Bio Oil is a cosmetic brand that makes “specialist skincare products.” The company’s products are used for stretch mark reduction, and they refer to Bio Oil as the “world's leading scar and stretch mark product.”
But does Bio Oil contain research-backed ingredients for stretch mark reduction? Does it contain any unhealthy ingredients? Is the Natural version healthier? And is Bio Oil better or worse than popular skincare oils like BYOMA Nourishing Body Oil?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Bio Oil, Bio Oil Natural, and Bio Oil Dry Skin Gel to give our take on whether or not they're effectively formulated, and which is the healthiest.
We'll also discuss if Bio Oil can be used on the face, and compare Bio Oil to other popular skincare oils, in terms of formulation quality, to pick our winners (and losers).
Key takeaways:
- Bio Oil Skincare Oil clinically shown to improve skin quality
- Bio Oil Natural is healthiest formulation in our view
- We currently recommend Bio Oil Natural
Bio Oil Skincare Oil Review
The ingredients in Bio Oil Skincare Oil, which is the brand's original and most popular formulation, are shown below:
This product has been shown in a clinical trial published in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science to reduce scar appearance by 20%.
61% of trial participants using Bio Oil claim that their skin appearance improved.
Sunflower seed oil has been shown in medical research to enhance skin barrier function, and to support optimal skin microbiota (the bacterial colonies that exist on the skin).
Tocopheryl acetate is a form of vitamin E that’s been shown in animal studies to be photoprotective, which means it can reduce skin damage from UV ray exposure.
Lavender oil was found to reduce psoriasis scars by nearly 75% in an animal study. The researchers noted that it has a strong anti-inflammatory effect.
Rosemary leaf oil was documented in a medical review to have a photoprotective effect and also to have anti-acne effect.
Unfortunately, while Bio Oil has many effective ingredients, it also has two additive ingredients that we consider to be questionable from a health perspective.
Fragrance is a broad categorical descriptor that fails to identify the specific chemical compounds used, and some fragrance chemicals are toxic as we documented in our article on is Chapstick bad for you.
Red 17 is a synthetic dye, and there are documented toxicity concerns with artificial dyes in cosmetics.
Overall, we consider Bio Oil Skincare Oil likely to be effective for reducing stretch marks and scars, because it's been proven so in a legitimate clinical trial and has many research-backed active ingredients.
We don't currently recommend this product due to the inclusion of fragrance and artificial dye.
Is Bio Oil Natural Healthier?
The ingredients in Bio Oil Natural are shown below:
The brand claims this product was developed for pregnant women.
Sunflower seed oil, lavender oil and rosemary leaf oil are all effective ingredients for skin health and stretch mark reduction, as we documented in the previous Ingredient Analysis section.
Safflower seed oil (listed as Carthamus tinctorius seed oil) is unique to this formulation, and was shown in a 2020 clinical trial to have “skin restructuring” and “regenerating” compounds.
The most important difference between the two oils is that Bio Oil Natural contains no fragrance, no artificial dyes, and no potentially sensitizing or allergenic ingredients.
Overall, we consider Bio Oil Natural likely to reduce the appearance of stretch marks and to improve skin quality generally, and we consider this formulation to be significantly superior to Bio Oil Skincare Oil.
We recommend this product from a formulation perspective.
Can I Use Bio Oil On My Face?
Bio Oil's website suggests that the products can be used on the face.
However, the original Bio Oil contains “known allergens” according to Bio Oil’s own founders in an Allure interview.
The fragrance and dye may be sensitizing or irritating to facial skin, which is thinner in many places than skin on the body.
We recommend against using Bio Oil Skincare Oil and Bio Oil Dry Skin Gel on the face.
We think that Bio Oil Natural is the best option from the Bio Oil skincare line to use on the face, due to its clean formulation.
Bio Oil Dry Skin Gel Review
The ingredients in Bio Oil Dry Skin Gel are shown below:
Sunflower oil, soybean oil, vitamin E, lavender oil and chamomile oil are also included in Bio Oil Skincare Oil.
Sodium hyaluronate is unique to this formluation, and is one of the most effective ingredients for reducing signs of skin aging.
It's the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid, and has a lower molecular weight, so it may penetrate deeper into skin according to a clinical trial published in the Skin Research & Technology journal.
Hyaluronic acid has been described in a medical study as a “skin rejuvenating biomedicine” which improved “skin tightness and elasticity…wrinkle scars, longevity” and more.
Niacinamide is another effective and well-studied skincare ingredient that's included in the gel but not in the oil.
As we discussed in our Crépe Erase reviews article, niacinamide provides photoprotection and improves skin structure. It can also lighten dark spots caused by skin damage.
Fragrance and Red 33 (an artificial dye) are included in Dry Skin Gel.
We consider Bio Oil Dry Skin Gel likely to improve skin hydration, resolve dry skin and improve skin quality due to the science-backed ingredients it contains.
However, we don't recommend the product overall due to the fragrance and artificial dye.
Bio Oil vs. Popular Skincare Oils
Here's how Bio Oil compares to other popular skin-healing oil brands in terms of formulation quality, in our opinion:
Tata Harper Revitalizing Body Oil
Contains naturally-derived active ingredients like argan oil, which is clinically shown to enhance skin elasticity.
This product is packaged in glass, giving it a (slight) advantage over Bio Oil Natural which is packaged in plastic (because we consider the two formulations to be functionally equivalent).
Packaging in glass may reduce the risk of endocrine-disrupting plasticizers leaching into the product.
Winner: Tata Harper Revitalizing Body Oil
True Botanicals Pure Radiance Oil
True Botanicals Pure Radiance Oil contains research-backed ingredients for skin hydration and healing, however, it also contains many fragrance ingredients that we consider to be unhealthy.
Bio Oil Natural is the healthier option.
Winner: Bio Oil
BYOMA Nourishing Body Oil
Contains fragrance and coumarin, both of which are harmful to human health.
Bio Oil Natural is a healthier option.
Winner: Bio Oil
Bio Oil Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Clinically shown to be effective
- All products contain research-backed active ingredients
- Reputable brand
- Relatively affordable
- May be used on face
- Natural formulation is one of the best body oils we've reviewed
- Bio Oil Natural is healthier than some competitors
Cons:
- Original formulation contains fragrance
- Original formulation contains synthetic dye
- Dry Skin Gel contains fragrance and artificial dye
- Packaged in plastic
Bio Oil FAQs
Does Bio Oil work?
Bio Oil is proven to work in clinical studies.
Our ingredient review also determined that all products sold by Bio Oil are likely to be effective for stretch mark reduction, because they contain ingredients shown to be effective for that outcome in clinical studies.
This does not mean it will work for everyone; no product does.
Does Bio Oil help with acne scars?
We believe that Bio Oil is likely to help with acne scars, because both lavender oil and safflower seed oil have been shown to have anti-inflammatory and anti-scar effects in clinical trials.
However, Bio Oil isn’t proven in clinical trials to be specifically effective for acne scars the way it’s proven to be effective for stretch marks and general scarring.
Is Bio Oil Safe for pregnancy?
Bio Oil Natural seems to be a better choice for pregnant women than the original Skincare Oil formulation.
Not only was Bio Oil Natural specifically formulated for pregnant women, but it's free of questionable additive ingredients like fragrance.
We recommend that pregnant women speak with their doctor or dermatologist before using any new skincare product.
