- Stretchmarks happen. When they do, tap into one of these recos.
- The 7 Best pregnancy creams
Pregnancy: A time of joy, of euphoria and anticipation, of bigger breasts and blissful day-dreams of mommy life. BUT, let’s get real here for a minute. It isn’t all a bed of roses! Everything smells horrific, you feel like heaving all the time, your feet are swollen and probably the worst thing – the thing that doesn’t instantly disappear after you give birth- stretch marks….if only there was a magic cream for those..!
Long after you’re able to clean your teeth without retching and your feet and tummy have deflated, those stubborn stretch marks remain. Yep; those babies will hang around like a bad smell. Now don’t get us wrong, we’re all for ‘mommy stripes’ and pride, but let’s be honest; the majority of women will avoid stretch marks if they can, and it is the majority of women who will get them, 70% in fact!
The good news is you can do something to prevent stretch marks in the first place! Even better news? You can do something to fade existing stretch marks too. Fortunately, we live in an age where a bazillion brands of stretch mark creams are for the trying; some good, some average and some downright useless, so here is a carefully compiled list of our picks for the safest and most effective stretch mark creams on the market today.
- Mustela Stretch Marks Prevention Cream – $31
Providing products for pregnant women and babies since 1950, Mustela’s Stretch Marks Prevention Cream is specially formulated for expectant mothers. It is notably hypoallergenic, mild enough for the most sensitive of skin and suitable while breast feeding (very handy since its advisable to continue using a cream up to 2 months after you’ve given birth).
The patented ingredients include anti-tightening Avocado Peptides and Galactoarabinan – derived from the Larch Tree – which exfoliates without irritating. It’s no wonder a recent study showed 96% of new mothers didn’t get a single stretch mark!
- Prairie Bloom Organic Belly Butter – $22
Handcrafted in Oklahoma and packaged in a simply gorgeous vintage jar, small business Prairie Bloom has created a winner with this organic belly butter. It has 100% natural ingredients with a mix of marshmallow, apricot oil, calendula and organic Shea butter; guaranteed to lock in moisture and soothe inflamed skin. It even includes Bilberry which is known for its ability to heal scars!
- Mama Mio Tummy Rub Butter – $36
Absolutely packed with omegas, the award winning Mama Mio Tummy Rub Butter has an impressively jammed ingredients list which doesn’t include any preservatives or parabens! Its blend of coconut, avocado, sweet almond, olive and rosehip oils is mixed with lashings of Shea butter and Vitamin E to make darn sure your skin is equipped to stretch effortlessly from the get go.
- Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter – $13
Affordable, fragrance free and 99% natural, Burt’s Bee’s Mama Bee Belly Butter is a classic favorite with women all over the world. The simple yet effective formula of butters and oils has been nourishing bumps and boobs for years and it’s easy to see why. Cocoa, Shea and Jojoba butters are whipped with sunflower, coconut and sweet almond oils to create an incredibly rich yet absorbable anti-inflammatory emollient. I’ll have two tubs for that price!
- TriLASTIN Maternity Stretch Mark Prevention – $35
With an impressive following and glowing reviews, TriLASTIN Maternity Stretch Mark Prevention is the sworn-by product for many women. The cream is comprised of 15 natural oils, strengthening antioxidants Vitamin E and mango seed butter, as well as soothing Shea butter to encourage elasticity.
But what really sets this cream apart is its scent! The infusion of Sugar Cane Extract (also a nifty exfoliator), vanilla and orange oil make this a lush cream that smells absolutely divine! Well, to those of you without a super sensitive pregnancy nose that is.
- AltheaDerm Stretch Mark and Itch Soothing Butter -$39
AltheaDerm Stretch Mark and Itch Soothing Butter is a cream and an oil all in one. Unlike the TriLASTIN cream, it has no scent, much better if you’re struggling with horrid morning sickness.
With 35 organic ingredients, this product contains honeysuckle, Aloe Vera Juice, and most significantly Vitamin B12. A vital vitamin in keeping skin healthy, Vitamin B12 regenerates and repairs skin cells. Since pregnant women run the risk of becoming deficient in B12, this is a definite plus indeed!
Also particularly appealing is the butter’s ability to nourish and penetrate the skin so deeply that it actually softens scar tissue! This means the skin starts to heal and the appearance of existing stretch marks is greatly reduced. Not all creams are effective at the fading side of things so big brownie points here!
- Belli Elasticity Belly Oil – $34
Ok, so it’s not technically a cream but it deserves a mention! OB/GYN recommended, Belli Elasticity Belly Oil is free of synthetic fragrances, parabens and preservatives, and has impressively been screened for chemicals that have an even remote link to a birth defect. But that doesn’t mean it’s lacking the goods! This oil even contains Gotu Kola as an active ingredient; a herb renowned for its ability to heal wounds, and it also works on cellulite!
Just sit back, relax and let the soothing smell of lavender calm you while the Vitamin E and grapeseed oils prep your skin for the monumental task of growing a human!
So don’t panic! Stretch marks are too often seen as something that inevitably comes with having a baby, the roadmap of pregnancy, an inescapable and unfortunate consequence of the most amazing thing to ever happen to you. But this does not have to be the case! You can stretch without the marks! So don’t retire your bikinis just yet, get empowered, prepare your skin and slather on a quality stretch mark cream!
