Is there really a pregnancy stretch mark cream out there that works? Which cream(s) should you use? Can you actually prevent stretch marks from happening at all?
It’s not what most women want to hear, but there is no sure way to completely prevent stretch marks. This is because pregnancy stretch marks are based on multiple things. Genetics, diet, body shape and health, weight gain, etc., all play a part in the development of stretch marks.
However, there are some things you can do that can help with the way stretch marks look, minimizing the appearance of both existing and emerging marks.
One thing you can do that I believe is a KEY component is keeping your skin moisturized! This is where a pregnancy stretch mark cream, lotion, and/or oil will come into play. Ideally, a good stretch mark cream while you are pregnant will not only make your skin smoother, but will boost your circulation, while also building collagen.
Before we go over the list of effective pregnancy stretch mark creams, let me answer one question.
When should you start to moisturize?
Incorporating a pregnancy stretch mark cream into your routine is BEST at the very BEGINNING of your pregnancy. Starting early and staying consistent throughout the entire 9 months will help your skin be the most successful and prepared when it comes to developing fewer stretch marks.
You also want to have a good moisturizing routine set in place early on. Stretch marks can form at any point during pregnancy, however, it is most common for them to appear during the third trimester.
But just because stretch marks don’t usually form until the end of your pregnancy, doesn’t mean that you should only start to moisturize once you hit 27 weeks. To get the BEST results, it is most promising to start as soon as you find out that you are pregnant. And if you haven’t started yet, START NOW. Developing the habit of moisturizing multiple times a day during the less important time of pregnancy will help you maintain that habit during the most important time of pregnancy.
The third trimester is when your belly is growing the fastest, and stretch marks can form on your belly, hips, bum, and breasts, which will most likely become very itchy. Moisturizing your skin will improve your skin elasticity, and help reduce itchiness as your belly grows bigger. If you itch too much, you can cause more irritation and make your stretch marks worse, so
MOISTURIZE, MOISTURIZE, MOISTURIZE!
Make time throughout your day to moisture between 1-3 times per day, and include your breasts, belly, bum, and thighs. You can moisture right after you shower or while watching tv, or even while you recite your daily birth affirmations. No matter when it may be, just make the time.
What if you were late to the game during your pregnancy when it came to moisturizing and developed more marks than you like? Or what if you didn’t read this post until after you had your baby? Don’t worry! There are some postpartum stretch mark vanishing creams, like this one, that are out there for you to try. Although moisturizing works best on new, developing marks, postpartum moisturizing will still have benefits. You might get slower results though since the scars are older.
Now, you may think that the only pregnancy stretch mark creams that work are way over your budget, but that’s not true! You don’t necessarily need the really expensive, fancy pregnancy stretch mark creams. There are amazing options for under $15.
Below is a list of the most effective pregnancy stretch mark creams you can choose from to apply to your belly throughout your pregnancy. They are not in any specific order and they range in price. Although these are advertised as safe for pregnant women, check with your doctor or midwife to be sure they are a good option for you and your growing baby.
EFFECTIVE PREGNANCY STRETCH MARK CREAM
Palmers Cocoa Butter Massage Lotion
With 4.6 stars on Amazon and over 49,000 reviews, this lotion was made specifically to prevent and treat stretch marks while women experience pregnancy. It also improves skin elasticity, texture, and tone. Not only can you use it on your hips, belly, and breasts, but it can be used anywhere on the body as a basic moisturizer. The key ingredients include cacao extract, sweet almond oil, palm oil, coconut oil, and petrolatum.
Although it’s free of mineral oil, parabens, phthalates, and fragrance allergens, many of the ingredients are still unfamiliar to buyers. There is a natural scent caused by the ingredients that many people like the smell. Others are sensitive to it, so this is either a pro or con depending on your preference.
Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula has a simple pump dispenser, which is easy to use and convenient, keeping the bottle clean in the process. It absorbs well into the skin and does not leave a sticky residue. However, reviewers say that frequent application is necessary in order to keep the skin from feeling dry.
This product is found at most local stores, making it extremely easy to find, or you can order it online with delivery. It comes at a low price and is rated by users as one of the best creams overall.
Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter
If you are a more natural product kind of gal, maybe try this belly butter by Burts Bees. It is made from 99% natural ingredients! It contains oils like sweet almond oil, sunflower oil, and coconut oil. Not only does it include jojoba butter, and cocoa, but it is also rich with shea butter and Vitamin E.
Some of the ingredients are still not completely recognizable, but it is made without phthalates, parabens, petrolatum, or sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). It has no intended fragrances or noticeable scents, yet the natural scent can be unpleasant for some users.
