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Bio-Oil

Bio-Oil.

Bio-Oil
Serums

About this product

A lightweight oil blend marketed to improve the appearance of stretch marks and scars, containing mineral oil, plant oils, vitamin A, and fragrance.

Type

SerumsOil

Key actives

RetinoidVitamin E

Formula notes

Contains fragranceNo drying alcohol

Full ingredients

Guru Score

43%

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4 experts · Moderate agreement
4Gurus
0Approved
0Mixed
4Skip

What the gurus are saying

The fragrance load in Bio-Oil stands out as a real concern: it lists 14 individual fragrance ingredients that experts say can irritate skin and potentially worsen scars, all at a premium price point when plain mineral oil does the same hydrating job for half the cost. On its core claim to prevent or reduce stretch marks, dermatologists are direct: there is no evidence it works. Stretch marks form deep in the skin from rapid expansion or thinning, and no topical oil addresses that. The vitamin A it does contain (retinyl palmitate) is the weakest form available and is a blanket no during pregnancy anyway. If you are drawn to this for scar lubrication, any basic body oil or mineral oil will deliver the same benefit without the fragrance irritation risk.
Synthesized from 4 expert reviews · most recent take February 2026
Every take, in full

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

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"Things like Bio-Oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, these really prey on a person's insecurity about developing stretch marks, but they have never been shown to actually be effective in preventing them."
All 2 takes from Dr. Sam Ellis
Products I Would Never Let My Family Use (Dermatologist Approved NO List) | Dr. Sam Ellis
"Things like Bio-Oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, these really prey on a person's insecurity about developing stretch marks, but they have never been shown to actually be effective in preventing them."
Skincare Trends That Need to STOP | Dr. Sam Ellis
"Any time I talk about stretch marks I will always get comments that are like well I used Bio Oil on my belly during pregnancy and I didn't have a single stretch mark that is so wonderful but that's not the Bio Oil that is just what your body is naturally doing."
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"I actually made a video on Bio Oil years ago. Bio Oil is the number one product right now for stretch marks. And when I made the video, I was shocked to learn that it contained vitamin A, retinyl palmitate. It's a blanket no when it comes to vitamin A during pregnancy, just like it's a blanket no on using Botox during pregnancy. When I looked into it, it was loaded with fragrance. It contained vitamin A and it didn't contain any collagen stimulating actives."
All 3 takes from Dr. Vanita Rattan
I Tested Stretch Mark Creams So You Don't Have To: Doctor V Reveals All!
"When I looked into it, it was loaded with fragrance. It contained vitamin A and it didn't contain any collagen stimulating actives."
TREAT Stretchmarks during Pregnancy Doctor V explains
"I actually made a video on Bio Oil years ago. Bio Oil is the number one product right now for stretch marks. And when I made the video, I was shocked to learn that it contained vitamin A, retinyl palmitate. It's a blanket no when it comes to vitamin A during pregnancy, just like it's a blanket no on using Botox during pregnancy. When I looked into it, it was loaded with fragrance. It contained vitamin A and it didn't contain any collagen stimulating actives."
30s Haircare/Skincare Routines 2025
"Retinol palmitate, which is found for example in BIO Oil, is the weakest form of vitamin A."
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"Bio oil, anyone who says that this is helpful, they're getting essentially the benefits of using mineral oil to lubricate the scar, cut down on frictional forces, but they're adding in a steeper price point, $38.49 mind you, plus fragrance which again can be irritating, not always but for some people it can be irritating. Fragrance and essential oils ultimately will worsen the appearance of the scar, so this is not something I recommend. People who use it and claim that it helped their scars, just know it worked by lubricating the skin surface. You can get that same effect for half the price without the risk of irritation from fragrance just by using mineral oil or any of the skin protectants."
All 2 takes from Dr Dray
*NEW* SKINCARE AT THE DRUGSTORE | Dermatologist
"I don't understand the hype. It's basically mineral oil with fragrance and not much else. Mineral oil certainly can lubricate scars and hydrate scars and ultimately may cut down on frictional forces that lead to scar thickening, but that's about it, and you don't need special Bio-Oil to do that. You could do that really with any body oil. The other thing about this is that it claims to help improve the appearance of stretch marks, that seems unlikely. That's a very lofty claim. Stretch marks originate down in deeper parts of the skin related to quick expansion of the skin with changes in weight or if someone's on an oral or topical steroid that can thin the skin and cause stretch marks. So that's a very lofty claim."
*BEST* Skincare For Scars: Dermatologist's Picks
"Bio oil, anyone who says that this is helpful, they're getting essentially the benefits of using mineral oil to lubricate the scar, cut down on frictional forces, but they're adding in a steeper price point, $38.49 mind you, plus fragrance which again can be irritating, not always but for some people it can be irritating. Fragrance and essential oils ultimately will worsen the appearance of the scar, so this is not something I recommend. People who use it and claim that it helped their scars, just know it worked by lubricating the skin surface. You can get that same effect for half the price without the risk of irritation from fragrance just by using mineral oil or any of the skin protectants."
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"Bio-Oil, in my opinion, the biggest scam ever, probably the biggest blatant lie in the skincare industry that we all fell for. Bio-Oil has always advertised themselves as a blend of oils that helps remove stretch marks, which it kind of is potentially maybe. When you look at the ingredients, it's essentially just a cocktail of oils and 14 different fragrances. This is really overboard and really potentially irritating for those with easily irritated skin. The fragrances are all listed individually because they have to be, because they are some of the most known irritants when it comes to skincare."
Common questions

Frequently asked.

What is Bio-Oil?

A lightweight oil blend marketed to improve the appearance of stretch marks and scars, containing mineral oil, plant oils, vitamin A, and fragrance.

Is Bio-Oil worth it?

Mostly no. None of the 4 gurus who reviewed it came away sold, leaving it a Guru Score of 43%.

What is Bio-Oil's Guru Score?

Bio-Oil holds a Guru Score of 43%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 4 independent expert reviewers we have collected.

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