Most pregnant women’s must-haves include a breastfeeding pillow, healthy snacks, prenatal supplements, and yes, stretch mark creams and oils. We’re here to help you with that last bit! So we’ve compiled the best anti stretch mark creams for every budget–starting at P174.75.
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Don’t forget this important part of your beauty regimen while you have a bun in the oven. It might just help make your stretch marks less visible.
What Causes Stretch Marks
Stretch marks are the long thin lines that pop up on your belly or arms, are a familiar sight for every mommy during the nine months stretch of their pregnancy.
These lines on the skin – which are also known as stria – usually appear when the skin experiences rapid stretching or shrinking. Some other common causes of stretch marks aside from pregnancy are weight gain, puberty, and as a side effect of bodybuilding.
Stretch marks can appear as red, pink, purple, or dark brown when they first appear on the skin. The way they appear is dependent on your skin color.
They can also appear to be slightly raised from the skin and feel itchy. Despite this, there is no need to fear, because stretch marks are not harmful to one’s health and actually commonly appears in 8 out of 10 pregnant women.
While some moms have learned to accept and embrace their stretch marks – even fondly calling them their “tiger stripes"; it could still be a source of discomfort and embarrassment for some and can affect their self-confidence.
And while stretch marks usually do not go away completely, their appearance can be minimized by treatment.
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How to Avoid Stretch Marks
The good news is there are stretch mark creams to help lessen the visibility of these tiger stripes. Based on research, a stretch mark cream should provide the following benefits:
Maintain a steady rate of pregnancy weight gain.
The main cause of stretch marks is that our skin cannot keep up with rapid weight gain and thins out in certain areas. For expectant moms, it is recommended that you discuss with your doctor to find a diet and exercise plan that can help you gain your pregnancy weight slowly and steadily.
Hydrate.
There is nothing like staying hydrated to keep your skin feeling soft! Maintaining skin that is soft and hydrated can greatly lessen the probability of stretch marks in the course of your pregnancy.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends pregnant women to drink 8 to 12 cups (64 to 96 ounces) of water per day.
Eat a Nutritious Diet.
While it’s well-known that having a nutritious diet during your pregnancy can greatly benefit both you and the baby, did you know that you can also add in some nutrients that can boost your skin health?
Some of the skin-boosting nutrients that you should definitely add to your diet include vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, zinc, and protein.
Act Early.
While we could do our best to prevent their appearance, stretch marks can still appear on our skin. In cases like this, it’s recommended to treat fresh stretch marks immediately to minimize their appearance and to alleviate itching.
There is a myriad of choices that could help in treating stretch marks. From using home remedies such as cocoa butter or olive oil to dermatological treatments.
A popular choice is to use stretch mark oil or cream on your tiger stripes. However, with the wide range of choices for stretch mark products, it could be a daunting task to choose one that suits your needs. But do not fret, because we’re here to help you choose the best stretch mark cream for you!
8 Top Anti Stretch Mark Creams for Any Budget
Top Anti Stretch Mark Creams
 | Mama's Choice : Stretch Mark Cream |  | View Details | Buy on Shopee |
 | Human Nature Sunflower Beauty Oil | | View Details | Buy now |
 | Biolane Stretchmarks Cream | | View Details | Buy now |
 | Palmers Massage Cream | | View Details | Buy now |
 | Bio-Oil | | View Details | Buy now |
 | Burt's Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter | | View Details | Buy now |
 | Mustela Stretch Marks Prevention Cream | | View Details | Buy now |
 | Clarins Body Partner Stretchmark Expert | | View Details | Buy now |
Mama’s Choice may be new to the market, but consider this stretch mark cream as your new best friend and a definite must-have! The brand promises #OneLessWorry in every Filipino Mamas pregnancy journey and rightfully so. This product is paraben-free and formulated safe specially for pregnant and breastfeeding moms.
What makes this cream so effective is their patented formula featuring the star ingredients: Aloe Vera and Lypobelle Soyaglycone. Aloe Vera effectively soothes dry and itchy skin, often caused by a growing belly or weight changes. On the other hand, Lypobelle Soyaglycone effectively hydrates and improves the skin’s collagen production.
Features we love
- Made of natural ingredients. Mama’s Choice Stretch Mark Cream is enriched with Aloe Vera, Lypobelle Soyaglicone, Jojoba Oil, and Olive Oil – each effectively moisturizing the skin and reducing the appearance of stretch marks.