The cocoa, shea butter, and jojoba butter softens and smooths the skin, while also absorbing well without leaving greasy remnants or stickiness. It helps with itchiness and stretch marks and can be used post-pregnancy. Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter inexpensive and more natural ingredient-based product has been rated by users as the best belly butter.
Mustela Stretch Marks Cream
If you tend to have more sensitive skin, Mustela Stretch Marks Cream could be a great option for you. As 96% of its ingredients are naturally acquired, it is made to decrease the risk of allergic reactions.
Its key ingredients are galactoarabinan, avocado peptides, and shea butter, but it also contains avocado oil and peptides, passion fruit polyphenols, and witch hazel extract. These allow the product to absorb quickly while hydrating the skin, improving elasticity, and preventing stretch marks. They even claim to improve the appearance of existing stretch marks.
Mustela Stretch Mark Cream is paraben, phthalates, and phenoxyethanol-free. It is also dermatologist-tested. This product is listed as fragrance-free but still contains a mild scent that most find enjoyable.
Although this product is a great option overall, it runs more on the pricey side.
Earth Mama Belly Butter
This is another great option for those with sensitive skin. Earth Mama Belly Butter is not only cruelty-free, but also free of petroleum, mineral oil, parabens, and synthetic fragrances.
This Dermatologist-tested cream is made from all organic ingredients, including aloe leaf juice, olive fruit oil, sunflower seed oil, and shea butter. The cream absorbs quickly while preventing and relieving dry, itchy skin without leaving a greasy residue, while also preventing stretch marks.
Although Earth Mama Belly Butter comes in a convenient pump dispenser, people find the bottle to be too small, and the natural scent can be either odd or overbearing for some users.
Glow Organics Belly Butter
This brand is known to be one of the best organic creams on the market. Glow Organics Belly Butter is full of organic shea butter, organic cocoa butter, organic macadamia nut, organic grapeseed oil, and organic sweet almond oil. There are absolutely no parabens, sulfates, synthetics, or artificial fragrances in this jar.
The product is thick, due to the oils it contains, and needs to melt in your hands before application. This unscented product should be massaged onto your belly, breasts, and hips twice daily in order to improve skin elasticity and lock in moisture to soothe dry, itchy skin.
Pipette Belly Oil
Derived from clean ingredients, including squalane, vitamin E, ceramides, and winter cherry extract, this non-scented oil is hypoallergenic and good for sensitive skin. It calms your dry, itchy skin while simultaneously hydrating it with a weightless, balanced moisture. This company takes pride in its products that are always EWG Verified, always cruelty-free, and always vegan.
Although Pipette Belly Oil absorbs quickly, users say that the snap-top bottles can leak over time, making the bottles a little messy. They would prefer a pump dispenser.
Bio-Oil Skincare Oil
This oil has been described as one of the most “holy grail skin products” when it comes to preventing stretch marks and treating scars. Although it’s a form of oil, it is non-comedogenic. This means that it won’t clog pores, and does wonders for itchy skin.
This product is mixed with vitamins, plant extracts, and oils, including vitamin A, vitamin E, calendula oil, lavender oil, rosemary leaf oil, chamomile oil, and PurCellin Oil. With just a few drops per application, this oil not only minimizes stretch mark appearance, but also relieves inflammation and skin discoloration, and is usable for scars, acne, and blemishes.
Bio-Oil Skincare Oil absorbs easily into the skin, is non-greasy, and hypoallergenic with a mild scent. Although it is proven to prevent and eliminate stretch marks, it also contains many more chemicals than other more natural options, and it is said that it could make your skin sensitive to the sun.
Munchkin Milkmakers All-Natural Belly Balm
This fragrance-free belly balm is applied the same way as deodorant is, with a twist and a swipe. Being cruelty-free, paraben, and BPA-free, this product not only contains 100% all-natural ingredients, but it is also recyclable.
Made from coconut oil, rosehip oil, and shea butter, this Munchkin Milkmakers All-Natural Belly Balm hydrates and softens the skin, absorbing quickly without causing irritation. It is unscented, yet can be greasy in the applications.
Mutha Body Butter
This Mutha Body Butter is considered the best pregnancy stretch mark cream if you don’t mind spending some cash. People say that the price is definitely worth it. This butter blend is made mainly from shea butter, coconut oil, mango butter, vitamins, fatty acids, and seed extracts. With the natural ingredients, it is hypoallergenic and good for sensitive skin while also smelling like citrus.
Motherlove Pregnant Belly Salve
Another organic option? Yes, please! This non-greasy, fast absorbing Motherlove Pregnant Belly Salve eases pregnancy itch and smells like chamomile and lavender. Although it is free of petroleum, petroleum by-products, lanolin, parabens, phthalates, some people are sensitive to the essential oils or to the texture.
Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Skin Therapy Oil
Palmer’s Cocoa Butter is back with an oil! This oil is lightweight, quick-drying, and smells of cocoa butter. It is affordable, non-greasy, and non-staining. This hypoallergenic oil is both dermatologist and obgyn-approved and is very affordable. In order to prevent stretch marks, users say it is best when used during pregnancy instead of postpartum. They also say that it needs to be reapplied throughout the day.
Tubby Todd Belly Oil
This oil is perfect for scent-sensitive moms. Natural and organic, Tubby Todd Belly Oil is made from sweet almond oil, pomegranate extract, olive fruit extract, and sunflower seed oil, making it easy to rub into the skin. However, some people are sensitive to the essential oils and the oil also runs on the expensive side.
Mama Mio Tummy Rub Butter
After using this Mama Mio Tummy Rub, your skin will feel supple and more elastic from all the coconut oil, sweet almond oil, shea butter, and Vitamin E. It is vegan, dermatologically tested and free from silicone, parabens and artificial fragrances.
This tummy rub contains avocado oil, inchi oil, and argan oil, all working together to create a moisturizing, cell-rejuvenating, and skin saving concoction. This butter rubs in evenly and soaks in well, creating a non-sticky layer of goodness.
Recommended use is twice daily on breasts, tummy, and bum. It comes in three different scents, all 100% natural. The first is a blend of bergamot, orange, lemon/mandarin, violet, orris/patchouli, and vanilla. The second scent is lavender and mint mixed. The third is the option of a non-scented cream. Users do say that sometimes the butter texture doesn’t seem consistent with every jar, and it can be a pricey option for most people.
Alfalfa Field Apothecary Belly Butter
This Alfalfa Field Apothecary Belly Butter is made from all organic ingredients! It is full of cocoa butter, shea butter, calendula infused almond oil, rose hip seed oil, rose petal infused avocado oil, coconut oil, beeswax, Vitamin E oil, lavender and chamomile essential oils. The creator recommends applying once per day during the first trimester. Once you hit second trimester, apply twice daily, followed by three times daily during the third trimester. This will ensure an increase in elasticity and hydration in the skin.
Coconut Oil
Okay, I threw in Coconut Oil as more of a personal preference. I used this throughout most of my pregnancy as a full body moisturizer. On my belly specifically, I switched between coconut oil, vitamin E oil, and Glow Organics (included in the list). Coconut oil was my favorite out of the three of them. When it comes to coconut oil, I make sure it is completely organic and extra virgin, as well as cold-pressed and unrefined. This Vivanatural Organic Coconut Oil is a perfect example, but there are many other versions that would give similar results. Coconut oil is inexpensive, hydrating, and leaves your skin feeling soooo soft. It takes a while to soak in, which is a downside, but I love the way it feels after.
Stretch marks run in my family pretty prominently, especially when it comes to pregnancy. My family members have many stretch marks. They also believe that stretch marks during pregnancy are NOT preventable at all. They weren’t as proactive as I was in trying to ward them off. Honestly, they probably think pregnancy stretch mark cream is a scam.
They do have a point.
I mean, not about it being a scam, unless maybe it is, I don’t know :P. But I’m talking about how stretch marks are partially genetic, and sometimes they form no matter what you do. But I hardly got any stretch marks, and I moisturized almost every day. Almost. I believe I wouldn’t have gotten any stretch marks if I would have been better at it. There are some marks around my belly button that are very minimal and difficult for people to see. No one notices them unless they look really close. Because stretch marks run in my family, it was either a miracle that I hardly got any, or moisturizing really does help.
WAH-LA!
A list of top-rated and recommended pregnancy stretch mark creams. Hopefully there was at least one product that seemed like a good fit for you to try. Let me know in the comments what you used and what your thoughts were on the results.
Remember, applying moisturizer is just one of the things that can help with the look of your stretch marks. Although it is not the only prevention method, and there is also no guarantee that it will work 100%, it is still beneficial for your skin overall as your body goes through these pregnancy changes.
Being pregnant can be tough, and it can be disappointing to have a body that looks different and feels different. But it’s important to remember that YOU are growing a little human!!!! Your body is taking care of this little bean to make sure that they are healthy and happy and fully developed! How freaking cool is that!?!?!?!
Yes, you may look at your marks and feel sad about them. But then you’ll look over at your sweet baby once they are born and realize how in love you truly are. And the mark on your skin is just the love letter they wrote to you before you were able to hold them in your arms.
This post was all about effective pregnancy stretch mark cream.
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