Finely processed oat material used in moisturizing and skin-protectant products.
Sources: 1, 2Colloidal oat flour
Not assessed
No pregnancy- or breastfeeding-specific assessment has been completed for this record. A cosmetic safety review is not a pregnancy rating.
Limited evidence
Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Flour
What it does
Studied oatmeal-containing formulas can improve dryness and support skin comfort. It is not identical to an oat extract or oat oil.
Sources: 1, 2Good for
- Dry skin
- Comfort-focused moisturizers
How to use it
Use in a finished product according to its label. Do not use a raw cosmetic ingredient as a treatment.
Sources: 1, 2Who should be careful
People with known oat allergy should seek suitable alternatives or professional advice. An ordinary cosmetic is not a treatment for every rash.
Sources: 1, 2Pairs well with
No supported pairings have been documented for this record.
Usage, safety and formulation details
Mechanism of action
A mixture of starches, lipids, proteins and other oat constituents contributes to surface protection and conditioning.
Sources: 1, 2Potential adverse effects
An individual may experience irritation or a contact reaction despite a product's comfort-focused positioning.
Sources: 1, 2Formulation considerations
Particle processing and the finished formula influence performance; drug skin-protectant claims have specific labeling conditions.
Sources: 1, 2Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Not assessed
No pregnancy- or breastfeeding-specific assessment has been completed for this record. A cosmetic safety review is not a pregnancy rating.
Safety tags
- Fragrance allergen
- Not assessed
Not separately assessed in this draft.
- Essential oil
- Not assessed
Not separately assessed in this draft.
- Drying alcohol
- Not assessed
Not separately assessed in this draft.
- May irritate sensitive skin
- Not assessed
Not separately assessed in this draft.
What remains uncertain
- Exact concentration, final pH and the full composition of any unprovided finished product
- Exact material, composition and supplier-grade specifications
Clinical evidence and research (1 studies)
Clinical evidence
Evidence for its main benefitLimited evidence
A cited study is entered below. Its formulation, exposure and limitations must be considered before applying the results to another product.
Sources: 1, 2Colloidal oatmeal and skin barrier: mechanistic and clinical evaluation
- Design
- Laboratory gene-expression work plus an investigator-blinded clinical study; no control arm is described in the abstract
- Population
- 50 healthy women with moderate to severe dry skin on the lower legs
- Studied concentration
- Colloidal oatmeal skin-protectant lotion; percentage not stated in the abstract
- Duration
- Not stated in the abstract
The lotion was reported to give significant improvements in skin dryness, moisturization and barrier measures.
Limitations: Results are formulation-specific and are not a comparison with every other soothing ingredient.
Small clinical studySources: 1Regulation and ingredient label names
Regulatory information
No jurisdiction-specific assessment is recorded. An inventory listing is not blanket approval.
Names on ingredient lists
avena sativa (oat) kernel flour
Chemical identity and molecular structure
Chemical information
Chemical structure
No single structure to show yet
This ingredient represents a mixture, extract, polymer or ingredient family. A single molecular diagram may not describe its composition.
| Detail | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| material scope | Variable material or ingredient family: no single molecular formula, molecular weight or bond diagram describes every grade. | Colloidal oatmeal and skin barrier: mechanistic and clinical evaluation |
Content updated 9 November 2026.
Sources (2)
Scientific sources
- Colloidal oatmeal and skin barrier: mechanistic and clinical evaluationhuman and laboratory study · 2016
- US eCFR: Skin protectant active ingredients, 21 CFR 347.10regulatory context
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