You may have heard that oats are great for your health, but did you know the benefits they can have on your skin? Oats, or colloidal oatmeal in particular, can have a positive impact on the health of your skin and body by nourishing and hydrating. Read on to discover why.

What is colloidal oatmeal?

Colloidal oatmeal is a blend of oats which has been very finely milled into an almost powder-like state, which is then suspended into some form of liquid. This helps the colloidal oatmeal to be easily absorbed into the skin and reap its maximum benefits.

How does it help the skin?

Naturally rich in polysaccharides, colloidal oatmeal helps to protect the skin by sealing in its natural moisture, which keeps it hydrated and soft. This makes it a great ingredient to use in your bodycare routine if you suffer from any dry or dehydrated areas.

In addition, oats are great at calming any redness or irritation on the skin’s surface. Rich in actives called avenathramides (which are responsible for reducing irritation) colloidal oatmeal is perfect for sensitive skin days. We love to use it every day to keep skin soft and healthy, but in case of emergency, break glass and use oats!

Finally, they are increidbly rich in compounds called saponins, which help to gently cleanse the skin without irritating it. Perfect for sensitive skin, the saponins in colloidal oatmeal absorb dirt and debris to leave the skin soft, healthy and glowing.

As colloidal oatmeal is great for sensitive skin, it’s the perfect ingredient to use in your baby’s everyday care routine too. Naturally soothing and moisturising, Aveeno’s collection of baby products are suitable for even the most delicate of baby skin, and will leave any sign of irritation and redness, soothed, calmed and nourished.

Yoghurt, Oat, Honey & Apricot cake

This cake will serve 12 people, and is a delicious and healthy alternative to most baked goods.

We love how light and fluffy it tastes!

What will I need?

CAKE

275g butter at room temperature
250g coconut sugar
4tsp honey
Zest of 1 orange
2tsp chopped dried apricots
4 large free-range & organic eggs
75g oats (blitzed to a powder)
75g spelt flour
150g ground almonds
2tsp baking powder

ICING

100g Greek Yoghurt
4tsp honey
Zest & juice of 1/2 an orange
Handful of pistachios and dried apricots to decorate

How do I make it?

Heat the oven to 170C and line a cake tin with baking parchment
Beat the butter in a bowl until it has a creamy consistency
Add the sugar, honey, orange zest and apricots
Stir the ingredients and start adding eggs to the mixture 1 at a time, adding 1tbsp of oat and spelt flour with each egg
Combine the remaining oat and spelt flour, ground almonds and baking powder, and add to the mixture to combine fully.
Bake for 45-50 minutes
Make the icing by combining the honey, yoghurt, orange juice and zest
While the cake is still hot, prick with a skewer and pour over the icing. Sprinkle with apricots and pistachios.

We were asked by @aveenoukire to develop some recipes for their current Oat and new Yogurt range. Here's what we came up with and serving this morning to UK media; Oat, Yogurt and Apricot Cake. #Aveeno #26grains #momentforme #oats #feedyourskin

A post shared by Alex Hely-Hutchinson (@26grains) on Apr 5, 2017 at 2:02am PDT

Lifestyle Skincare

Amelia

Skincare Specialist

I am a big believer in the idea that beautiful Make Up begins with a superb skincare regime. I like to enhance my natural beauty rather than cover up and I am always on the lookout for great products which really work. When I am not writing about all things beauty, I like to do Yoga and I make an amazing brownie. It is all about balance!