What is it?
Potassium olivoyl hydrolyzed oat protein is a cleansing ingredient made from two plant sources: fatty acids from olive oil and small protein fragments from oats. The two are chemically joined and neutralized with potassium to make a salt that works as a surfactant, helping water lift away oil and dirt. It is used in cleansing products for skin and hair, where it also acts as a conditioner.
Key information
- It is a surfactant made by joining olive oil fatty acids to hydrolyzed oat protein.
- The CIR Expert Panel found hydrolyzed oat protein safe in cosmetics as used when formulated to be non-sensitizing.
- We found no CIR or SCCS review of the finished ingredient itself.
- The EU lists it for cleansing and conditioning, with no restrictions.
More information
According to the EU’s CosIng database, the ingredient is the potassium salt of the product formed when olive fatty acid chloride reacts with hydrolyzed oat protein, which is oat protein broken down into short chains of amino acids. The EU lists it for cleansing, as a surfactant and for skin and hair conditioning, with no restrictions.
We found no safety review of this exact ingredient by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) or the EU’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety. Its oat component has been reviewed. In its final report on oat-derived ingredients, released in 2015, the CIR Expert Panel concluded that hydrolyzed oat protein and related oat ingredients are safe in cosmetics as used when formulated to be non-sensitizing. The panel found little or no skin irritation or sensitization in the data it reviewed. It also judged the potential for immediate allergic reactions to be low, noting that oats, unlike wheat, soy, eggs and nuts, are not considered a major food allergen.
Because people eat far more oats than they could absorb from cosmetics, the panel focused on skin effects rather than whole-body toxicity. On labels, look for “potassium olivoyl hydrolyzed oat protein.” People with a known oat allergy may want to check labels for oat-derived ingredients, including this one.
Sources: European Commission CosIng: Potassium Olivoyl Hydrolyzed Oat Protein; Cosmetic Ingredient Review: Safety assessment of Avena sativa (oat)-derived ingredients as used in cosmetics (final report, 2015)
