Add Bio Oil to your daily routine

I'm sure most of us mums will be familiar with Bio Oil - it seems to be the universally recognised cure for stretch marks.  I know I used it during and post pregnancy and never seemed to be afflicted with stretch marks, and I've also used it successfully on a scar.

However, I'd never really thought of it as an everyday beauty product, more something to use as a drastic repair!  When I was contacted and asked if I'd like to try some for general use, I was intrigued.

I was sent some suggestions of other uses for the oil - I have to say I'd never thought of using it to soften cuticles or hard skin.  There's so many ways in which Bio Oil can benefit your skin.  Take a look.

Now, don't laugh.  I thought I'd put it to the test on my butt.  By pure chance I read something recently about the condition Keratosis Pilaris - or 'Chicken Skin'.  It was a revelation to me.  I've suffered from this bumpy skin for as long as I can remember, and I never knew it had a name!  It started in my teens and just affected my buttocks - no big deal, they're not exactly on display.  But as I've got older its slowly crept down to the backs of my thighs as far as the back of my knees, and also on the backs of my upper arms.  Whilst it's reassuring to discover that 40% of adults suffer from this (I'm not as much of a freak as I thought) it's not great to hear there's no real cure for it.  Its does affect my everyday life.  You'll almost never see me in a skirt, and certainly not with bare legs.  I hate to go swimming, and if I do I wear a swimsuit with shorts legs.

So, nothing ventured, nothing gained, I started applying Bio Oil daily to these areas.  Don't panic, there aren't any before and after shots of my backside coming.

If you've not used it before, then let me talk a bit about the oil.  It has a lovely light scent (that'll be the calendula; lavender, chamomile and rosemary oil).  Although it's an oil, it's not greasy. I apply it after a shower and then get dressed - I've not had any problems with it getting on my clothes (I might be a bit more careful if I was wearing something delicate like silk though!).

A little goes a long way too.  I've been using a 60ml bottle which retails at around £8.95 (you can purchase from all good chemists and cosmetic departments) for 10 days and I've used about 1/10th of the bottle.

So, after 10 days, I asked the old man to do the touch test.  Well, after feeling my butt and my thighs, he gave me his verdict.  Whilst flattering after nearly 9 years together, most of his remarks were unprintable.  When I asked him for a sensible opinion that I could write, he said there was a 'radical and remarkable difference'.  After telling him "not now dear, I'm in the middle of a blog post", I have to agree.

Both the visual appearance and the texture of my skin is massively improved.  No longer does it feel like I have permanent goose-bumps, but my skin feels smooth and soft for the first time in years.  Normal moisturiser simply isn't this effective.  I'm so pleased with the improvement, and will continue this routine.

I've also used the Bio Oil as an 'emergency repair' for dry, chapped skin on my face and lips after being out in the cold  wintry wind, and I've been sneaking up at night to pop a little dab on Ruby's chicken pox scar on her nose.  Is that wrong?  Well, I know when I reached my teens, I HATE my chicken pox scar on my face.

So there you have it.  Huge thumbs up for Bio Oil from me and my butt.

How do you use yours?

Disclosure: I was sent a bottle of Bio Oil free of charge for the purposes of this review.  However, all opinions are my own and are honest and accurate.