Why Coconut Milk and Colloidal Oat for Skin?

We thought we'd share about our new product Coco Oat today and some recipes on how to use it, not just for your baby as a no rinse bath soak but also for yourself! It's great as a body scrub or face mask, the combinations are endless. Try it out during this circuit breaker period, we all need some self-care! 

Coco Oat is made with only two main powerhouse ingredients, both food grade and organic - Colloidal Oats and Coconut Milk Powder. The combination of both ingredients makes it a super luxe and powerful nutrient rich base for whatever you may use it for. Especially dry, itchy, inflamed, eczema prone skin.

Here's why Coco Oat is so amazing for you and your baby:

Protects

When Coco Oat is combined with water, the mixture creates a protective film on the surface of your sensitive skin. The high concentration of starches, beta-glucan and lipids in both ingredients are important in helping to create that protective and water-holding functions of the outer layer of your skin.

This allows it to act as a humectant drawing in and retaining water, preventing water loss. When the outer layer of your skin is not performing optimally or has lost this protective barrier completely, it lets water escape from the skin in a process called transepidermal water loss (TEWL). By replacing the barrier with Coco Oat, you can help prevent some of that water loss, which helps keep the skin hydrated and calm. When your skin is properly hydrated, it’s also less itchy.

Soothing - Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory

Both Colloidal Oat and Coconut Milk powder have similar properties in that they're both anti-inflammatory to help soothe your skin. Some research has found that antioxidant compounds such as phenols and vitamin E present in coconuts and oatmeal can have anti-inflammatory effects. Further, the cellulose and fiber present gives it emollient properties that calm redness and irritation.

In fact, some of the phenols present in the ingredients also act as ultraviolet absorbers. This means, that it can help absorb and protect your skin from UVA rays. Of course, using Coco Oat doesn't replace the use of a good sunscreen but it does mean that it can have protective effects beyond just the physical barrier it creates.

Cleanses

The presence of saponins and avenacins in both oats and coconuts gives it its cleansing and anti-fungal activity. Making it a gentle natural alternative to man made alternatives like sodium lauryl sulfates. For at least half of their first year, your babys' skin is ultra thin and since they are not as active as you, me or a toddler, there is no need to bathe your baby daily. Rather, too much bathing can dry our your babys' delicate skin leaving it prone to skin issues like rashes, eczema or even infections. 

On most days, a quick wipe down with a soft damp cloth is enough, otherwise use a product like Coco Oat that is additive free and super gentle on fragile skin.  On bath days let your baby soak in warm water with Coco Oat dispersed in it for up to 10 minutes, 2 to 3 times a week, no final rinse off is necessary. Remember, Coco Oat has helped create a protective film over your skin there is no need to wash this off! Giving your babys' skin the protection needed without stripping away, while also preventing inflamed skin conditions, itchiness & eczema at the same time.

High in Vitamins

Both oats and coconut milk are packs with vitamins! Coconuts are high in vitamins C, E, B1, B3, B5, and B6 as well as iron, selenium,sodium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. While oats are high in manganese, phosphorus, copper, B vitamins, iron, selenium, magnesium, and zinc.

The benefit of having coconut milk in Coco Oat is that it contains a good concentration of lauric acid that is also found in your own breast milk. If you've always wanted to give your baby the famous breast milk bath afforded only by over supply mommies, now you can too! Lauric acid has been found to be effective against acne due to its anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties. The presence of these natural fatty acids in coconut milk that makes it a great cleansing agent too, while helping to treat dry and irritated skin and working against harmful bacteria.

Baby acne is a common skin condition in newborns and Coco Oat can help combat that.

Organic & Food Grade

Because it's only made of two organic derived ingredients, it won't hurt like sodium lauryl sulfate or other additives in your babes' eyes. It also wouldn't hurt if your baby or toddler happens to eat or take a sip of their bath water.

Long story short, the benefits of oats on skin has been known since the 1900s, a well known soothing ingredient that helps relieve itch and irritation associated with various dermatitis conditions. 

The use of colloidal oats as a skin protectant is so common that it is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Adminstration (FDA). Its preparation has since been standardized by the United States Pharmacopeia and the United States of America is exactly where we source our Organic Colloidal Oats from.😉

But the use of coconut milk powder on skin is not as well researched, however, you will find that the presence of the same compounds in both oats and coconuts makes this the perfect bath alternative for most (allergies to these oats or coconuts are rare but exist). 

Coco Oats' many functional properties make it the perfect gentle cleanser, moisturizer, buffer, as well as a soothing and protective anti-inflammatory agent - straight from mother nature no extra additives here!

For Adults

Unlike babies, we tend to be more active and are out in the environment all day. Before soaking in Coco Oat, do rinse off in your shower with your usual bath soap. No need to soap up after though, again you don't want to be washing off the protective layer that has already been created. Other than using it as a bath soak there are hundreds of ways to mix and match Coco Oat in creating a new product for your needs. You can simply use a teaspoon of Coco Oat and equal parts water for a face mask or if you're looking to jazz things up why no try some of our recipes?

Recipes

Coco Oat Gentle Body scrub
2 tablespoons Coco Oat
1 tablespoon honey (we like manuka honey)
1 tablespoon water

Buff away!

Mask for Dry Skin
2 tablespoons Coco Oat 
1 tablespoon honey (we like manuka honey)
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Mix ingredients, apply to clean face. Leave on for 10 minutes then rinse off.

Mask for All Skin Types
1 tablespoons Coco Oat 
1/2 tablepoon honey (we like manuka honey)
1 tablespoon applesauce
Few drops of rose water

Combine ingredients and apply to clean face. Leave on for 10-15 minutes, rinse off.

Mask for Acne Prone Skin
2 tablespoons Coco Oat 
1 tablespoon honey (we like manuka honey)
Just enough water to make a paste

Combine to make paste, apply to clean face. Leave on for 10 minutes then rinse off.

Mask for Busting those Pimples
2 tablespoons Coco Oat 
1 teaspoon honey (we like manuka honey)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Just enough water to make a paste

Combine ingredients to make a paste, apply to clean face. Leave on for no more than 5 minutes, rinse off.

We hope you’ve enjoyed learning more about these yummy ingredients. Let us know if you've tried Coco Oat for your baby or with any of our recipes!! We'd love to hear from you.