates the skin, leaving it soft and smooth. I love it because it is so easy to make and use and my skin really benefited from using it. Even my husband noticed a difference. My pores look smaller, though I don’t think it’s just due to this because I’ve also been using cucumber juice daily but there is something better about my skin texture for sure.
Recipe for Oat Mask:
- 2 tablespoon of oats/oatmeal
- 2 tablespoon of yogurt
Stir oats or oatmeal into yogurt and place in the fridge for several hours. Apply the contents thickly to the face and leave on for 30 minutes before rinising off in lukewarm water containing a little lemon juice (I skipped the lemon juice and just kept to lukewarm water though).
Don’t get the quick-cook or flavored versions of oats though. Use rolled oats which you can then blend into powder. Because I don’t have a grinder, I use the mortar and pestle to achieve the same results. As for the yogurt, I used the 99.8% fat free natural set yogurt from Pauls which is available from the supermarket.
Other homemade oat skincare recipes
Another cleansing and softening facial mask recipe you can try is to have oats mixed with honey and plain yogurt into a paste, apply to dampened skin and leave on for fifteen minutes before rinsing off. You can also try the oatmeal facial cleanser & scrub by simply pouring a small amount of ground oatmeal into palm, and add a little water to make a paste. Apply to face and throat and massage onto skin before rinising out and moisturizing.
Pleasant smell and easy application
In my last entry about yogurt homemade beauty recipes, I mentioned that yogurt do not smell great. But with oats, the smell is different and I quite like it. And what I love most is that I can walk around in this mask because oats and yogurt are thick enough to form a binding paste. I have combination skin and I’ve been using this mask almost everyday with lovely results. Definitely something I recommend you to try if you’re into DIY beauty!
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Hi! Would vanilla yogurt be fine u reckon? ^^
Dawn: Don’t use vanilla yogurt or any flavored ones. Keep to the original non-flavored version. Set yogurt would be best because it means it won’t be dripping wet when applied. Also, if your skin type is combination or oily type, I recommend you go for the non-fat yogurt.
This reminds me of Jurlique’s daily exfoliating cream. It has oats, honey and almonds. Smells real delicious!
Joanne: Yes, oats and yogurt do smell quite good and I imagine with almonds, it’s even better.
I can hardly wait to try this. Right now all I have at home is a honey flavored yogurt – it just might work. Sounds as though it could work, couldn’t hurt anyway.
Thanks!
Elaine: I was told not to use flavored yogurt so I’m not sure. But you try on a specific area first to make sure there are no reactions k? Get the original non-flavored ones the next time you can and I think you will like this mask.
tell me about the cucumber juice please?
Elaine: I’ve been looking for something simple to reduce my pore size and heard that cucumber juice can do the trick. I’ve been using this on an almost daily basis and I have to say, my pores look better! Cucumber juice also has brightening effects. I wrote about it here. You just need to grate it, apply the juice and leave on for about 10 – 15 mins a day. I used to apply twice or even three times a day but now, I’m down to once a day as I’m also using the oat mask.
thank you so much for posting this because i thought that oatmeal masks were only for hydrating purposes. i think i’ll try it now
andrea: Hope you’ll enjoy yours as much as I do!
Oh I’m so going to try this. I love the smell of oats, so this ought to be good
Tine: I’m hook on this mask!
love it~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
akiki:
As I don’t have grinder and mortar and pestle and will like to try the oat mask, what type of ready oat can I get from supdermarket? Thanks.
jo: See if you can find baby oats or those oats that are finer. I think if I remember correctly, the Origin brand has baby oats. Maybe you can try that first and see if you like it. Don’t use those quickcook ones eg. from Quaker Oats. I tried before and it can make your skin red afterwards because they’re somehow more drying.
Actually, you can buy a small mortar and pestle from the supermarket too. It’s very small and not space consuming.
Hi, I have tried the oat with yogurt mask and love the results! No break out and smaller pores
Can I check with you how long you keep your opened yogurt in the fridge? I do not want to waste the yogurt but I also do not dare to keep it too long. Will appreciate your advice 
lcsching: Glad you love it! I keep my yogurt up to 2 weeks in the fridge. Ideally however, one week will be good. I check the expiry and if it’s still within that, I will still use it. One way is to use it on your hands or body so as not to waste it.
may i know where do you get your rolled oats?
may i also ask if where do u get the baking soda for your DIY recipe?
