Oat Cosmetics data points to skin enhancing qualities for texturising ingredient

The ingredient was launched in 2014 primarily as a texturising ingredient for a range of cosmetic and personal care formulations, but the new data points to an unexpected additional property in the form of skin health benefits.

Oat Cosmetics says that these skin health attributes are down to the high levels of natural lipids and antioxidant that are found in the oat flour, which forms the basis of its texturising ingredient.

It's all in the oil content...​

Oat Silk is a finely milled and debranned flour that has been found to contain 7% oat oil, together antioxidants that include the potent avenanthramides, together with the powerful moisturiser oat beta glucan, the company points out.

Oats are said to be unique amongst cereal crops in that they contain whole oil bodies, which leads to a richer distribution of the oil throughout the kernel.

In turn the flour produced from these kernels has an enriched composition, with the naturally occurring molecules ultimately providing enhanced skin condition and protection properties.

The new data shows that, compared to other cereal starches used as texturisers in cream lotions and colour cosmetics, the lipid content in Oat Silk has the added benefits provided by the high lipid content, which is not found in these alternative ingredients.

26 phospholipids​

Breaking the data down, the oil fraction in the ingredient contained 26 phospholipids, which in turn contains a combination of emulsifiers and skin acting lipids and ceramides, that provide the moisturising and reparative qualities.

Oat Cosmetics claims that there are specific benefits for formulators too, which include optimal compressibility thanks to the high oil content, which in turn makes it highly suitable for colour cosmetic pressed powders.

It is also said to be cost effective, while reducing the greasy feel of some formulations by absorbing formulated oil with a brightening and mattifying effect on the skin.