What Oilatum does

Oilatum is a UK-based consumer dermatological brand owned and operated by Thornton & Ross Ltd, a private pharmaceutical company headquartered in Linthwaite, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. The brand produces and sells an over-the-counter emollient-based range for the treatment of eczema and related dry skin conditions in adults, children, and babies. Its core technology centers on protective-barrier emollient formulations using light liquid paraffin and white soft paraffin as active ingredients, combined with soap-free and fragrance-free formulation principles designed for sensitive and eczematous skin.

The product portfolio comprises four core SKUs organized into two complementary mechanisms: bath emollients (Oilatum Emollient and Oilatum Junior Bath Additive) that cleanse without soap and form a protective barrier during bathing, and leave-on emollient creams (Oilatum Cream and Oilatum Junior Cream) that lock in moisture after bathing. An Oilatum Junior sub-brand targets the pediatric segment, and an Oilatum Shower Gel Fragrance-Free SKU is referenced as part of the medicine range. Products are classified as medicines for eczema and related dry skin conditions and carry clinical-provenance claims.

The business model is direct-to-consumer OTC retail: one-time purchases (no subscription) through UK local pharmacies, Boots high-street stores, and Amazon UK, with no prescription required. The brand supports these channels with a product-information website and customer testimonials, but has no app, no digital platform, and no AI/ML capability layer. Geographic scope is strictly domestic (UK only), and the trademark is dated 2014 under T&R Ltd despite a brand heritage of 50+ years.

Name

Oilatum

Legal name

Thornton & Ross Ltd

Website

https://oilatum.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Oilatum is a UK-based OTC dermatological brand owned by Thornton & Ross Ltd that sells emollient eczema and dry-skin treatments (creams and bath additives) for adults, children, and babies via pharmacies, Boots, and Amazon UK without prescription.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dermatological Skincare

NAICS

Health and Personal Care Retailers (4561)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)

akta.pro primary industry

Dermatology OTC & Skin Health (Acne Treatments, Eczema/Psoriasis OTC, Antifungals, Wart Removal) (CRADAMAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sensitive Skin & Barrier Repair (CRABAAAG), Baby Skincare (Lotions, Creams, Oils) (CRABAJAB)

Keywords

• Eczema treatment products
• Emollient skincare
• Dermatological creams
• Bath additive products
• Dry skin remedies

Headquarters

HQ city

Huddersfield

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Consumer Skincare Product Sales: Oilatum generates revenue through the sale of over-the-counter dermatological skincare products. Products are sold as one-time purchases through retail pharmacies, Boots stores, Amazon marketplace, and direct-to-consumer channels. No prescription is required for purchase.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Oilatum manufactures and sells over-the-counter emollient-based skincare products for the treatment of eczema and related dry skin conditions. The product range comprises four core SKUs — Oilatum Cream, Oilatum Emollient, Oilatum Junior Cream, and Oilatum Junior Bath Additive — formulated with light liquid paraffin and white soft paraffin as active ingredients. Products are sold without prescription to adults, children, and babies through UK pharmacies, Boots retail stores, and the Amazon UK marketplace.

Product overview

Oilatum is a topical skincare brand offering a range of clinically proven eczema and dry skin treatment products. The portfolio consists of four core products: Oilatum Cream and Oilatum Emollient for adults, and Oilatum Junior Cream and Oilatum Junior Bath Additive for children and babies. The products work through complementary mechanisms - bath emollients cleanse and protect skin during bathing while creams and ointments moisturise and lock in hydration after bathing. All products contain light liquid paraffin and white soft paraffin as active ingredients and are classified as medicines for eczema and related dry skin conditions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Oilatum Junior: Sub-brand specifically formulated for children and babies with eczema and dry skin conditions, including Junior Cream and Junior Bath Additive.

Products and services

• Oilatum Cream

Quantifiable outcome

• Products are clinically proven to treat eczema in adults, children and babies

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Emerging players

• Dermalex: Dermalex is a specialized OTC eczema treatment brand available in UK pharmacies. It targets a similar consumer segment as Oilatum with focused eczema claims, representing a more direct niche competitor in the eczema-specific category.
• Mustela (Expanscience): Mustela is a baby and maternity skincare brand with specific eczema-prone skin product lines. It competes with Oilatum Junior for parents seeking gentle, dermatologically tested skincare for babies and children with sensitive skin conditions.

Broad incumbents

• La Roche-Posay (L'Oréal): La Roche-Posay is a global dermo-cosmetic brand offering Lipikar products for eczema and atopic skin. While operating at broader scale across many skincare categories, its eczema-specific range competes directly with Oilatum in UK pharmacy channels.

Direct peers

• Cetaphil (Galderma): Cetaphil provides dermatologist-recommended cleansers and moisturizers for sensitive and eczema-prone skin. It directly competes with Oilatum in the UK OTC skincare market, particularly for consumers seeking gentle, fragrance-free formulations.
• Childs Farm: Childs Farm is a UK-based baby and children's skincare brand specifically formulated for eczema-prone and sensitive skin. It competes directly with the Oilatum Junior range in pharmacy and supermarket channels targeting parents of children with eczema.
• Aveeno (Johnson & Johnson): Aveeno is a major dermatologist-recommended skincare brand with a strong eczema and sensitive skin portfolio including colloidal oatmeal-based products. It competes directly with Oilatum in the UK OTC skincare market for sensitive skin consumers.
• Hydromol: Hydromol is a UK emollient brand offering bath additives and creams for eczema and dry skin conditions. It directly competes with Oilatum in pharmacy channels with overlapping paraffin-based formulations and similar clinical positioning.
• Eucerin (Beiersdorf): Eucerin is a clinically-backed dermo-cosmetic brand offering eczema and atopic skin product ranges. It competes directly with Oilatum in UK pharmacy channels targeting consumers seeking dermatologically validated skincare for sensitive and eczema-prone skin.
• E45 (Croda): E45 is a leading UK OTC emollient skincare brand specializing in eczema and dry skin treatment. It directly competes with Oilatum across pharmacy and retail channels with overlapping paraffin-based formulations and identical eczema treatment claims.
• CeraVe (L'Oréal): CeraVe offers ceramide-based moisturizers and eczema treatment products widely available in UK pharmacies. Its dermatologist-developed formulations and aggressive retail expansion make it a direct competitor for eczema sufferers seeking OTC barrier-repair skincare.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/OilatumBangladesh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Oilatum