What Is Bio-Oil & Does It Really Work?
You might have heard of Bio-Oil, particularly if you are in the beauty industry or have been looking into what skincare treatments there are to help with scarring or stretch marks. Bio-Oil has been around for many years and has an interesting history and presence in the beauty world. Here, we look at why the dermatologist-approved products might be the answer to your skincare prayers.
What Is Bio-Oil?
Bio-Oil is the name of a brand and is sometimes used interchangeably with the flagship product that they produce: a skincare oil. The Bio-Oil brand was started in 1987 and pioneered an oil-based skincare product to tackle the appearance of stretch marks and scarring. It differed from other products on the market at the time since it wasn't a water-based cream or lotion.
The Bio-Oil product, what they refer to as a skincare oil, is a specialist treatment whose formula has been through various iterations in the 30+ years since it launched. Some of the prime ingredients include: medicinal plants, like chamomile, rosemary and lavender, and key skincare nutrients, namely vitamin A and E.
Bio-Oil Has A Growing Product Range
Bio-Oil has been investing in developing their skincare oil's formula and learning more about how it can improve skincare. By 2010, Bio-Oil was being developed in a specialist lab to see how an oil-based skincare product could be used to target a myriad of skin conditions, like dry skin, alongside scarring and striation.
As well as the skincare oil, the range includes a dry skin gel and, new in 2021, a high-oil cream moisturiser. Both of these aim to improve moisture retention and thereby improve skin health, in a way that conventional water-based creams and moisturisers don't.
Does Bio-Oil Really Work?
Bio-Oil themselves aren't claiming to have a miracle product, but they do stand by the beauty research they do to continuously improve and refine their skincare oil. They say that: “It is important to note that no treatment can completely eradicate scarring and striae (stretch marks), and it is vital to manage the patient’s expectations about what results they can expect to see when using any such treatment”. However, as a specialist skincare brand, they use the best of beauty research, including their own, to create products that benefit their customer's skin.
Let's look at some of the benefits of Bio-Oil and how their ingredients help to address scarring and stretch marks.
Using Bio Oil For Scars
As the NHS points out: “Scars are a natural part of the healing process. Most will fade although they never completely disappear”. Bio-Oils aims aren't to remove scars but to reduce the appearance of new and old scars. There are two Bio-Oil ingredients to highlight in relation to this: Vitamin A and Calendula Oil.
Vitamin A is a vital nutrient that helps to improve skin tone and elasticity. Evening out of the skin tone can reduce the visibility of scars on the skin. Calendula oil is a natural antioxidant that stimulates new skin cell growth. Assisting the healing process from wounds as they become scars can help to reduce how much scarring remains.
Bio Oil For Stretch Marks
Stretch marks can form at various times in our lives, from teenage growth spurts and during pregnancy to periods of weight gain and loss – any fast changes in your body's shape can contribute to stretch marks.
At all these times, your nutritional needs can change. For example, during pregnancy folic acid, iron and vitamin D supplements are always recommended. If you want to support your skin while your body is changing, that also requires certain nutrients, such as Vitamin E and Rosemary Oil – both ingredients of Bio-Oil.
Rosemary Oil has antiseptic qualities that means it can reduce puffiness and swelling of the skin, easing skin strain and soothing it. Vitamin E ensures your skin stays soft and hydrated, which also means it doesn't become cracked or brittle when stretching. Combined, the two ingredients support your skin when stretching, helping to minimise the chance of stretch marks appearing in your skin as your body changes.
Ready To Try Bio-Oil?
Managing your skincare needs will come down to what works for you and trying new products is the only way to find out what really helps. If you are hoping to reduce stretch marks, scarring or dry skin then Bio-Oil is a great place to start.
We carry a range of sizes of two Bio-Oil products: the skincare oil and dry skin gel.