Gnitil: Rolled oats I got it from Living Pharmacy. If I’m not wrong, you can also find it at the organic section at NTUC supermarket. For the baking soda, find it at NTUC supermarket.
the baking soda at NTUC that you meant, is it the, Bicarbonate Of Soda, from red man?
i wonder where you got your pestle and mortar. I’m using my age old stone one that got smooth through years [decades] of use. And my oats cannot get grinded properly. Hahaha. Too smooth I guess.
Anyway, I’ve tried the water+oat mask/scrub. Man I love it. It soothed my itchy acne spot right away!
Ms Blacklace: Geez…I can’t quite remember cos I bought it a few years ago. Not sure if it was from Ikea. But I’ve seen it at the supermarket like NTUC if I’m not wrong.
Oats are great for reducing itch. Much recommended to be used for bathing a kid when they have chickenpox.
How often do you apply the oatmeal yogurt mix to your face. Is it a daily routine or a weekly
Bonnykat: For a period of time, I was using it almost every alternate days. To reap the benefits of yogurt, I read that we should use it often. But now I’ve gotten a bit lazy plus I have other stuff to use
so I try to do this weekly.
how would you apply the oatmeal yogurt?
would i have to cleanse my face first then scurb the oatmeal like a exfoliant then leave it on for the suggested time then rinse? and also do i moisturise straight after?
and with the cucumber juice can i also apply that on my face with the oat meal mask on the same day?
sorry about all the questions
Janis: Hey no problem with the questions just that I may not answer immediately cos quite tied up on some days. Okay, for the oatmeal mask, you should first wash your face first. After that you can apply the oatmeal mask thickly and leave it on. If you’re testing this first time, I suggest you use it for 10 – 15 mins first then rinse off with warm water (you can splash your face with some cold water after that if you like too). After that, you can tone (if you use this) or just moisturize as per normal.
After your skin is fine with this initial attempt, you can increase the leave on timing longer till half an hour or so but I advice you not to leave on until it dries out completely or it may break your skin out. There’s no need to scrub the paste on your face as this is a leave on mask.
As for the cucumber juice, no problem to use it on the same day but I suggest different sessions/timings.
Hope this clarifies your doubts.
Hi,
i have a question regarding the oats, honey and yoghurt mask.
can i use manuka honey in the mask?since manuka honey has high anti-bacterial properties, wont it kill the bacteria in the yoghurt?
thx..^ ^
Suko: Actually Manuka honey is recommended for facial masks but as for your question, hmm…I can’t answer for sure.
Hi
I am trying out the oatmeal yoghurt mask but just an off-topic, rather funny question…
When you rinsed off your oatmeal mask, have you ever wondered if the residue will clog your sink?! Or won’t it?
Jenn: Heheh…this is definitely not off topic. Very valid point there. Yes, it did strike me…that’s why what I do is to wipe the oatmeal off my face and then throw them into the bin or toilet bowl before washing my face.
But I think as long as it’s not a lot and it’s not everyday, it shouldn’t clog even if you just wash your face at the basin.
I just used plain oatmeal as a mask.. is that ok?
Yes, it’s fine as long as it’s not the processed type. You can even use it to exfoliate your face.
I am just having this oat and yoghurt mask on my face right now, smell delicious actually and you are right i can walk around without worrying any dripping which i experienced with just yoghurt, messy! It gives a bit of a tingle on my face tho, is this normal? I have combination skin as well, i guess i should go and rinse it off now as it’s my first time trying this.. thanks for the tip!
Hmm…shouldn’t have the tingling sensation as both ingredients are soothing. If there are no reddening, then it should be fine though.
I didn’t think there should be any tingling sensation as well… no idea.. but no reddening or no reaction! However, maybe cos i only left it there for 10 mins.. no noticeable change to my skin, but i’ll definitely try it again! Though i’ll be too lazy to do it everyday!
The immediate change I noticed was like after a face mask but it was temporary. However, my pores were doing better during the time I used this mask. Maybe I use resume…but like you, lazy especially cos I have to grind those rolled oats!
