The power of oat: How this ingredient soothes, locks in moisture and nourishes skin

At Kenvue, we never underestimate the power of what’s grows in nature, especially when it comes to one of our favorite skincare ingredients: Oat!

Did you know this breakfast table staple is also a skincare powerhouse due to its unique and complex chemical properties? Here, we’ll break down the science behind the power of oat, including how it supports Kenvue skin health and beauty brands.

Oat in skincare

Oat, as in oatmeal? Yes! Oats contain proteins, vitamins B and E and nourishing lipids that work to lock in moisture for rough, dry skin.

Oat is also a leading, multi-benefit skin ingredient ideal for sensitive skin. While many sensitive skin ingredients simply moisturize, oat does more, including providing relief of dry, itchy skin.

Oat in many forms

The Kenvue portfolio of brands uses several forms of oat to provide optimal benefits.

Oat flour: Oat flour contains high levels of proteins and lipids to soothe and help preserve the skin moisture barrier. It also provides prebiotic benefits thanks to the high amounts of avenanthramides — a phenolic alkaloid found only in oats — which provide soothing benefits to the skin’s surface.

Oat oil: Rich in unsaturated fatty acids, oat oil helps to reduce water loss from the skin surface layer, helping to improve the skin’s moisture barrier and overall texture.

Collodial oatmeal: Kenvue skin health and beauty brands also source “colloidal” oatmeal — carefully selecting harvested oats with high protein content. It’s this protein, along with high lipid content, that provides beauty benefits.¹

Oat extract: Also derived from harvested oats, oat extract helps with reduction in skin redness and itch.

Collodial oat and eczema

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration also officially categorized colloidal oatmeal as a skin protectant that is effective at temporarily protecting and helping to relieve minor skin irritation due to rashes, eczema, poison ivy/oak/sumac and insect bites.¹ If you find yourself struggling to clear up your eczema, try Aveeno® Eczema Therapy Moisturizing Cream.