An oat body wash for itchy, dry skin: what oats do, and why fragrance-free matters more than anything else in the bottle
As the weather turns, searches for a gentle body wash climb. What oats bring to a rinse-off wash, why leaving out fragrance and soap matters so much for itchy skin, and the shower habits that matter a
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Researched. We have not used this one long enough to give you a verdict, and we would rather say so than invent one. What follows is how it works, who it suits, and what it will not do. When we have used it properly, this page carries the verdict and the date.
Searches for this body wash are rising as the weather cools — which is when skin starts to feel tight and itchy after every shower. It is a plain, fragrance-free wash built around oats, and both halves of that description matter.
What oats bring
Oats have been used on irritated skin for a very long time, and with some reason: they contain compounds that calm itch and redness, and starches and fats that leave a soft film on the skin. According to the listing, this wash uses a "Triple Oat Complex" — oat flour, oat oil and oat extract — to soothe and help the skin hold its moisture.
In a product you rinse off, the oat oil and the film the wash leaves behind are what can stay on the skin; we explained why in serum ingredients in a body wash.
Why fragrance-free matters most
For itchy, dry or sensitive skin, what a body wash leaves out matters more than what it puts in. Fragrance is one of the commonest reasons skin reacts. The listing says this wash is fragrance-free, and free of parabens, dyes and soap, and allergy tested. Soap-free matters too: traditional soap is alkaline and can leave already-dry skin feeling tighter.
The listing reports that nine out of ten users agreed it left itchy, dry skin feeling soothed and moisturized — a survey of how people felt, which is a reasonable thing to report for a body wash.
The shower habits that matter as much
No body wash undoes a long, hot shower. Keep the water lukewarm and the shower short. Use the wash on the parts that need it rather than scrubbing every inch. Pat dry, and put body lotion on within a few minutes, while skin is still slightly damp — we explain why in humectants, occlusives, and the three minutes after a shower.
A second use
The listing suggests it as a shaving wash for the legs, applied by hand as a rich lather. A gentle, fragrance-free lather is a sensible base for shaving sensitive skin.
Who it suits
Anyone whose skin gets dry, tight or itchy, especially in winter; anyone with sensitive skin who reacts to scented products; and families who want one gentle wash for everyone.
What it will not do
It will not replace a body moisturizer for genuinely dry skin. It will not calm a persistent rash or itch that has a medical cause — that is worth seeing a doctor about. And it will not suit anyone who wants a scented shower.
The product
A fragrance-free, soap-free oat body wash for sensitive, dry and itchy skin. Sold by Amazon when we checked.
The one people are searching for is the Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash, Fragrance-Free, 18 fl oz.
We do not print prices here, because a price we typed last month is a price that is wrong today.
Written by JamieG in Garner Town, Tennessee.
JamieG
Skincare and fragrance. Garner Town, Tennessee — population 125, two of whom are us.
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