A skincare brand is showing that oats can be great for the skin, not just the tummy writes Meera Murugesan
A BOWL of oats in the morning is a great way to start the day - providing fibre and helping to lower cholesterol levels.
But this simple grain is also a powerhouse when it comes to skin and beauty.
Oats can nurture, nourish and transform skin into an enhanced state of health and beauty and skincare brand, Aveeno has harnessed the power of this everyday grain for skin health.
The brand has a long history, going back to 1945, when two American brothers, Sidney and Albert Musher started studying the benefits of oats, says Johnson & Johnson Malaysia country director (consumer) Prashant Mahalingam.
Through their research the Musher brothers discovered the power of finely milled colloidal oatmeal in helping to relieve dry, compromised skin.
Their pioneering work, which was recognised by dermatologists from the Mayo Clinic, eventually led to the birth of Aveeno.
“Oat is a well established ingredient and a natural ingredient with multiple health properties,” adds Prashant.
Aveeno products target the body, face and hair and even include a range for babies.
THE TRUSTED INGREDIENT
Colloidal oat which means ground oatmeal suspended in a liquid medium for better application and absorption into the skin has been a prized ingredient in skincare since ancient times.
This is supported by 60 years of clinical evidence indicating that colloidal oat formulas are effective in soothing dry, irritated skin.
It’s important to keep in mind that just like other natural ingredients, not all oats are the same, only a specific kind works very well and one has to process it in the right way to ensure benefits for the skin explains Johnson & Johnson Asia Pacific, associate director, R&D scientific engagement, Robert Kwon.
Aveeno uses colloidal oats made from food grade, high protein, non-GMO oat grains and these are then processed without the use of chemical solvents, and finally, formulated through a stringent process designed to maintain the integrity and purity of the active components in the oats.
“Colloidal oatmeal moisturises, protects, restores and soothes skin and generally offers great benefits for skin,” explains Kwon.
One of Aveeno’s recent discoveries was on the prebiotic properties of oats in promoting a balanced skin microbiome, which is fundamental for healthy skin.
This resulted in the brand renaming its key ingredient - colloidal oat - as “prebiotic oat” in some of its more recent products.
Consultant paediatric dermatologist, Dr Leong Kin Fon notes that as an ingredient in moisturisers, oats have four important functions - to lock in skin moisture, reduce itchiness, reduce redness and improve skin’s microbial balance.
Dry skin usually tends to be accompanied by itchiness and redness and it’s crucial to find the right moisturiser to ensure protection he adds.
Aveeno products are available at Watsons, Guardian, Caring and Aeon Wellness outlets.