When the oat i purchased from yoursessentially run out, I figure I could use the organic whole lem ( contains organic oat, flaxseed and oat bran) as replcement. After rubbing in, my whole face develop red rashes and allery tht I have to run into the clinic and get a allergy injection. Im very sceptical now. Also I have used cucumber on my face/eyes, My skin get very itchy after using. So many ot this natural products causes allergy Im so scare to try anything now
In this case, your face is extremely sensitive and it’s better not to try these DIY remedies. Even though they’re natural, some people just react. You’re better off sticking to ingredients of cosmetic grades.
hey sesame,I got another question..where did you buy your oats?
I bought them at the supermarket.
which supermarket? i tried to find but it contains sugar and salt
Look at the organic section. The oats I bought are organic.
which supermarket you went? may I know?
how much it cost you?
Sorry, are you based in Singapore? I got it from NTUC. Also saw this at Cold Storage. But what I got were rolled oats and I had to grind them.
i am in singapore. that is why I am asking :X… ok thanks
but why can’t you use those sand-type oats? isn’t it the same?
Er…what are sand-type oats. You mean the grinded ones. The organic range do not have those except for the baby oats.
thanks
i’d like to know if this oatmask is only applicable to women. i’d like to try this but i’m afraid i might get rashes on my fashes…
Nah…you can do it. Not just for women.
You shouldn’t get rashes cos oats are really mild but if you’re worried, I suggest you try it on just one part of your face first to see the reactions. You can also try it on your inner wrist but the skin is still slightly different and may not be as telling.
Hi Sesame, may i know if i really have to leave the mixture in the fridge for several hours before applying to the face or can i just use it immediately right after i freshly mixed the yogurt and oats together? What is the purpose of placing it in the fridge for few hours?
You can use it immediately but it might drip easily as the yogurt would be quite soft. The reason why I leave in the fridge is to set it. Why don’t you try both ways and see which you prefer?
Is this oatmeal + yogurt DIY mask suitable for sensitive skin ?
Yes, cos both ingredients are rather mild. However, do a patch test just in case cos some gals have reported allergy to oatmeal.
thanks for the reply sesame
Hi Miss!
I bought oatmeal flour from health food store today.Is it ok to use it in this mask?
Thanks
If the floor is basically finely ground oatmeal, then yes.
Thank You for Your answer!Yes,It is basically finely grinded oatmeal.At least,salesman said to me in the health food store.
.But I added in this mix a bit of cold pressed grapeseed oil and half teaspoon of Nuxe clarifying mask.I hope that’s ok.
Btw.I have this mask on my face ATM
Thank You once more
Should be good with grapeseed oil but I don’t know anything about the clarifying mask. If it works well, should be good. Just make sure you moisturize your face afterwards.
Hi, im really very interested in your mask !!! but as now i just got plain yogurt drink and oat !! it is alright to use yogurt drink instead of yogurt? please advise
It’s better to use unflavored yogurt cos your yogurt drink has sugar.
Dear sesame,
im trying your mask right now !! omg da taste is just marvellous !! really love it
Glad you enjoy using this. It’s one of my favorite masks too.
Dear sesame ,
do u have any remedy for reducing scar ???
You mean acne scars? If you want homemade remedies, you can try nutmeg with honey:
http://www.vivawoman.net/2009/02/20/diy-beauty-nutmeg-to-erase-acne-scars/
But note that nutmeg is strong and can burn sensitive skin.
Or use products containing vitamin C, Vitamin C is the best when it comes to reducing scars.
Dear sesame.
the scar is caused by skin allergic ，:( any remedy to reduce da scar on my leg ?
Try something call Hiruscar. There’s a review here to read:
http://positivelynice.blogspot.com/2010/08/hiruscar-hero-to-rescue.html
Great site here, thanks for all the wonderful articles! Whenever I get a lot of whiteheads, I’ve found that putting cooled cooked oatmeal on my face for about 20 minutes clears it up quite dramatically. =)
Now, I want to switch to a more natural skin care routine, and I’m wondering if it would be alright to use a combination of yogurt, cucumber juice, and ground oatmeal in place of my cleanser? As it would be a cleanser, I’d be using it 2x a day.
The combination sounds good for a cleanser if you don’t use any sunscreen or makeup. Or you might have to get those removed first before using such a natural combination.
hello i wanna ask u i have normal skin.but in some portion like nose its oily while rest portion its dry can i use oats with yougert and honey.iam using small amount of lemon and honey in normal amount on regular basis am i right?plz reply
Why is it so that we cannot use those instant oatmeal? Is it because it will not have that cleansing effect?
