Bio Oil: 9 Smart Ways To Incorporate The Cult Product Into Your Beauty Routine

Few products that have such a strong “cult status” that you'll find them in just about everyone's bathroom cabinets — teenagers, grandmothers, A-list celebrities. That's exactly what Bio Oil (housed in its a lowkey clear bottle and white cap) has achieved since it was developed in 1987, all thanks to its multi-tasking abilities.

What is Bio Oil and how does it benefit the skin?

If you need a refresher, the £10 oil is a pale, tangerine-hued lightweight formula containing the brand’s proprietary ingredient, PurCellin Oil, which is essentially a lab-made cetearyl ethylhexanoate. 

Bio-Oil Skincare Oil, £9.99, Superdrug

This ingredient is a water-resistant occlusive, “which means that it provides a protective seal over the surface of the skin, helping to prevent moisture being lost into the environment,” Nina Prisk, aesthetics nurse and independent prescriber at Update Aesthetics explains. It’s designed to trap moisture and hydrate dry skin, "creating a softer, smoother appearance," she adds. Essentially, it acts similarly to the body’s oil glands to help protect your skin. 

The formula also contains vitamin E to moisturise and a low dose of vitamin A (retinyl palmitate to be exact) to speed up cell renewal. “Vitamin A helps the body to produce new skin cells to replace old and damaged ones,” says Nina. “It can also help to stimulate collagen production. Once retinyl palmitate is absorbed into the skin, enzymes help to convert it into retinoic acid, helping to reduce scarring when used over a period of time,” she adds. 

Does Bio Oil work?

As far as its main aim of moisturising goes, Bio Oil works. But when it comes to stretch marks, the jury is still out. While stretch marks are completely normal, not everyone is comfortable with them, so this oil is commonly used to care for them. However, it's worth noting that Bio Oil's impact on stretch marks isn’t proven, and no cream or oil can prevent them from completely fading. “I'm aware of one study from 2018 that found that of 80 people with non-hypertrophic scars, Bio-Oil showed a 14% better reduction in scarring in comparison to an untreated area,” says Nina. 

If you have acne or oily skin, you may want to avoid Bio Oil as it contains mineral oil, which is occlusive so may clog pores.

9 best Bio Oil uses for your routine

Boasting thousands of 5-star reviews, and the promise to “improve the appearance of scars and stretch marks, solve dry skin and leave no greasy residue”, Bio Oil has earned a permanent place in our bathrooms. Here are some of our favourite ways to use this multi-tasking oil:

Bio Oil is great as an extra layer of hydration during the winter months and can be pressed into the skin over the top of your favourite moisturiser. Nina also recommends Bio Oil as a face oil, “it can be beneficial when used on the face to help reduce the appearance of fine lines, due in part to the vitamin A in it.” 

The number one thing you can do for healthier, stronger and longer nails is to moisturise your cuticles at least twice a day; more if they’re really dry or you're prone to picking and biting. The non-greasy properties of Bio Oil make it a great addition to your at-home cuticle kit. Expert-approved, Nina says, “it’s great for maintaining healthy cuticles due to the fact that it helps to lock moisture in.” 

Decided to have a bath and realised you’ve not got any bath oil? Grab that bottle of Bio Oil in your cupboard instead. We prefer to put it on our body dry before getting into the bath and then massaging in. Trust us, your skin will feel incredibly soft afterwards.

Of course, one of the most common ways people use Bio Oil is on their body, to soothe especially parched patches and lessen scarring over the course of many months. “One of my favourite uses of Bio Oil is on stomachs and thighs to help keep skin hydrated and supple during and after pregnancy,” Nina says. 

Try the lightweight oil after waxing to soothe any areas of irritation and prevent ingrown hairs.

 So you've had a fake tan disaster, or you just want to remove old, stubborn tan. Slather your skin in Bio Oil before hopping into the shower. This will help break down the old tan before you exfoliate the rest of it off with warm water.

Add a few drops of Bio Oil to the brush, swirl into water and watch your leftover makeup run down the drain.

If you’re caught without a hair oil, Bio Oil will work just fine. Thanks to its lightweight and non-greasy formula, you can tame unwanted frizz in no time by just applying a few drops to the ends.

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