Before I even jump into this review, I want to make it very clear to you that stretch marks during pregnancy are primarily due to genetics, genetics, genetics!! If your sister, mom, or grandma had stretch marks, then it’s more likely that you will also get stretch marks and you know what? That’s OKAY!
No woman should ever be shamed or feel embarrassed about stretch marks. It happens and HELLO you grew and formed an entire human being in your belly for 40 weeks. Wear your stretch marks proudly because pregnancy is NO joke! I mean have you seen my last YouTube video? I have not been loving pregnancy…
That being said there are a few things you can do to maybe prevent stretch marks from forming! We do know that as the skin around your belly (and even your boobs) starts to stretch and grow this can lead to the development of stretch marks.
The number one thing we can do to prevent stretch marks in this case is to hydrate and nourish our skin! Always remember to drink enough water throughout your pregnancy (I struggle with this one too, so I need to take my own advice!) and use oils/lotions to hydrate and nourish your skin. I recommend checking with your doctor or midwife before using any products because you want to make sure you’re using ones that are safe during pregnancy. I recently talked about this on my Instagram and found out lots of women were using Bio-Oil Skin Oil which actually contains Retinol!! Retinol is actually not safe to use during pregnancy. So please always verify with your provider before using any products!
When it comes to my review, I tried three different brands:
Here’s my super honest review of the 3 oils that I’ve tried so far. Definitely let me know if there are any other brands I should try!
- L’occitane Almond Smoothing Body Oil:
- Not going to lie I was most excited to try this body oil because it’s almond oil! There was a very small study done on the use of almond oil and the prevention of stretch marks, and even though the study was small, it still demonstrated some promising info! So I always recommend almond oil to my patients since we do have a study to say that it may help! But OMG…this oil is hands down my favorite. It just feels so luxurious. And the smell?! I’m immediately transported to a spa and feel so relaxed. Since I started using it (it’s been almost 3 weeks now), I’ve actually gotten more restful sleep, and I get so excited for those 15-minute belly rubs in the morning and evenings. I even have my husband give me a foot/leg massage (swollen feet…anyone else?) at night and it’s amazing. The downside is that this bottle is pretty pricey. But honestly, I think it’s worth every penny and I think I’ll keep using it even after the baby is here!
- Here’s the link to the study of almond oil and belly massaging during pregnancy: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22594386/
- Nemah Nourishing Belly Oil:
- If you haven’t heard of this brand, it’s actually created by Mary Lawless. She’s a huge social media influencer but was actually an ICU nurse before switching to social media full-time. I’ve been following her for years, and I was so excited to see her come out with these products and support another woman and small business. I purchased the oil and her stretch mark cream and have only used the oil so far. And honestly, I love it too! I will say that the L’occitane smells better, but this scent is still really good! It’s got hints of blood orange and lavender (along with a lot of great other scents/ingredients). So you still get that smooth, relaxing feeling! If you don’t wanna spend the hefty $52 of L’occitane, this one is slightly more reasonable at $44 and I was able to find a code for 10% off with a first-time purchase! As I mentioned before, I love supporting a small business.
- Summer Fridays Babymoon Belly Balm:
- While I typically LOVE all things Summer Fridays, it actually hurts my heart a little to say this but….I don’t really like this product. I’m to the point of likely going back to Sephora to return it. The smell and consistency is the biggest issue with me. It smells like sunscreen and it lingers throughout the day. Don’t get me wrong, the smell of sunscreen typically doesn’t bother me during a pool day, but I definitely don’t wanna smell like it allll day. Especially when it clashes with my perfume etc. Also, keep in mind that this is a balm, not an oil…so it’s definitely a lot thicker. I think it takes more time for it to be absorbed by the skin and it feels sticky after. So, unfortunately, this one just didn’t work out for me. But otherwise, I love all the other products I’ve tried from Summer Fridays! Their Jet Lag Mask is a staple in my skincare!
What other belly oils/balms/lotions have you tried?! What did you like? Please let me know and let’s keep this conversation going!
