Best stretch mark cream for pregnancy

A lot happens to your body during pregnancy and most of it is completely out of your control. As your baby grows and your belly starts to pop, you might start to worry about stretch marks. Some women are more predisposed to stretch marks than others but when it comes to pregnancy, they can happen to any woman.

If this is your first pregnancy, you might be surprised at how fast your body starts changing in the second trimester. By the time the baby is ready to come, you might look at your belly and wonder how it got so big in such a short amount of time. This quick growth contributes to the formation of stretch marks. In fact, it’s what gives them their name because they appear when the skin is forced to stretch to accommodate your growing baby.

There is something you can do to gain control over the situation: get a good stretch mark cream. Stretch mark creams basically all work in the same way. They nourish and deep condition the skin to improve its elasticity so that when your belly starts growing and your skin starts stretching, it’s a little suited to stretching and you’ll get fewer marks or none at all.

Some stretch mark creams also contain ingredients that can treat them after the already appeared. While they can’t get rid of them completely, these creams can help them fade and smooth them out in case you weren’t able to prevent them.

There are a lot of stretch mark creams available and each has a different formula. Here are some of the most effective ones:

1. Vitamin E Oil By GreatFull Skin (Link)

Vitamin E Oil is one of the purest, simplest things you can put on your skin. It’s good for preventing new stretch marks by helping skin stay elastic and moisturized and lightening and smoothing out the stretch marks you already have. GreatFull Skin’s Vitamin E Oil also has coconut ester oil to enhance the delivery of the Vitamin E. The coconut ester oil acts as a carrier to help the Vitamin E penetrate deep into the skin.

While it might look like such a small bottle, keep in mind that you don’t need much – only one or two drops twice a day – and you’ll start seeing and feeling the benefits. This rich antioxidant will treat not only your stretch marks but any other problem areas, too. The heals and protects, preventing dryness. It’s gentle enough to use on the thin skin on your growing baby belly while being tough enough to make a difference.

This product is 100% natural with no fillers or preservatives. Use it alone or you can mix it into your favorite lotion.

2. Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter (Link)

Burt’s Bee’s started in a Maine beekeeper’s backyard and they’ve been making natural health and beauty products for about 30 years now. They don’t use any additives, artificial scents, parabens, or petroleums. You can be sure this Belly Butter is great for you skin.

Burt’s Bees Belly Butter is a 99% natural blend of cocoa, shea, and jojoba butters to nourish and moisturize your skin while improving elasticity. It’s a little thinner than the consistency of other belly butters and the small jar won’t last quite as long, but this is a great way to prevent any itching and keep stretch marks away.

3. Motherlove Pregnant Belly Salve (Link)

Motherlove’s Pregnant Belly Salve is made with 100% certified organic ingredients. The base of this salve is made of apricot oil, beeswax, and shea butter plus essential oils like calendula, marshmallow roots, and rose hips. It works by moisturizing your skin and helping it stay elastic so it can stretch as your baby grows without getting any stretch marks.

The texture of this product is that of a true salve. It’s thick but creamy, goes on effortlessly, and leaves your skin feeling soft and nourished.  It absorbs quickly without leaving behind an oily residue. Chamomile and lavender give this salve a natural, gentle fragrance.

4. Mama Mio The Tummy Rub Butter (Link)

Mama Mio uses only all natural active ingredients to lock in moisture, improve elasticity, and prevent stretch marks. It contains shea butter as the base ingredient. Borage oil is added to help heal any damaged skin and help prevent stretch marks. You also get wheatgerm oil which contains a lot of vitamin E, rosehip oil with fatty acids to deeply moisturize, and sweet almond oil to nourish.

The skin’s elasticity improves from the effects of the ingredients which makes it less likely that stretch marks will appear. It doesn’t help any previous stretch marks fade. You get a small container  – only four ounces – but it’s thick and you shouldn’t need to use a lot of it for each application.

5. Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Massage Lotion For Stretch Marks (Link)

Palmer’s uses a special blend called Bio C-Elaste in this lotion that’s a powerful mix of collagen, elastin, centella asiatica, sweet almond oil, and argan oil. It also contains cocoa butter and Vitamin E.

This combination of ingredients helps it prevent future stretch marks as well as smooth out and fade any that you already have. Perfect for pregnant bellies, it improves elasticity and makes your skin smooth and supple. The company claims that 97% of test subjects showed improved elasticity when using this lotion regularly.

Compared to some of the other creams we reviewed, the quantity that Palmer’s gives you is pretty impressive. In fact, the 8.5 ounce bottle is twice the amount as the small bottles some other brands give you! This is also one of the more reasonably priced options. If you’re looking for a stretch mark queen that packs a lot of value, give Palmer’s a try.

6. Bio-Oil Liquid Purcellin Oil (Link)

Bio-Oil is recommended by dermatologists and clinically proven to treat stretch marks and prevent the formation of new ones. It’s packed with a lot of vitamins and essential oils, including the ever important Vitamin E.

It also has Vitamin A and PurCellin oil to increase elasticity as well as a long list of plant extracts, including calendula, lavender, rosemary, and chamomile oils. These help calm and smooth the skin.

Bio-Oil is well known and has a great reputation. People who use it tend to love it so there’s a good chance you will, too.

7. Mommy Knows Best Stretch Mark Removal Vanishing Cream (Link)

During a clinical study, 100% of participants got results with Mommy Knows Best Stretch Mark Removal Vanishing Cream. In fact, you can even contact the company and ask for a copy of the full clinical trial. They even offer a money back guarantee.

This cream has a powerful blend of vitamins and essential oils to nourish your skin and help reduce and prevent stretch marks. Vitamin E, Retinol, jojoba, cocoa, shea, and mango butter are all included in the deep penetrating blend.

There is some debate about the ingredients because it contains retinol, which can be harmful to the baby if you use this while pregnant or breastfeeding. Consult with you doctor if you have questions about what you can and cannot use during your pregnancy. The good news is this cream can even fade stretch marks that are decades old so, even if you don’t feel comfortable using is during pregnancy or right after, it’s still worth looking into.

Further reading

While stretch mark creams are good for your belly, you might want to read up on the best ways to treat skin in general in our skincare archives. Our Korean cosmetics archives also recommend some unique Asian products to keep your skin looking its best.