Natural Skin-Care Ingredients: Aloe, Oatmeal, Fixed Oils and Essential Oils

Why this page exists

Plant-based skin products are popular, and "natural" is not a safety rating. This page summarizes what the sources say about four common groups and sends you to the full ingredient guides. Evidence labels: established recommendation, promising but limited, mixed, insufficient evidence, preclinical (animal or lab only).

Aloe vera

NCCIH says clinical research suggests topical aloe gel may speed burn healing and reduce burn pain, two small studies suggest it may improve acne when combined with other treatment, and a small amount of research suggests it may help psoriasis and some other skin problems. [1] For eczema, NCCIH says there is not enough reliable information. [1] Topical aloe gel is generally well tolerated, but burning, itching, rash and eczema have been reported occasionally. [1] The NHS suggests soothing aftersun products like aloe vera for sunburn. [2] Do not take aloe latex or leaf extracts by mouth for skin reasons: NCCIH links aloe latex to cramps and diarrhea and oral leaf extracts to cases of acute hepatitis. [1]

Label: promising but limited for burns; insufficient for most other skin uses.

Colloidal oatmeal

A review of studies of oatmeal-containing moisturizers and cleansers in people aged 3 months to 60 with mild to moderate eczema reported improved itch, dryness and clinical scores when used alongside prescribed treatment, and good tolerance. [3] Label: promising but limited, as an add-on. See Colloidal oatmeal.

Fixed (plant) oils

Fixed oils such as coconut, olive, jojoba and shea butter are used as moisturizers. A randomized trial in 117 children with mild to moderate eczema found virgin coconut oil lowered eczema scores more than mineral oil, which is promising but limited (one trial, children, one oil). [4] I did not read comparative trials on olive, jojoba or shea butter for this page: proper evidence not found in the sources checked for those oils as skin treatments. Read their profiles: Jojoba oil, Coconut oil, Olive oil, Shea butter. The NHS notes emollients can sometimes cause folliculitis or aggravate acne on the face. [5]

Essential oils

Essential oils are concentrated and a recognized cause of contact allergy: a review found nearly 80 oils have caused contact allergy, most reactions followed pure oils or high-concentration products, and tea tree was one of nine oils with more than 2% positive patch-test reactions in tested patients. [6] A systematic review of randomized trials concluded more evidence is needed to confirm tea tree oil benefits for acne. [7] Label: insufficient evidence for acne, with a real allergy risk. See Tea tree oil and Essential oil safety.