Colloidal Oatmeal

What Is It?

Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Meal and Colloidal Oatmeal are both ground kernels of oats. These ingredients are used in skin care, bath products and soaps and detergents.

Why Is It Used?

As a skin protectant, Colloidal Oatmeal temporarily protects injured or exposed skin from harmful or annoying stimuli, and may therefore provide relief to the skin. Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Meal and Colloidal Oatmeal also function as abrasives, absorbents and bulking agents.

Scientific Facts

Colloidal Oatmeal is finely ground oatmeal. It is often used to relieve minor skin irritation and itching due to poison ivy or insect bites. It can also be used as a soak, compress or wet dressing. When oatmeal is used in cosmetic and personal care products (rather than OTC skin protectant drug products), it may be called Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Meal.

Safety Information

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reviewed the safety and efficacy of Colloidal Oatmeal and approved its use as an active ingredient in Over-the-Counter (OTC) skin protectant drug products at a minimum concentration of 0.007%, or 0.003% when used in combination with mineral oil. When used as a skin protectant in an OTC skin protectant drug product, this ingredient must be called Colloidal Oatmeal. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) has deferred evaluation of this ingredient because the safety has been assessed by FDA. This deferral of review is according to the provisions of the CIR Procedures.

Link to FDA Code of Federal Regulations for Colloidal Oatmeal http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr…

Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Meal and Colloidal Oatmeal may be used in cosmetics and personal care products marketed in Europe according to the general provisions of the Cosmetics Regulation of the European Union.

Link to the EU Cosmetic Regulation: 
http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/consumers/product_labelling_and_p…

More Scientific Information

Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Meal and Colloidal Oatmeal belong to a large and diverse class of materials that are not defined chemically. Specific ingredients derived from biological sources are classified on the basis of their chemistry and the majority of the materials in this class are mixtures derived from plants. In cosmetics and personal care products, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Meal and Colloidal Oatmeal function as abrasives, absorbents and bulking agents. Colloidal Oatmeal also functions as a skin protectant.

Resources

Find out more about the regulation of over-the-counter drugs by the Food and Drug Administration

OTC Drug Home Page: http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/BuyingUsingMedicineSa…

Information about OTC Drug monographs: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/over-counter-otc-drug-monograph-process

Search the Code of Federal Regulations http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm

EU Cosmetics Inventory http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cosmetics/cosing/