Clean Beauty Products DIY Oatmeal Scrub With Almonds, Lavender, and Chamomile This easy-to-make scrub will naturally exfoliate skin—no microbeads necessary. By Katherine Martinko Katherine Martinko Senior Editor University of Toronto Katherine Martinko is an expert in sustainable living. She holds a degree in English Literature and History from the University of Toronto. Learn about our editorial process and Sharmon Lebby Sharmon Lebby Writer University of South Carolina Sharmon Lebby is a writer and sustainable fashion stylist who studies and reports on the intersections of environmentalism, fashion, and BIPOC communities. Learn about our editorial process Updated April 21, 2022 Fact checked by Elizabeth MacLennan Fact checked by Elizabeth MacLennan University of Tennessee Elizabeth MacLennan is a fact checker and expert on climate change. Learn about our fact checking process Treehugger / Sanja Kostic Clean Beauty Products Tips & Techniques Overview Total Time: 5 - 10 minutes Skill Level: Beginner Estimated Cost: $10-20 Skin is porous, meaning everything that goes onto it eventually makes its way inside. Since conventional facial cleansers and other skin products are often full of unnatural ingredients, it’s best to avoid them completely. After all, who needs plastic micro-beads to exfoliate when you've got almonds and oatmeal on hand? From increasing moisture to tightening skin, this oatmeal scrub offers plenty of benefits. The oatmeal exfoliates, the almonds moisturize, and the lavender-chamomile combination is soothing. Make your skin glow with this lovely and simple DIY recipe. Why Exfoliate? Treehugger / Sanja Kostic Exfoliating is the process of removing the top layer of dead skin cells. This process deep cleans the skin and unclogs pores. Exfoliating has the added benefit of promoting skin cell regeneration while evening out texture and leaving the skin soft. It is a common task particularly for more mature skin, since the shedding of the outer layer decreases with age. Exfoliating can also help treat acne scars or discoloration, according to one study. But exfoliating is not for everyone. The American Academy of Dermatology Association warns that exfoliating can cause more harm than good if not performed correctly. Following the tips in this article can ensure you get the most out of your oatmeal-almond scrub. Treehugger / Sanja Kostic What You'll Need Tools 1 spice grinder or food processor 1 bowl 1 stirring spoon 1 air tight container Materials 1/4 cup raw almonds or 2 tbsp of almond flour 4 tbsp oatmeal 1 tbsp cornstarch 1 tbsp dried chamomile flowers 2 tsp lavender oil Instructions Grind the Almonds Treehugger / Sanja Kostic Chop raw almonds in a spice grinder or food processor until they are a fine powder. Skip this step if using almond flour. Stir in Remaining Ingredients Treehugger / Sanja Kostic Add in oatmeal, cornstarch, dried flowers, and oil. Blend well until mixture is a soft granular powder. Put in Air Tight Container Treehugger / Sanja Kostic Transfer the scrub into an air tight container. Keeping the scrub in a well-sealed glass jar will keep it fresh for months. Add Water Treehugger / Sanja Kostic When you are ready to use the scrub, put half a tablespoon of this mixture in your palm and add just a couple of drops of water. Rub hands together to make a paste. Apply and Wash Off Treehugger / Sanja Kostic Gently rub and massage it onto damp skin in circular motions to exfoliate. Wash off with warm water or a warm, damp washcloth; end with a splash of cold water. Benefits of Oatmeal Treehugger / Sanja Kostic Oatmeal's ability to decrease dryness allows it to combat a variety of skin conditions. Oatmeal can aid in burns, itching, eczema, and even reduce inflammation. Skin products with as little as 1% of colloidal oatmeal (oats that have been ground up) have shown significant improvements in skin pH, barrier function, and hydration. Benefits of Chamomile Treehugger / Sanja Kostic Though widely known for its calming effects as a tea, chamomile is a popular skincare ingredient for similar reasons. Chamomile has soothing and anti-inflammatory properties when applied topically, which makes it useful in beauty products. Just as the oats in the scrub