Product | Application | Research

Product

Introduction

Originally developed by Union Swiss in 1987, the Bio-Oil formulation was the brainchild of scientist Dieter Beier, the owner of Union Swiss at the time. His experience developing skincare products in the 70's and 80's was that oil worked best as a base for skincare products, especially those that included vitamins and plant extracts. Creams and lotions, which have water as their main ingredient, did not seem to have the same efficacy. Following his instinct, he launched Bio-Oil onto the market as a "skin tonic".

Convincing people to buy the product proved challenging. Not only was Bio-Oil a multi-use product when almost every other product was single-use, but oils were perceived to be greasy, and not skin-friendly like creams. Bio-Oil however developed an intensely loyal following over the years with those who ventured to try it, and Union Swiss began receiving passionate feedback about how this "skin tonic" had worked for any number of skin concerns.

Ownership of Union Swiss changed hands in 2000 and the new owners, on reading the Bio-Oil testimonials, commissioned independent trials on the product. The results quickly verified what users had been saying and backed with this evidence, Union Swiss began rolling out the product in 2002.

Bio-Oil is a specialist skincare oil that helps improve the appearance of scars, stretch marks and uneven skin tone. It is also effective for ageing and dehydrated skin. Bio-Oil has won 66 skincare awards and has become the No.1 selling scar and stretch mark product in 11 countries since its global rollout began in 2002.

Formulation

The Bio-Oil formulation is a combination of plant extracts and vitamins suspended in an oil base. Oil, being oxygen-free, allows the plant extracts and vitamins to retain their potency.

Bio-Oil contains the breakthrough ingredient PurCellin Oil™, which changes the formulation's overall consistency, making it light and non-greasy. This ensures that the goodness contained in the vitamins and plant extracts is absorbed into the skin.

Bio-Oil has undergone safety assessments in accordance with the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on Cosmetic Products. The toxicological profile, chemical structure, level of inclusion and total level of daily exposure of each ingredient used has been assessed and deemed safe for use (including for use by pregnant women).

Bio-Oil is a member of Beauty Without Cruelty International.

Ingredients

Manufacture

To ensure stringent quality standards, Bio-Oil is manufactured in a pharmaceutical facility. All ingredients are tested for adulteration and microbiological contamination prior to production and a sample from each batch manufactured is laboratory tested and then retained and monitored over a 5-year period.

All Bio-Oil packaging is recyclable and all paper materials are certified to be in accordance with sustainable forest management practices.

No harmful emissions, hazardous waste or wastewater is generated in the production of Bio-Oil.

Awards

2011

• Best Body Product for Stretch Marks, Women's Health Beauty Awards, South Africa
• Best Stretch Mark Product, OHbaby!, New Zealand
• Best Classic Beauty Product, Cosmetic Executive Women, UK
• Best Body Oil, Essentials Magazine Beauty Award, UK

2010

• Best Pregnancy Beauty Product, Prima Baby & Pregnancy Best Buy Reader Awards, UK
• Best Anti Stretch-Mark Product, Malaysian Women's Weekly Best Beauty Buy Awards, Malaysia
• Best Pregnancy Skincare Product, Kidspot Best of Awards, New Zealand
• Best Overall Pregnancy Product, Kidspot Best of Awards, New Zealand
• Best Pregnancy Skincare Product, Kidspot Best of Awards, Australia
• Best Overall Pregnancy Product, Kidspot Best of Awards, Australia
• Gold Award: Best Treatment Product, You & Your Wedding Bridal Beauty Awards Gold Award, UK
• Overall Category Winner, Look Fantastic Hair & Beauty 'Bodies Can't Live Without ...', UK
• Best Treatment for Scars & Stretch Marks, Glow Magazine Best in Beauty Awards, Canada
• Best for Stretch Marks, U Magazine Beauty Award, Ireland
• Best Body Oil, InStyle 100 Best Beauty Buys Awards, UK
• Best Scar Product, Cosmetics Magazine 'I Recommend' Beauty Awards, Canada
• Best Buy: Stretchmarks, Pregnancy & Birth Budget Buy, UK
• Best Stretch Mark Product, Pregnancy & Birth Bloom Awards, UK
• Best Body Lotion / Oil, New Zealand Woman's Weekly Readers' Choice Beauty Awards, New Zealand
• Reader's Choice, Her World Beauty Awards, Malaysia
• Best Scar Oil, Watsons Health, Wellness and Beauty Best of the Best Awards, Malaysia
• Best Scar Care Product, Guardian Customers' Choice Award, Malaysia

