Oatmeal

What Is Oatmeal in Skincare?

Oatmeal in skincare is usually colloidal oatmeal: whole oat kernels (Avena sativa) ground so finely that the powder disperses evenly in water and forms a smooth, milky, slightly slippery liquid. It is one of the most trusted comfort ingredients for dry, tight, easily irritated-feeling skin, used in lotions, cleansers, masks, and bath soaks.

EWG Skin Deep rating for Oatmeal

Oats work through a combination of compounds rather than one active: starches and beta-glucan that hold water and form a soft protective film, lipids that soften, saponins that cleanse gently, and phenolic antioxidants called avenanthramides.

Quick Facts

How Oatmeal Works on the Skin

Hydration and a protective film

The starches and beta-glucan in oats hold water and leave a thin, soft film on the skin. That film helps skin feel smoother and less tight, and slows the loss of moisture after washing. Kurtz and Wallo, in a 2007 review in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, credited the high starch and beta-glucan content for oat's protective and water-holding functions.

Gentle cleansing and buffering

Oat saponins are natural surface-active compounds that lift away oil and debris without the strong defatting effect of harsh soaps. Colloidal oatmeal also has a buffering effect that helps keep products close to skin-friendly pH.

Comfort and antioxidants

Oat phenols, including avenanthramides, are antioxidants that help skin look calmer and less red. Some oat phenols also absorb ultraviolet light, although oatmeal is not a sunscreen.

What the research measured

In a 2016 study in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology (Ilnytska and colleagues, a Johnson & Johnson research team), extracts of colloidal oatmeal increased the expression of genes linked to skin barrier structure and lipids in lab-grown skin models. In the clinical part of the study, 50 women with moderate to severe dry skin on the lower legs used a colloidal oatmeal lotion, and investigators measured significant improvements in dryness, moisturization, and barrier function.

How to Use Oatmeal in DIY Formulas

• Use true colloidal oatmeal. Kitchen oats ground in a blender are coarser, feel gritty, and settle out. Colloidal grade disperses smoothly.
• Disperse it in the water phase. Sprinkle it into cool or warm water while stirring to avoid clumps. It can be heated with the water phase of an emulsion.
• Expect thickening. Oat starches build body. In lotions, stay at the lower end of the range; in masks and soaks, use up to 30%.
• Preserve it well. Oats are food for microbes. Any water-containing oat product needs a broad-spectrum preservative. Dry blends (bath soaks, powdered masks) stay stable until water is added.
• As a gentle exfoliant, coarser oat flour mixed into a cleanser gives a soft physical polish that is far milder than shell or salt scrubs.
• Storage. Keep the powder sealed, dry, and cool.

For a simple mask, see our honey oatmeal recipe.

Who Oatmeal Suits

Oatmeal suits every skin type and is a top choice for dry, mature, and sensitive-feeling skin, plus baby care. People with a known oat allergy should avoid it. Oats are naturally gluten free but are often processed alongside wheat, so if you avoid gluten, look for certified gluten-free oat ingredients. If you have sensitive skin, patch test first on the inner arm for 24 hours and start at the lowest rate of the range (5%), then work up.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is colloidal oatmeal?

Colloidal oatmeal is whole oat kernel milled so finely that it disperses evenly in water and forms a smooth, milky liquid. It is used in lotions, cleansers, masks, and bath soaks for dry, tight, easily irritated-feeling skin. On labels it appears as Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Flour.

What is the difference between oatmeal and colloidal oatmeal?

Colloidal oatmeal is milled to a very fine, consistent particle size so it disperses in water instead of sinking. Breakfast oats are much coarser and feel gritty on skin. For formulas, use cosmetic colloidal grade.

Can I make colloidal oatmeal at home?

You can grind plain oats very finely in a blender for a bath soak or a fresh mask. Homemade powder is coarser and less consistent than cosmetic grade, so it settles out of lotions. For anything you plan to store, buy colloidal oatmeal from a cosmetic supplier.

Can I use oatmeal on my face every day?

Yes. Oat-based cleansers and moisturizers are gentle enough for daily use. Rinse oat masks off thoroughly, as dried residue can feel heavy.

Is colloidal oatmeal safe for babies?

Colloidal oatmeal is widely used in baby care and is generally well tolerated. Patch test a small area first, avoid it if there is a known oat allergy, and ask your pediatrician about anything for very young infants.

Is oat beta-glucan the same as colloidal oatmeal?

No. Beta-glucan is one purified component of oats, sold as a separate, concentrated ingredient. Colloidal oatmeal is the whole kernel. See our beta-glucan glossary entry and our guide Beta-Glucan for Skin.

Is colloidal oatmeal gluten free?

Oats are naturally gluten free, but they are often processed alongside wheat, barley, or rye. If you avoid gluten, choose certified gluten-free oat ingredients.

Shop This Collection

For daily moisture, choose the Ultimate Moisturizer for Day and Night Use, or for mature, dry skin, the peptide-rich Ageless Advanced Peptide Moisturizer.

Sources

• Kurtz ES, Wallo W. Colloidal oatmeal: history, chemistry and clinical properties. J Drugs Dermatol. 2007;6(2):167-170. JDD
• Ilnytska O, Kaur S, Chon S, Reynertson KA, Nebus J, Garay M, Mahmood K, Southall MD. Colloidal Oatmeal (Avena Sativa) Improves Skin Barrier Through Multi-Therapy Activity. J Drugs Dermatol. 2016;15(6):684-690. JDD

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

About the Author
Written by Kari Thomas, cosmetic formulator and founder of Skin Perfection.