help improve a variety of skin conditions, chamomile is beneficial to burns and varying skin irritations. Good Scrub Practices Treehugger / Sanja Kostic To get the most out of your oatmeal scrub, follow this simple tips. Apply gently. To reduce the risk of irritation don't rub too hard when applying the scrub.Take your time. Exfoliate when you have some time and aren't in a rush. Rushing can lead to rough application and you want to be gentle with your skin.Apply moisturizer. Regardless of the moisturizing benefits of the oatmeal scrub, you will want to apply your usual moisturizer directly after exfoliating. Treehugger Tips Sometimes you just can't get what you need. However, you can substitute some ingredients that are a little more difficult to find.If you can't find fresh chamomile, head to your grocery store's tea aisle and use the dried chamomile flowers in the tea bags. (That way, you can also enjoy a nice cup of tea as part of your self-care routine.)Lavender oil is not the same as lavender essential oil, and so it can be tricky to find. To create your own lavender oil, blend a teaspoon of almond oil and five drops of lavender essential oil.Are you allergic to nuts? Skip the almonds and almond flour in this recipe completely. You'll still receive the same soothing benefits. Frequently Asked Questions Are DIY scrubs eco-friendlier than store-bought versions? You can see from the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep cosmetics database that conventional scrubs contain all sorts of toxic ingredients, from petroleum-derived fragrances to parabens. They all wind up in waterways and in the bodies of marine life, so making scrubs at home using only natural products is much better for the environment. How often should you exfoliate? You should exfoliate no more than two to three times per week. If you're new to exfoliating or you're trying a product for the first time, start with only once per week. When is the best time to exfoliate? The best time to exfoliate is immediately after (i.e., within five minutes of) a warm shower because it's easier to remove dead skin cells from moist skin. View Article Sources DeHaven, Charlene. "Mechanisms of Exfoliation." Innovative Skincare, 2015. Grajqevci-Kotori, Merita, and Allma Kocinaj. "Exfoliative Skin-Peeling, Benefits From This Procedure and Our Experience." Medical Archives, vol. 69, no. 6, 2015, pp. 414-416., doi:10.5455/medarh.2015.69.414-416 Reynertson, Kurt A., et al. "Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Colloidal Oatmeal (Avena sativa) Contribute to the Effectiveness of Oats in Treatment of Itch Associated with Dry, Irritated Skin." Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, vol. 14, no. 1, 2015, pp. 43-48. Capone, Kimberly, et al. "Effects of Colloidal Oatmeal Topical Atopic Dermatitis Cream on Skin Microbiome and Skin Barrier Properties." Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, vol. 19, no. 5, 2020, pp. 524-531. Lin, Tzu-Kai, et al. "Anti-Inflammatory and Skin Barrier Repair Effects of Topical Application of Some Plant Oils." International Journal of Molecular Sciences, vol. 19, no. 1, 2018, pp. 70., doi:10.3390/ijms19010070 View Article Sources DeHaven, Charlene. "Mechanisms of Exfoliation." Innovative Skincare, 2015. Grajqevci-Kotori, Merita, and Allma Kocinaj. "Exfoliative Skin-Peeling, Benefits From This Procedure and Our Experience." Medical Archives, vol. 69, no. 6, 2015, pp. 414-416., doi:10.5455/medarh.2015.69.414-416 Reynertson, Kurt A., et al. "Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Colloidal Oatmeal (Avena sativa) Contribute to the Effectiveness of Oats in Treatment of Itch Associated with Dry, Irritated Skin." Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, vol. 14, no. 1, 2015, pp. 43-48. Capone, Kimberly, et al. "Effects of Colloidal Oatmeal Topical Atopic Dermatitis Cream on Skin Microbiome and Skin Barrier Properties." Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, vol. 19, no. 5, 2020, pp. 524-531. Lin, Tzu-Kai, et al. "Anti-Inflammatory and Skin Barrier Repair Effects of Topical Application of Some Plant Oils." International Journal of Molecular Sciences, vol. 19, no. 1, 2018, pp. 70., doi:10.3390/ijms19010070