In the early 1970s Dieter Beier, the then owner of Bio-Oil, had the idea to research skincare oils based on his experience with a Swiss skincare range called Vitamol, one of the world’s first vitamin-enhanced skincare ranges. All of the products in the range were creams, except for one, which was an oil. Dieter was making monthly business trips to Zimbabwe at the time and was suffering from dry and itchy skin caused by the climate. He tried all the products in the Vitamol range and found that only the oil was effective. The creams only made his problem worse. Dieter’s experience seemed to be shared by others, as the oil was by far the best seller in the Vitamol range. He decided to research its use not just to help with dry skin, but as a remedy for other skin impairments too.

Dieter’s concept for the original Bio-Oil® Skincare Oil formulation was to take vitamins and plant extracts, and mix these with a base oil, which would absorb quickly and easily into the skin, leaving no oily residue. The idea to use vitamins was based on Dieter’s personal experience using Vitamol Oil, a vitamin-enhanced skincare oil. The inclusion of plant extracts came from Dieter’s interest in homeopathy.

What took Dieter the longest time was not the selection of the vitamins and plant extracts, but the creation of a base oil that could house the vitamins and plant extracts and still be light and non-greasy on application. The breakthrough finally came with the inclusion of PurCellin OilTM. This unique ingredient changed the formulation’s consistency, making it light and easily absorbed and ensuring that the vitamins and plant extracts were not left on the skin’s surface as an oily residue.