FAQ's

For the last 35 years, Bio-Oil has led the way in specialist skincare, using oil to achieve superior product performance.

The Bio-Oil research team, led by Justin and David Letschert, have been, and are committed to taking skincare to the next level, continually introducing ground-breaking specialist skincare solutions.

Products made with only the finest, ethically sourced ingredients; from pharmaceutical grade oils, to natural plant extracts and GMO-free ingredients.

The simple truth is that our skin is made-up mostly of water, and to keep our skin from losing moisture we need oil. Because oil locks in moisture to help skin function. Moisture facilitates enzyme activity in the skin, and enzyme activity is responsible for healthy skin activity – everything from what skin looks and feels like, to how it repairs and regenerates itself, and even to its strength and resilience.

Skin by design loves oil, and has its own natural outer oily layer to lock in moisture; the problem is that everyday exposure to the elements and daily washing strips away skin’s protective oily layer allowing moisture to escape. And because skin’s moisture comes from within, lost moisture simply cannot be replaced by applying moisture onto the skin.

The first step in caring for skin is to stop it losing moisture. And the best way to do this is by supplementing skin’s natural oily layer by using oil in everyday skincare. Oil mimics skin’s natural oils, so when oils are applied to the skin, they are easily absorbed and assist in effectively nourishing, restoring and protecting skin’s own natural outer oily layer.

Rooted in science and inspired by nature, each product in the Bio-Oil range is clinically proven and designed to effectively work with the skin to deliver optimal skin health. The range consists of Bio-Oil Skincare Oil and Bio-Oil Skincare Oil (Natural) for scars and stretch marks and Bio-Oil Body Lotion and Bio-Oil Dry Skin Gel for dry to extremely dry skin.

Bio-Oil Skincare Oil: The world's leading scar and stretch mark product.

Bio-Oil Skincare Oil (Natural): 100% natural formulation with clinically proven results.

Bio-Oil Body Lotion: An ultralight high-oil lotion for everyday moisturization.

Bio-Oil Dry Skin Gel: A revolutionary gelled-oil for intense, long lasting moisturization.

Yes. All Bio-Oil products are dermatologically tested and are suitable for all skin types.

Bio-Oil was not originally designed for use on infants and has not been tested on children. As a precautionary measure, we therefore recommend that it is only used on children of two years of age or older. In the first two years after birth, many changes take place in the human body, including the development of the immune system. Even though the fragrance level in Bio-Oil’s products is very low (0.2%) and the essential oils contained in the product are of very low concentration, young babies are very sensitive.

Bio-Oil contains no preservatives, is dermatologically tested, hypo-allergenic, non-acnegenic and suitable for all skin types. However, we always recommend new users do a patch test as results can vary from individual to individual. This means applying a small amount of the product on the inside of your child’s forearm and leaving it for 24 hrs. Should no reaction develop, you can continue to use it. The product should be applied with care and should not be used near the eyes or mouth.

No. None of the Bio-Oil products, or any of their ingredients, are tested on animals by either Bio-Oil or any of its raw material suppliers.

All products are vegan aside from DSG which contains lanolin.

Yes. All Bio-Oil products are packaged in recyclable materials.

Yes. Bio‑Oil products are Halaal certified by the South African National Halaal Authority (SANHA).

Yes. Bio‑Oil products are Kosher certified under the supervision of the Cape Beth Din, Cape Town, South Africa.

Bio-Oil products comply with the 7th Amendment of the European Cosmetic Directive which specifies that products that last for 36 months or more do not require a best before date. Three-year-retention samples of Bio-Oil products were tested and showed no deterioration in colour, density, clarity, odour or viscosity. A best before date is therefore not needed. However, Bio-Oil products do have a PAO (open jar) symbol on the packaging so that consumers can feel confident that they can continue to use the product after opening: for Bio-Oil Skincare Oil the period is for up to 36 months and for Bio-Oil Skincare Oil (Natural), Bio-Oil Body Lotion and Bio-Oil Dry Skin Gel for up to 12 months.

Bio-Oil Clinical Trial Information 

Bio-Oil #1 Dermatologist Recommended Claim for Stretch Mark Creams category

Data elements used in ProVoice are based on a combination of self-administered questionnaires and U.S. retail pharmacy terminal transactions.  Services and data from ProVoice are used across more than 100 over-the-counter therapeutic and medical device categories. IQVIA seeks to generate more than 50,000 Healthcare Professional (HCP) responders to the ProVoice Survey annually, consisting of multiple specialties of physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, optometrists, dentists and dental hygienists.

