bio oil, bio oil review, stretch marks oil, erase stretch marks, scar serum, silicone scar serum, silicone stretch marksAs someone with less-than-pretty post-acne marks, I am constantly on search for products that may help erase them completely.

Bio Oil, made by South African company "Union-Swiss" (yes, that's a really cool attempt to cash on the swissness) is touted as a cure-all for scars and stretch marks.

I am seeing Bio-Oil everywhere, in pharmacies, online stores, and even in supermarkets. And of course, since it claims to be perfectly natural and preservative-free, I checked on its ingredients to find out whether Bio-Oil is a bogus or a blessing.

So let's take a look at the ingredients of Bio-Oil.

Paraffinum Liquidum - mineral oil, need we say more?

Triisononanoin - synthetic silicone, penetration enhancer (the magical PurCellin Oil! - nothing magical, really, this ingredient is commonly used in synthetic skincare).

Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate - synthetic emulsifier made with cetearyl alcohol and ethylhexanoic acid.

Isopropyl Myristate - synthetic emulsifier

Retinyl Palmitate - synthetic vitamin A

Tocopheryl Acetate - synthetic vitamin E

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil - chamomile essential oil

Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil - lavender essential oil

Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil - rosemary essential oil

Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract - macerated calendula oil

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil - sunflower oil

Glycine Soja Oil - soybean oil

BHT - butyl hydroxyl toluene (a preservative)

Bisabolol - soothing phytochemical from chamomile

Parfum - synthetic fragrance

Amyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Coumarin, Eugenol, Geraniol, Hydroxycitronellal, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Limonene, Linalool, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone - fragrance components (and quite a lot of them)

CI 26100 - synthetic colorant

So what does justify a hefty price tag? Essential oils used in Bio-Oil are not rare and definitely not organic. Synthetic vitamins A and E are quite cheap, either.

What sounds really funny is the company's claim that PurCellin (triisononanoin) in Bio-Oil is a "breakthrough" ingredient. Come on, people, it's been used for ages in foundations, body lotions, and even band-aids for blisters!

If you buy some vitamin E oil, organic sunflower and soy bean oil, add some rosemary, lavender, and chamomile, plus a few drops of beta-carotene, you'll reap all the benefits of Bio-Oil without petrochemicals and toluene.

And the bottle of your homemade Bio Oil will last you for ages, considering that you'll be adding only a few drops of essential oils per 100 ml of base oil.

For acne marks, I realized that the most cost-effective way is to make a regular glycolic peel at home, followed by a natural healing puree of fruits and veggies and a mineral sunscreen during the daytime.