My BAD Bio-Oil Experience.

Bio-Oil is one of those beauty products that seems to be continuously present as time goes by. It's been called 'the magic oil' by the likes of Kim Kardashian and Rochelle Humes for it's ability to banish wrinkles and stretch marks. I was looking for an inexpensive skin oil I should use to replenish my skin and keep it hydrated during the night, as I felt my skin was started to really hydrate during my sleeping hours, meaning I woke up with dull and drab skin. Bio-Oil promises to hydrate skin and ACTUALLY says it can be used on the face. So, for 6 pound, I thought Bio-Oil would do the trick. I started using it about 3/4 days ago. I would use it after moisturising in the evenings and would massage it into my skin for full impact before settling my head down for the night. 

The first few mornings, my skin actually looked great! My blemishes were a lot less noticeable and my skin seemed a lot brighter. Then, on the Friday night, I started to feel a burning sensation about my lips and on my chin. It felt like my skin was on fire and really tight, which really worried me as I'd never had this problem before. The next day, which thankfully I had off college otherwise I would have cried, I found my skin was a dark brown/red colour up both sides of my face, primarily around my t-zone and my skin resembled that of a reptile. I have never in my life experienced such dry and damaged skin on my face. My face burnt for the rest of the day and no matter how much moisturiser I applied to the area, it still felt dry and sore. The only product I could really connect to my skin change was Bio-Oil. I had been using some new Simple products BUT I have used this products in previous years with no trouble, so I can definitely write these out!

I decided I would research a little bit more into Bio-Oil and any side effects that could be present with it's use. I found out that Bio-Oil actually contains a great deal of chemicals.

Botanicals

Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract (Calendula Oil)
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil (Lavender Oil)
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil (Rosemary Oil)
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil (Chamomile Oil)

Vitamins

Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A)
Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E)

Oil base

Paraffinum Liquidum
Triisononanoin
Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate
Isopropyl Myristate
Glycine Soja Oil
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
BHT
Bisabolol

Fragrance (Rose)

Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Amyl Cinnamal
Benzyl Salicylate
Citronellol
Coumarin
Eugenol
Farnesol
Geraniol
Hydroxycitronellal
Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde
Limonene
Linalool

Colour

Orange: CI 26100 (Red 17)
Pink: CI 26100 (Red 17) and CI 60725 (Violet 2)

An ingredient that really stuck out for me was Benzyl Salicylate, which is a fragrance additive and UV light absorber, primarily used in perfumes and hair dye. This ingredient is scientifically proven to cause dermal irritation. I found this bit of information when researching into the product:

The International Fragrance Association (IFRA) has restricted its use in fragrances because of the potential sensitization and allergic reactions. In Europe, it is listed as an “allergenic” substance and the European Cosmetics Directive requires OTC leave-on products to indicate its presence, even at concentrations of .001%.

I also started to think, how can an oil get rid of scars and stretch marks. When you think about it logically, a scar and stretch marks appears when the dermis (which is the deep, thick layer of skin) is damaged. This is why scars are usually so hard to get rid off as they are when the body forms new collagen fibres to mend the damage. These new fibres create the scar tissue which appears on the skin. Now, if this damage and the scar tissue's source is within the dermis, a product has to be very penetrating to get to to this layer of skin. It also must have some kind of drying and abrasive effect which allows the scar tissue to be broken down (which can usually only be accomplished when the first few layers of skin peel off which allows new skin cells to renew). Our faces are made up of natural fatty acids and oils which when lost can expose our face's to skin damage and dryness. My theory here is that Bio-Oil is not as natural or demagogically safe as it would like to make out it is. I CERTAINLY don't believe it should be put on your face is it's primary use is to rid you of scar tissue. 

I'm actually really upset with the damage this product has done. Thankfully for me, I found an amazing face cream by Superdrug called Vitamin E moisture cream which I have been using morning and night over the weekend in order to help my skin heal and I've got to say it's really working. However, my skin is still very dry and damaged. It's still sore and feels almost burnt. I also found out from a friend and a few other bloggers that the same damage has happened to them after using Bio-Oil on their face. I don't know if this is an allergic reaction to something in the product OR one of the ingredients of this product has reacted badly to my sensitive face but I know this oil is to blame. 

Please let me know if you have EVER experienced a similar problem with Bio-Oil as I really want to know if I'm one of the only ones to have a bad experience with this oil?

I will be keeping you updated on the healing of my skin!

Thanks 

G

x

P.S. Sorry for the grim pictures! I wanted you to see the real extent of the damage!