Study	Reason for exclusion
Abdallah 2013	Quasi‐experimental design (epoch‐comparison).
Ang 2012	No emollient in intervention.
Beeram 2006	Retrospective case control study.
Berger 2009	Duplicate. Article reporting same research as Kiechl‐Kohlendorfer 2008.
Brandon 2010	No Sting (not an emollient) versus emollient; no routine care as control arm.
Brice 1981	Comparison of paraffin mixture with thermal blankets.
Caglar 2020	Randomised controlled trial. Preterm infants 32‐ 37 weeks' gestation. Measured effect of topical sunflower oil versus almond oil versus no emollient on skin condition and hydration over first five days. No data on outcome measures of interest.
Campbell 2000	Case control study.
Diego 2008	No emollient in intervention.
Ferber 2005	No emollient in intervention.
Fernandez 1987	Case control study.
Fernandez 2005	Not a randomised controlled trial.
Guzzetta 2011	No emollient in intervention.
Jansi 2008	Partcipants predominantly term babies ‐ outcomes for preterm infants not reported.
Mathai 2001	Quasi‐randomised trial of massage using powder or mineral oil ‐ no routine care as control arm.
Mendes 2008	No emollient in intervention.
Montaseri 2020	Randomised controlled trial. Preterm infants 30 to 36 weeks' gestation. Measured effect of massage with olive oil versus no emollient on weight change after first five days. No data on outcome measures of interest. Irct20170520034039N
Rutter 1981	Non‐random: "before‐and‐after" (epoch‐comparison) study.
Smith 2013	No emollient in intervention.
Solanki 2005a	Randomised controlled trial. Measured effect of topical safflower oil versus coconut oil versus no oil on fatty acid profiles and triglyceride levels in blood. No data on outcome measures of interest.
Taheri 2018	Randomised controlled trial. Assessed effect of sunflower oil massage on weight change over first five days after birth. No data on outcome measures of interest.
Wananukul 2001	Comparison of topical application of liquid paraffin mixture to one side of the body with no application to the other side.
Wananukul 2002	Effect of liquid paraffin emollient on trans‐epidermal water loss and ambient skin temperature. Outcomes measured for 5 hours only.