Colloidal Oatmeal in skincare – An Underrated Ingredient

Colloidal oatmeal is one of the most underrated ingredients in the skincare industry and is approved by the FDA as an over-the-counter skincare product.

• Humectant: colloidal oatmeal has a high content of beta-glucan and starches that have the ability to retain and hold water in and moisturize the skin.

• Emollient: the oat oil in oats is high in lipids such as triglycerides and fatty acids. These lipids can act as an emollient which can strengthen the skin barrier. It can make the skin smooth, soft, and fill in the gaps to improve dry skin.

• Contains Avenanthremides that can calm irritated skin: Oats contain low-molecular-weight, compounds called avenanthramides which are not present in other cereal grains. These compounds are antipathogens that are produced by the plant to defend itself against plant pathogens such as fungi.

As a result, they help reduce oxidative stress and can soothe, and calm irritated skin.

• Antioxidant: They produce antioxidants like ferulic acid, caffeic acid, and p-coumaric acid. They also make their own compounds to prevent the degradation of antioxidants by absorbing UV and help with stability.

• Cleanse the skin: colloidal oatmeal can be used as a cleanser, many people also use oatmeal baths to treat a variety of skin conditions such as contact dermatitis, rosacea, and eczema. They basically serve as natural soap.

Colloidal oatmeal is suitable for all skin types including sensitive skin and skin of colour. It helps to calm irritated skin and moisturize it.

You can use cleansers, moisturizers, and serums that have colloidal oatmeal as their main ingredient and you can use these products twice a day.

Note: make sure to conduct a patch test to see if you’re allergic to oats.

1. You just need to soak some oats in purified water or any water that doesn’t irritate your skin. Make sure to not use flavored oats.
2. Let the oats sit and rest for 30 mins and you can use that water to clean your face.
3. You can use a gentle cotton pad to saturate the water part and wipe it across the face. Make sure to use a cotton pad that is not harsh.
4. You can also use this method to treat maskne (maskne or mask acne means getting acne, irritation, and redness from using a face mask for long periods of time especially for sensitive skin).

1. You will need a coffee grinder, blender, or food processor.
2. Rolled oats, which are free from chemicals, sugar, and salt. They can be purchased from stores.
3. A bathtub.

• Step 1: grind the oats on the highest setting of your grinder. The powdered oats should be able to dissolve in water, if the mixture looks milky and feels silky it is correct, if not keep grinding. One and a half cups of oats is enough.

• Step 2: Draw your bath with warm water and sprinkle the oats over the bottom of the tub. Stir the water to break any clumps.

• Step 3: Climb into the tub and soak for 15 minutes. Pat the skin dry with a gentle towel and moisturize. Avoid scrubbing as it can lead to irritation.

Note: Oatmeal baths can also be used for babies who have irritated skin. Only use a 3rd of a cup of oats for a baby’s bath. Make sure to conduct a patch test for the baby. You can apply some dissolved colloidal oatmeal to the back of the hand and see if there are any signs of reaction.

Yes, colloidal oatmeal is safe to use during pregnancy, because of its anti-inflammatory properties it can calm, soothe irritated skin and also moisturize the skin.

No, colloidal oatmeal does not clog pores, it is non-comedogenic. It actually helps to cleanse the face and calm irritated skin.

Yes, colloidal oatmeal is safe for all types of sensitive skin such as dry skin, eczema, rosacea, irritant contact dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, contact urticaria, photodermatoses, physical urticaria, aquagenic pruritus, and psoriasis.

Colloidal oatmeal can relieve some of that irritation, swelling, burning, tingling, and redness to some extent. Overall, it is one of the best ingredients that can treat sensitive skin.

No, colloidal oatmeal is not soluble in water. It is only minimally soluble and disperses smoothly in emulsions.

Yes, colloidal oatmeal can be used for perioral dermatitis because of its humectant and emollient properties that can moisturize the skin. It can calm irritation and also cleanse the skin.