Not your average body oil—it goes above and beyond basic moisturization—Bio-Oil has been a cult-classic and dermatologist-favorite in the body-care arena for years, and a top-seller on Amazon for more than a decade. We’ve relied on it for scar smoothing, stretch mark soothing and dry-skin quenching—it also works wonders as a bath oil, cuticle oil and massage oil—and now, the brand just introduced a new version for the first time ever: Bio-Oil Skincare Oil (Natural)($31).
The main difference between the new formula and the OG lies in the ingredients: Bio-Oil Original uses a mix of mineral oil and PurCellin oil as its base, whereas Natural has a 100-percent natural base of natural plant oils, including soybean, sunflower seed and safflower. It also contains specialist and essential oils such as jojoba, chia, pomegranate, inca seed, lavender, and rosemary. The brand has also stripped the light rosy scent from Natural and withheld any added fragrance, so the scent is 100-percent natural and the result of the ingredients. And, Natural is a light yellow color—the pure color of the oils—instead of orange like the cult-classic, which is from added synthetic colorants.
“Through our research, we’ve learned that many people, especially pregnant women, purchase natural products in hopes that it will work as well as leading products, but they are often left disappointed in the quality of the product,” say Bio-Oil owners and research directors, brothers Justin and David Letschert. “In an effort to provide a solution to this need, we sought to make a 100-percent natural product that consumers can trust will actually work. In addition, it does not contain any preservatives, parabens, phthalates, phytoestrogens, or steroids, and it can be used on various skin types including sensitive and oily. It provides a safe and comprehensive skin-care solution for use throughout pregnancy and is considered to be 100-percent safe for use on the body while breastfeeding.”
Despite the new formula, the efficacy we’ve come to love from Original remains. According to the brand, Natural is also clinically proven to improve the appearance of scars and stretch marks, and is uniquely formulated to also help uneven skin tone, aging and dehydrated skin. For scars specifically, clinical studies done in 2020 showed a statistically significant improvement in POSAS (The Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale) after only two weeks was evident in 94 percent of subjects. After eight weeks, 100 percent of subjects showed a noticeable improvement, with the extent of the improvement more than double that at two weeks. For stretch marks—one of the most stubborn concerns to treat—a statistically significant improvement in POSAS was evident in 71 percent of subjects after two weeks. After eight weeks, 97 percent of subjects showed a noticeable improvement.
After 16 weeks of use, improvement in uneven skin tone was also proven, focusing on the overall appearance of the décolleté, lower legs and arms. The appearance of aging skin on the face and neck improved as well at the 16-week mark.