2009

• Best Scar Serum, Malaysian Women's Weekly Best Beauty Buy Awards, Malaysia
• Beste huidverzorgingsproduct, Grazia Magazine Best Beauty Buy Awards, Netherlands
• 2nd Best Bodycare Product, Shape 500+ Best Beauty Buys Reader Awards, South Africa
• Best Pregnancy Product: Skincare / Stretch Marks, Kidspot Best of Awards, Australia
• 1st Place in the Pregnancy Stretch Mark Category, Pre-mo Bodycare Reader Awards, Japan
• Best Scar Care Product, Guardian Customers' Choice Award, Malaysia
• Best Selling Health Product, Watsons Health, Wellness and Beauty Best of the Best Awards, Malaysia
• Best Pregnancy Beauty Product, Prima Baby & Pregnancy Best Buy Reader Awards, UK
• Best Body Lotion / Oil, New Zealand Woman's Weekly Readers' Choice Beauty Awards, New Zealand
• Best Scar Treatment, Shecky's Beauty at its Best Awards, USA
• Beste Nieuwe Product Introductie, De Tuinen Retailer Award, Netherlands
• Best Stretch Mark Treatment, Pregnancy & Birth Bloom Awards, UK
• Best Body Product, HealthSmart Best of the Best Awards, Australia
• Winnaar Categorie Huidverzorging, Astir Awards, Netherlands
• Winnaar Categorie Huidverzorging, Drogisterij Awards, Netherlands
• Best Body Oil, InStyle 100 Best Beauty Buy Awards, UK

2008

• 4th Best Bodycare Product, Shape 500+ Best Beauty Buys Reader Awards, South Africa
• Best Stretch Mark Treatment, Pregnancy & Birth Bloom Awards, UK
• Best Selling Health Product, Watsons Health, Wellness and Beauty Best of the Best Awards, Malaysia
• Best New Product Launch, Watsons Health, Wellness and Beauty Best of the Best Awards, Malaysia
• Best Scar Care Product, Guardian Customers' Choice Award, Malaysia
• Best Body Lotion / Oil, New Zealand Woman's Weekly Readers' Choice Beauty Awards, New Zealand
• Best Scar Oil, Watsons Health, Wellness and Beauty Best of the Best Awards, Malaysia
• Best Scar & Spot Treatment, Shecky's Beauty at its Best Awards, USA
• Best Pregnancy Product: Beauty, Kidspot Best of Awards, Australia
• Best Pregnancy Beauty Product, Prima Baby & Pregnancy Best Buy Reader Awards, UK

2007

• 3rd Best Bodycare Product, Shape 500+ Best Beauty Buys Reader Awards, South Africa
• Best Pregnancy Beauty Product, Prima Baby & Pregnancy Best Buy Reader Awards, UK
• Best Body Lotion / Oil, New Zealand Woman's Weekly Readers' Choice Beauty Awards, New Zealand
• Product of the Year, Life Pharmacy Annual Supplier Awards, New Zealand
• Best Stretch Mark Treatment, Pregnancy & Birth Bloom Awards, UK
• Best Scar & Spot Treatment, Shecky's Beauty at its Best Awards, USA

2006

• Best Body Treatment Under $25, New Zealand Woman's Weekly Readers' Choice Beauty Awards, New Zealand
• 5th Best Bodycare Product, Shape 500+ Best Beauty Buys Reader Awards, South Africa
• Product of the Year, Life Pharmacy Annual Supplier Awards, New Zealand

2005

• Best Specialised Treatment for Bodycare, Beauty Magazine Awards, UK
• Best Product Launch, Ulster Chemist Review, UK
• 3rd Best Body Skincare Product, Priceline Clubcard Health and Beauty Awards, Australia
• Best Bodycare Product, Shape 500+ Best Beauty Buys Reader Awards, South Africa

2004

• Favourite Stretch Mark Product, Baba & Kleuter magazine, South Africa
• Favourite Stretch Mark Product, Your Baby magazine, South Africa
• 5th Best Body Skincare Product, Priceline Clubcard Health and Beauty Awards, Australia
• Favourite Stretch Mark Product, Your Pregnancy magazine, South Africa

No.1 selling scar and stretch mark product

• Australia, Synovate Aztec, Total Market, value sales, year ending 31 December 2010
• Botswana, Medswana (Pty) Ltd, 2009
• Canada, Nielsen MarketTrack, Scar Treatments, Specialty Creams, Lotions & Scar Treatments (Custom Closed Grouping) National All Channels, 52 weeks ending 31 July 2010
• Kenya, Consumer Insight, 2011
• Malaysia, The Nielsen Company, Total Moisturisers & Skin Repair Treatment, PM Drugstore / Pharmacy, year ending March 2010
• Namibia, Nampharm Pharmaceuticals (Pty) Ltd, 2009
• Netherlands, The Nielsen Company, Totaal Food, Drug / Parfumerie, MAT week 36, 2010
• New Zealand, Synovate Aztec, Pharmacy & Grocery combined, year ending 30 January 2011
• South Africa, The Nielsen Company, Total SA, year ending June 2010
• Swaziland, PharmIndustry (Pty) Ltd, 2009
• UK, IRI Infoscan, year ending 19 February 2011

Product most recommended by doctors / pharmacists / midwives for scars and stretch marks

• Australia doctor survey, Colmar Brunton, 2010
• Australia pharmacist survey, The Nielsen Company, Independent Pharmacists' Study, 2007
• Kenya pharmacist survey, Consumer Insight, 2011
• New Zealand doctor survey, Colmar Brunton, 2010
• New Zealand midwife survey, Colmar Brunton, 2010
• New Zealand pharmacist survey, IMS Health (NZ) Ltd, 2005
• South Africa doctor survey, Synovate, 2010
• South Africa gynaecologist survey, Synovate, 2010
• South Africa midwife survey, Synovate, 2010
• South Africa pharmacist survey, Synovate, 2010
• UK pharmacist survey, The Thinking Shop, Strategic Research Consultancy, 2008