Instant oatmeal is usually roasted if I’m not mistaken so the natural skin beneficial properties may be lost.
aah, I bought the biggest bag if quacker oat a few months ago and I don’t think I’m ever going to finish them! >_< I know that you said not to used the quick-cook ones but I tried a couple days ago (mix with some honey) and it worked fine.. My face feels smoother and there are no red bumps or anything..^^ If it doesn't give me any negative effects, is it okay to continue using the quick-cook ones? I don't want to buy new oats when I have a jar full of them at home already..
It worked well for you? Then I suppose it’s fine then since your skin is fine…perhaps I should give a try myself.
I think the quick cook ones just don’t give as much benefits as the raw ones.
Can we use quicker oats with milk daily for fairness
Best to use raw oats for the benefits of the oats. If you use quicker oats, the benefits may be lessened.
do i need to grind the oats and turn it into powder and how often can i use this mask?
correct me if i am wrong but i heard that if you use yogurt mask or any dairy product in your face and after went under the sun you get sunburnt and tanned??
do i need to grind the oats and turn it into powder???
how often can i use the mask??
correct me if i am wrong but i heard if you use dairy products in your face such as yogurt and if you went under the sun after, you will get sun burnt and tanned???
You can use it twice a week. Dairy products like milk contains lactic acid and that might cause photosensitivity…so best to use sunscreen daily.
Hi , can i just use plain oatmeal with wild organic honey with as a mask. N apply for how long ? Ive dry n sensitive n acne skin . Can I use it daily ?
Apply for 10 mins first and if your skin is fine, then progress to 20 mins. But I need to warn you that some pple have reacted to honey on their skin. So it’s best to try on a small area first.
Hi , can i just use plain oatmeal with wild organic honey with as a mask. N apply for how long ? Ive dry n sensitive n acne skin . Can I use it daily ? In e morning or night is e best results ?
Should not be a problem as long as the oatmeal is raw and not processed. Try it on alternate days first. This one can be used either in the day or night but I usually find treatments best in the evenings.
Thanks ! I’m okay with honey . So all just need 20 mins . But for some people they apply it daily ??? Is fine with their skin I wonder ?? And may i ask , how to treats acne scar ?
((
Yeah, it depends. I used this every day for one season but stopped out of laziness. This oat mask with honey is quite gentle so typically not a problem for most skin types.
I treated my acne marks DIY using cinnamon powder and nutmeg. But that’s not suitable for sensitive skin cos they can burn.
Ahhh ! Great ! Maybe I should trying using it daily for 1 or 2 weeks . See how it goes
and how about the mung bean n yakult mask ? Can I add on to apply 2 or 3 times a week n the rest of the days I will apply oat n honey mask ? Is it fine ? 
Kind of like alternating? Should be okay if your skin can handle.
I’ve just started using oats as my cleanser in the morning and in two days my skin feels so much better, softer, clearer, though I did not grind mine up. Its more messy but leaving them whole really lets the good oat liquid out so you can put it all over your face.
Ah…so you did not grind it into powder? Hmm…never tried the whole ones cos they’re messy like you’ve pointed out.
Hi,
Can I put the honey, oat & yogurt mask on my face for 30mins? You mentioned before that honey should only leave on face for 20mins, am I right? I just bought those normal honey, not manuka honey, will it be ok? Oh ya…can the oat, honey & yogurt mask helps to brighten up the face?? Thanks.
Should be okay…but try shorter period then extend it when you skin is okay. With honey, I’ve come across some people who said they reacted…so it still depends on skin type. But normal honey should be less active than manuka.
Thanks for your reply. So can the oat, honey & yogurt mask helps to brighten up the face?? Thanks.
Not permanently….just temporarily. This mask is better to tighten the pores and improve skin’s texture.
By e way, how u store the oat flour? Will it spoil if it is not store in e refrigerator??
At the moment, I’m keeping it in the cupboard. If it’s kept in a cool, dark place, it should be fine but of course storing in the fridge means the shelf life can be extended.
I have black pores after the s p0imple is gone tell me something to remove it fast
Net says:
Do i need to cook the oatmeal?
No, you don’t need to cook the oats.