Bio-Oil
Skincare Oil
8/10 overall£9.99 (60ml)
The best-known stretch mark oil in the UK, commonly recommended by pharmacists for use through pregnancy.
The verdict
Bio-Oil is the best-known stretch mark oil in the UK, a light, fast-absorbing blend with vitamin A, vitamin E and plant oils, priced at £9.99 for 60ml and widely recommended by pharmacists. Best for daytime use under clothes and for staying useful after birth for scars or skin recovery. The clearest reason to consider an alternative: it's lightly fragranced rather than fragrance-free, and gives less of a soothing, occlusive feel than a thicker balm.
Bio-Oil has been the default recommendation in UK pharmacies for scars and stretch marks for years, and pregnancy use is one of its most common applications. It's a light, fast-absorbing oil blend (including vitamin A and E, and various plant oils) designed to be massaged into the bump, hips and chest as skin stretches.
It isn't marketed as pregnancy-specific — the same formula is sold for scars and uneven skin tone generally — but that's also part of its appeal: it's a single product that keeps being useful after the baby arrives, for C-section scars or general skin recovery, rather than something you buy once and never touch again.
Against pregnancy-specific balms like Mama Mio's Tummy Rub Butter, Bio-Oil is thinner and absorbs faster, which some people prefer for daytime use under clothes, while others find a thicker balm more soothing on a very tight, itchy bump in the third trimester.
Is the Skincare Oil worth it?
- Widely recommended by UK pharmacists, not just marketed at pregnancy
- Light, fast-absorbing texture works well under clothes
- Stays useful after birth for scars and skin recovery
What are the downsides of the Skincare Oil?
- Lightly fragranced, which some people prefer to avoid in pregnancy
- Thinner texture gives less of a soothing, occlusive feel than a balm
Specs
- Size
- 60ml (also sold in 125ml, 200ml)
- Format
- Oil
- Fragrance
- Lightly fragranced
- Key ingredients
- Vitamin A, Vitamin E, plant oils (e.g. calendula, lavender, rosemary, chamomile)
How we scored it
Absorption & Feel
How quickly it sinks in and whether it leaves a greasy residue on clothes.
Fast-absorbing, non-greasy — comfortable to use under clothes during the day.
Ingredients & Safety
Pregnancy-safe formulation, fragrance-free options, and ingredient transparency.
Widely used in pregnancy, but lightly fragranced rather than fragrance-free.
Value for Money
Cost per use if applied daily across a pregnancy, not just the shelf price.
Reasonable cost per ml and a small amount goes a long way.
Weighted by importance for this category — see our editorial policy for how we test.
How this review was done
We haven't used the Skincare Oil ourselves yet. This review is built from Bio-Oil's published specifications and product information, and scored the same way as everything else on the site. We'll update it, and the badge above, once we've tested it hands-on.
How it compares
|  |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £9.99 (60ml) | £5.99 | £54.00 (175ml) | £24.00 (120ml) |
| Overall score | 8/10 | 7.3/10 | 6.2/10 | 6.8/10 |
| Size | 60ml (also sold in 125ml, 200ml) | 50g | 175ml | 120ml |
| Format | Oil | Balm (firmer than an oil or lotion) | Cream | Body butter (thick balm) |
| Fragrance | Lightly fragranced | Light lavender | Fragrance-free | Fragranced (also sold in a fragrance-free version) |
Frequently asked questions
Is Bio-Oil specifically made for pregnancy?+
No — it isn't marketed as pregnancy-specific; the same formula is sold for scars and uneven skin tone generally, which means it stays useful after the baby arrives for C-section scars or general skin recovery.
Is Bio-Oil fragrance-free?+
No, it's lightly fragranced, which some people prefer to avoid in pregnancy.
How does Bio-Oil compare to Mama Mio's Tummy Rub Butter?+
Bio-Oil is thinner and absorbs faster, which some people prefer for daytime use under clothes, while others find a thicker balm like Mama Mio's more soothing on a very tight, itchy bump in the third trimester.
Reviewed by
Sepehr
Software engineer, soon-to-be dad, uncle to four — the tech-obsessed half of the two of us testing this stuff. Currently building this site with my wife, ahead of our own baby arriving.