Oatmeal in the Victorian Toilette

It’s true. Oatmeal was in the Victorian Toilette. Oatmeal is still in our toiletries today in homemade and in brand-name products.

Aveeno Eczema Therapy with Colloidal Oatmeal

This newspaper clipping, from an 1893 edition of The Buffalo Commercial focuses on oatmeal bath sachets. Note the promised rewards: velvety softness and whiteness to the skin. A very Victorian measure of beauty.

Oatmeal in the Victorian Toilette: Oatmeal Bath Sachets (calling for ground oatmeal, castile soap, etc.). Published in The Buffalo Commercial Newspaper of Buffalo, New York on November 16, 1893.

Oatmeal Bath Sachets (calling for ground oatmeal, castile [sic] soap, etc.). The Buffalo Commercial of Buffalo, New York on November 16, 1893.

Unsightly Suntan or Freckles? Oatmeal to the rescue!

Like Victorians, you can bathe in oatmeal because it is (supposedly) a miraculous treatment for suntans and pesky freckles. No feminine Victorian face should tolerate blemishes. Yet another Victorian standard of beauty.

Oatmeal in the Victorian Toilette: Bath Bags made with oatmeal for "the girl who is troubled with freckles and tan is likely to see them accentuated when traveling in the summer." Published in <em>The Times-Democrat</em> of New Orleans, Louisiana on June 6, <strong>1904</strong>.

Bath Bags made with oatmeal for “the girl who is troubled with freckles and tan is likely to see them accentuated when traveling in the summer.” Published in The Times-Democrat of New Orleans, Louisiana on June 6, 1904.

Ladies still use Oatmeal Bath Sachets Today

A simple Google search returns blog posts, articles, recipes, and videos about how to make oatmeal bath sachets, much like the Oatmeal in Victorian toiletries of yesteryear.