Original Skincare Oil

Stretch Marks

PRODERM INSTITUTE FOR APPLIED DERMATOLOGICAL RESEARCH, HAMBERG, GERMANY, 2010

Result: Bio-Oil® is efficacious in improving the appearance of stretch marks. 95% of subjects showed a statistically significant result after only 2 weeks, while 100% of subjects showed an improvement after 8 weeks, with the extent of improvement more than double that at 2 weeks.

For full trial information click here.

Scar Trials 

USER TRIAL SUMMARY, AYTON-MOON, SOMERSET, UK, 2002

Result: 82% of participants recorded an improvement in the appearance of their scars after 4 weeks.

For full trial information click here.

PHOTOBIOLOGY LABORATORY OF THE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA, 2005

Result: Bio-Oil® improved the appearance of scars in both objective and subjective assessments. 65% of subjects recorded an improvement in appearance of scars at 4 weeks.

For full trial information click here.

PRODERM INSTITUTE FOR APPLIED DERMATOLOGICAL RESEARCH, HAMBURG, GERMANY, 2010

Result: Bio-Oil® is effective in improving the appearance of scars. 66% of subjects showed a statistically significant result after only 2 weeks while 92% of subjects showed an improvement after 8 weeks, with the extent of improvement almost triple that at 2 weeks.

For full trial information click here. 

PEKING UNIVERSITY FIRST HOSPITAL, DEPARTMENT OF DERMATOLOGY ACNE SCAR STUDY, BEIJING, CHINA, 2012

Result: A self-assessment questionnaire showed that more than 84% of subjects experienced an improvement in the overall condition of their acne scars and more than 90% experienced an improvement in scar color. The best result of clinical grading was in Bio-Oil®'s ability to reduce the redness of macular (flat) acne scars, while brightening the overall skin. Results also showed that using Bio-Oil® does not cause or aggravate acne.

For full trial information click here.

Dehydrated Skin Trials:

PHOTOBIOLOGY LABORATORY OF THE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA, 2011(STUDY 1)

Result: Bio-Oil reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) after immediate application and increased skin hydration 2 hours later.

For full trial information click here.

PHOTOBIOLOGY LABORATORY OF THE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA, 2011

(STUDY 2)

Result: Bio-Oil® is effective in relieving and significantly improving the visual appearance of dry skin. While both Bio-Oil® and a reference oil improved skin dryness compared to the no treatment control, Bio-Oil® was statistically superior on day 3. 

For full trial information click here.

Uneven Skin Tone Trials

PHOTOBIOLOGY LABORATORY OF THE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA, 2005

Result: Bio-Oil® improved the appearance of uneven skin tone in both light and dark skin types. 93% of subjects recorded an improvement in appearance at 6 weeks. 

For full trial information click here.

THOMAS J. STEPHENS & ASSOCIATES, INC., TEXAS, USA, 2011

Result: Bio-Oil® is effective in improving the appearance of uneven skin tone and mottled pigmentation in photodamaged (aging) skin. A statistically significant result was achieved for both parameters on the face and neck after 4 weeks. After 12 weeks, 86% of subjects showed a statistically significant improvement in uneven skin tone on the face, 71% of subjects in mottled pigmentation on the face, and 69% in uneven skin tone on the neck.

For full trial information click here.

Aging Skin Trials

THOMAS J. STEPHENS & ASSOCIATES, INC., TEXAS, USA, 2011

Result: Bio-Oil® is effective in improving the overall appearance of photodamaged (aging) skin on the body. After 4 weeks, a statistically significant result was achieved for all clinically graded efficacy parameters. After 12 weeks, 89% of subjects in the Bio-Oil® treatment cell showed a statistically significant improvement in overall appearance of the décolletage, lower legs and arms. 

For full trial information click here.

 Comedogenicity & Acnegenicity Trials

FUTURE COSMETICS, PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA, 2006

Result: Bio-Oil® was found to be non-acnegenic and non-comedogenic. Area to which Bio-Oil® was applied showed no significant difference to the untreated area. Positive control induced acne.

For full trial information click here.

Please contact our Customer Care here for any product specific questions.