OATMEAL: natural exfoliant, or sticky, pastey mess?

The skincare aisle, beauty rags and every "natural-cosmetics-you-probably-already-have-in-your-home" list have long sung the praises of oatmeal or products made with oatmeal. When used in cosmetics oatmeal is called "avena sativa kernel meal" and when used in products for treating skin irritation it's called "colloidal oatmeal". There are literally hundreds, perhaps thousands of recipes available online for formulating and using your own oatmeal-based cosmetic and personal-care products at home, but one tip I saw over and over again was the use of oatmeal and water as an exfoliant. The idea is because oatmeal is coarsely ground (but not so hard or coarse that it will be abrasive) it is similar to scrubbing the skin with almond shells or apricot kernels. Supposedly, oatmeal also contains some natural compounds that "draw out impurities in the skin". Having run out of the scrub product I typically use, I decided to give it a try. Here's what happened:

1) I took a small handful of dry oatmeal, and ground it with a mortar and pestle

In hindsight, I don't know that this was necessary however, a lot of what I had read recommended the oatmeal more finely if you planned to use it as a facial scrub.

2) I poured the oatmeal into a rocks glass, and mixed in a small amount of water

It was really small, like less than 1/4 teaspoon. The first time I did this I actually used no more than that it was still too much water.

3) Next, after taking the oatmeal paste onto my fingers, I scrubbed my face with it




This is when I discovered I hate the smell of wet, raw, America's Choice traditional oatmeal.

4) RINSE!

The verdict: While, as I mentioned, it turns out I hate the smell of wet, raw America's Choice traditional oatmeal on my face, I still got that nice clean feeling I get whenever I use a scrub. However, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that I would get this feeling from the simple act of washing my face, regardless of what I used to wash it. I've been using the oatmeal scrub every other day for about a week now, and it certainly hasn't made my skin any worse.


So...

PROS
-"All natural"
-Inexpensive
-Easy to make
-Is readily available
-Is biodegradable
-Non-toxic*

CONS
-Smells
-Can be difficult to get the correct ratio of oatmeal to water
-People being weirded out over you washing your face with oatmeal
-Could potentially clog your sink if you were to wash it down the drain. It's recommended you scoop out the oatmeal and discard it in a trash-can or rubbish-bin.

POTENTIAL HAZARDS

-Unless you know how your oatmeal is grown, harvested and processed, like with all other foods, you never know what pesticides or chemical residuals could be sitting on your cheap-and-cheerful kitchen cosmetic. I don't know the exact level this presents in foods used as external cosmetics but like with anything else in life, I imagine there's some risk, but I also imagine that it's quite small.
-Everyone's skin is different and it is possible a person could suffer an adverse reaction while using oatmeal as a natural scrub, especially if they have allergies or a pre-existing skin condition. When in doubt, it's best to consult a dermatologist.



*Please see the potential hazards section.
Cheap and Cheerful is not written by dermatologists and accepts no responsibility for injuries, chemical burns or allergic reactions sustained while attempting to use oatmeal as a natural skincare product.

The Cheap and Cheerful Guide to Drinkin at Home Part 2: 5 ways you can make drinking at home more like drinking in a bar

Last week Cheap and Cheerful covered five ways that drinking at home can be better than drinking in a bar. Still, staying in often just lacks the glamour of going out. The commotion, the crowds, the new faces... they're usually lacking behind your own walls. While this isn't always a bad thing, there are a few things you can do to turn a somewhat solitary evening into a more social occasion!


The photo "Cocktail" is (c) Fibroblast (2007) and is used under the creative commons license


1)Have some people over (Bonus if you can get them to bring over some additional beverages or bits to eat)

Inviting some of your friends over quickly turns your Long-Island-Iced-tea for one, into a little cocktail party! If your friends have found themselves sailing the same saving-conscious seas as you, they may be only too happy to have the opportunity to be spending an evening (or afternoon, or brunch-hour) outside of the house, that isn't going to require them to drop a lot of this week's hard-earned cash. Good company goes well with good drinks; it also vastly improves the taste of cheap drinks.

2) Get some niffty serving wear

While perhaps not an absolutely necessary expenditure, some swanky bar-ware can make even your nightly cocktail seem like a special occasion. Great glasses aren't always expensive either! Many of the off-price department store outlets like Marshall's, TJ Maxx, and Ross often have attractive home goods at discounted prices. Another great place to search for bar ware is your local thrift store or consignment shop. Depending on the store, you may find an even better deal for wares that are much more unique.

3) Serve some snacks

You don't have to put out a huge spread, but setting out a few things to nibble on can really class up the occasion. It doesn't take much at all! A few handfuls of mixed nuts or even just some cheese and crackers on a plate, lend a great deal of flair to an otherwise totally casual evening at home. Simply using an eye-catching serving dish or plate and placing it on the table before your friends arrive looks like a great deal more than it actually takes!

4) Get dressed like you would if you were going out

If you are the type to dress before you go out, dressing for an evening in with some friends as you for an evening out marks the night as an occasion instead of reminding you that ya'll are sitting in your living room because you're broke.

5) Consider tidying up the joint

Make the place comfortable for you and your friends! Clearing the clutter or at least taking out the trash can really improve the feel of a place, your place included. While it's not really necessary to mop the floors and scrub the toilets, it's generally much more cheerful to drink in a place where you aren't staring down a week's worth of dirty laundry, pizza boxes and junk mail.

Happy Hosting!