My Bio Oil journey began around a year and a half ago. As quarantine hit and staring at myself in a tiny Zoom box became the main activity in my day, my skin became a huge stressor in my life. Not only were old scars staring me down each time I went to class (Zoom University NOT for the win), but new blemishes were popping up at a borderline cruel, frequent rate.
I began asking myself unhealthy questions such as, Have I always looked like this? Or, Did I permanently do this to myself by picking at my pimples way back in middle school?
I wanted to do something beneficial for my skin
Although I recognized that the stress of a terrifying pandemic likely caused my pimples, and that the toxicity of seeing my reflection 24/7 generated flaws both internally and externally, I was inspired by my frustration to turn around and reward myself. I wanted to do something beneficial for my skin. Instead of letting it ruin my mood and hold my focus in virtual classes, I was going to change my unhealthy relationship with my skin to one that restored health and self confidence.
My goal was A) to reduce blemishes (either in the form of scarring, redness, or pimples) and B) to treat my skin better than I ever had before, giving it the nutrients and care it was clearly begging me for.
I found Bio Oil, a product that claimed to check both of these boxes, on Tiktok, which TBH was followed by some pretty conflicting reviews from users. But its sample size was cheap ($8.92 on Amazon), and I was desperate. So, I gave it a shot.
Bio-Oil promises a lot of skin benefits.
According to their site, the oil is the world’s leading product in scar and stretch mark reduction, with claims of hydrating the skin and maintaining elasticity of scar tissue. For these reasons, many pregnant women love to use the product for their expanding stomachs. Ingredients such as vitamin A, calendula oil, and rosemary oil among others supposedly enact these benefits.
Bio Oil is also said to help improve the appearance of uneven skin tones or pigmentation marks caused by hormonal reasons or excessive sun exposure. The vitamin E, lavender oil, and chamomile oil within the product assist with these uses.
The hydrating aspects of the oil help supplement the skin’s natural oils while smoothing and toning wrinkled skin. So, along with everything else the product does, it also appeals to those whose skin may be showing signs of aging.
In other words, Bio Oil kinda claims to do it all. Does it? Well, kinda sorta.
For my combo skin, I only used it once a day.
First off, I will warn you that the bottle recommends using it twice a day everyday for three months in order to see the best results. Although it claims its non-greasy feeling is for all skin types, because of my combination skin that airs more on the side of oily, I could not use this product both in the morning and at night. Especially because my breakouts and scarring were in the same areas (chin and forehead), I was careful not to overdo it and stuck to once a day.
I saw results in a few weeks.
Bio Oil Professional says that results on length will differ depending on your skin type. Miraculously, (and surprisingly) I saw reduced acne scars in just three to four weeks. I’ve also heard plenty of stories where people noticed a difference from applying the oil to their body or face after just two weeks.
It’s now a staple in my routine.
I have now been using Bio Oil for around 18 months. My scarring has gone down by around 90% and my skin hardly ever feels dry. As for the other uses, I can’t say there’s been a noticeable difference. Still, I was insecure and anxious about acne scars specifically, so for the help it’s done in that sense, I am extremely grateful.
I won’t tell you that the oil changed my life. That I attribute more to my restored healthy relationship with the face I wear around daily, instead of the frustrated, hyper-critical attitude I previously had towards it. But Bio Oil, and my more consistent skincare routine, definitely helped.
Bio Oil is easy to apply (just a couple of drops massaged into the skin with your fingertips), and it comes in a cute, clear bottle with a pink tinted interior. I apply it once a night before my moisturizer and head to bed feeling a sense of accomplishment and growth, as I leave my scarred mentality and skin in the distant days of quarantine.
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