Colloidal Oatmeal
Colloidal oatmeal is a finely milled form of oats used in skincare to soothe, protect and hydrate the skin. It is a popular gentle ingredient found in moisturisers, cleansers and bath products, especially those designed for sensitive or irritated skin.
How it works in skincare
In cosmetics and skincare, colloidal oatmeal functions as a skin protectant and soothing agent by forming a thin, breathable layer on the skin’s surface that helps lock in moisture while reducing dryness and roughness. Its unique composition of starches, beta-glucans and avenanthramides allows it to absorb excess oil, calm visible redness and support the skin barrier without clogging pores.
Key benefits
- Calms and soothes irritated skin
- Helps relieve dryness and roughness
- Forms a protective barrier to lock in moisture
- Gently cleanses without stripping the skin
- Improves skin softness and smoothness
- Suitable for sensitive skin formulations
Best for
sensitive skin, dry skin, irritated skin, eczema-prone skin, mature skin
Where it comes from
Colloidal oatmeal is produced by grinding whole oat kernels (Avena sativa) into an extremely fine powder. Oats are a cereal grain cultivated primarily in cooler climates such as the United Kingdom, Canada and northern Europe.
Products with Colloidal Oatmeal
Not every product on UK Lips lists a full ingredient breakdown — so there may be many more formulas that contain Colloidal Oatmeal than we can show here. These are the comparisons where we’ve confirmed it in the listed ingredients.
- Dermalogica Super Rich Repair (50ml) Dermalogica
- Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Retinol Serum (30ml) Dermalogica