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How Does Oatmeal Impact Skincare?
As a skincare ingredient, oats and oatmeal can have a significant impact on the health and appearance of your skin, as well as help to treat conditions that cause dry, flaky skin and irritation.
The active ingredients used in oatmeal products not only bring moisture to the surface layers of your skin, they also use their natural properties to soothe and cool itchiness and aid the protective performance of your skin’s outer layer. As such, they are the perfect solution for many skin conditions and ensures a perfect balance of your skin’s microbiome – the ecosystem of bacteria that keeps your skin healthy-looking and glowing.
Oatmeal-based products work with your skin to do a number of things, including:
- Restoring moisture to dry skin to improve its appearance and reduce irritation
- Creating a protective barrier, known as the skin microbiome, on the surface of the skin that guards against bad bacteria and UV rays
- Helping your skin achieve optimal pH levels, particularly if this has increased
- Soothing sensitive skin and reducing the effects of itchiness and other forms of irritation
- Cleaning the skin by sticking to dirt and dead skin cells to allow them to be washed away more easily
The Benefits of Using Oatmeal to Improve Skin Health:
Dry skin
Dry skin is often caused by a lack of water in the upper layers of the skin. However, oatmeal ingredients work to retain that moisture, creating a layer that traps1 water. This gives skin a fuller, more radiant appearance and reduces areas of dry skin.
Eczema:
As well as causing dryness in the skin, eczema is a condition which can leave sufferers with patches of itchy and inflamed skin across their body. This is partially due to defects in the surface of the epidermis, which prevents it from retaining the moisture it needs. Oat ingredients are often recommended for eczema sufferers, adults and babies, to strengthen the outer barrier of your skin, as well as for the anti-inflammatory qualities that help to reduce itchiness2. The Aveeno® Dermexa range contain prebiotic triple oat formula and ceramides to relieve the symptoms of dry eczema-prone skin.
Psoriasis:
Usually affecting the skin on around the elbows and other joints, this condition is caused by skin regenerating too quickly. The build-up of skin cells leads to dry, scaly skin that can be itchy or sore3. Oatmeal can help wash away layers of dead skin to reduce the impact of psoriasis.
Aveeno Triple Oat Complex
As well as using colloidal oatmeal to moisturize, Aveeno® Dermexa skin care range, targeted at eczema-prone skin, uses two other oatmeal products, oat extract and oat oil. All three combine to create Aveeno’s unique prebiotic Triple Oat Complex, which helps restore microbial balance to dry, itchy and compromised skin.
These beneficial ingredients are extracted from the raw oats through a careful process. Oat oil can also be removed from oats in a similar way. This helps to concentrate the effects of the chemical compounds found within and promotes prebiotic function to help relieve very dry, itchy and sensitive skin.
The compounds found in all forms of oatmeal include:
Saponins - designed to absorb dirt on the skin, ideal for cleansing
Polysaccharides - which bind to skin fluids to create a protective barrier
Carbohydrates - which have hydrophilic qualities, making them perfect for moisturizing
Proteins - which moisturize and emulsify, helping to create a protective barrier for your skin
Lipids and flavonoids - which have anti-oxidant qualities that help make your skin healthier.
References:
[1]https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-18449/colloidal-oatmeal-topical/details
[2]https://nationaleczema.org/eczema/treatment/bathing/
[3]https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/psoriasis/
[4]https://www.aveenomd.com/our-ingredients/oat
[5]https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235995930_oatmeal_in_dermatology
[6]https://www.aveenomd.com/our-ingredients/oat
[7]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3508548/
[8]https://www.aveenomd.com/our-ingredients/oat
[9]https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-18449/colloidal-oatmeal-topical/details
[10]https://nationaleczema.org/eczema/treatment/bathing/
[11]https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/psoriasis/
[12]https://www.livestrong.com/article/104269-oatmeal-face-masks-acne/
[13]https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/nappy-rash/
[14]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3508548/
*Combined Infant Cleansing and Baby Lotion categories. Based on the IQVIA survey done with US Pediatricians Mar 2022