- Light and non-sticky. Given all its moisturizing benefits, Mama’s Choice Stretch Mark Cream applies easily to the skin and is non-sticky! It absorbs fast and comes with a faint and pleasant aloe vera scent.
- Paraben-Free. This stretch mark cream is pregnancy-safe and is free of harmful chemicals, commonly found in other products, such as:
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- Paraben – which can cause premature birth and low birth weight
- Phthalates – which can disrupt the endocrine system
- Triclosan – which is toxic to the aquatic environment and can affect the human reproductive system
- Artificial Coloring – which can cause respiratory tract irritation and has a carcinogenic substance
- SLS – which can cause irritation of the soft tissues and skin
- Alcohol – which can cause irritation and redness on sensitive skin
Human Nature Sunflower Beauty Oil
Up first is a cult favorite with a legion of dedicated fans that swears by it, this is the Sunflower Beauty Oil from Human Nature.
While labeled as a beauty oil, this product promises to help prevent and diminish the appearance of stretch marks as one of its 25 benefits that can keep you beautiful from head to toe.
This beauty favorite can also be a new favorite for moms-to-be everywhere!
Features we love
- High-quality product: The Human Nature Sunflower Beauty Oil uses high-quality and 100% natural sunflower oil. It is also hypoallergenic, fragrance-free and dermatologist tested.
- Moisturizing and nourishing: This light and easily absorbed oil have vitamins A, D, and E to ensure that your skin is hydrated and nourished. Rub it into your skin after a shower or as part of your beauty routine to keep the moisture locked in.
- Ethically sourced: This product is certified to be vegan and cruelty-free.
Biolane Stretch Marks Cream
Made from argan oil – an ingredient that is popularly used in skincare products due to its amazing properties in hydrating and increasing the elasticity of the skin; Biolane Stretch Mark Cream is specially formulated to help prevent the appearance of stretch marks during pregnancy and up to three months after delivery.
Features we love
- Formulated for mothers: Biolane Stretch Mark Cream is made with natural ingredients and is formulated at the physiological pH to suit sensitive skin. It is also free from alcohol, soap, parabens, and other harmful materials. This cream is safe to use for pregnant and breastfeeding moms! You can use it from your second or third trimester up to three months after your delivery to help prevent the appearance of stretch marks. It’s also recommended to use it frequently – for example, after taking a bath to keep the skin nourished.
- Skin nourishing: The main ingredient for this cream is argan oil, which is well known for its skin-hydrating powers. It’s also boosted with hydra-line and vitamin E to fight off free radicals while keeping the skin moisturized.
Palmers Massage Cream
For mommies that are looking for a cream that can keep their skin moisturized for up to 48 hours. Palmers Massage Cream for Stretch Marks could be the perfect choice for you.
Made from a blend of cocoa butter, shea butter, argan oil, collagen, elastin, and lutein, this cream guarantees that your skin will be left feeling soft and supple.
Rub it into problem-prone areas such as your tummy, hips, thighs, and buttocks to prevent the appearance of stretch marks.
Features we love
- Safe ingredients: This cream is packed with cocoa butter, shea butter, argan oil, collagen, elastin, and lutein and is dermatologist tested to ensure that it’s safe to use for people with sensitive skin. It is also guaranteed to be free from parabens, phthalates, and mineral oil.
- Easy to use: The Palmers Massage Cream for Stretch Marks comes in an easy-to-use squeeze bottle so that you can easily apply this delicious smelling lotion to your skin. It’s recommended to apply it liberally at least twice a day on areas that are prone to stretch marks.
Bio-Oil
This list would not be complete without Bio-oil. This product is made with PurCellin Oil which ensures that your skin retains maximum absorption while keeping hydrated. This is further boosted with some vitamin E and A, as well as other plant oils.
Bio-oil was the first skin oil to be subjected to clinical trials on its efficacy and has since then won over 400 skincare awards as well as a lot of loyal users to its name.
Features we love
- Targets multiple skin problems: Aside from preventing the appearance of stretch marks, this product can also improve the appearance of scars, even your skin tone, nourish aging skin, and combat skin dryness. That’s a lot of uses for one product!
- Clinically tested: Bio-oil has been subjected to clinical trials and is well-recommended by doctors all over the world. This oil is safe to use for all skin types and an all-natural variant has also been released recently.
Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter
Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter is an organic product. It aims to keep your skin nourished while keeping you and your baby free from harmful ingredients. Made with a blend of shea, cocoa, and jojoba butter to ensure that your skin stays soft and free from stretch marks. You can soothe your skin with the goodness of natural ingredients with this amazing product!
Features we love
- Natural ingredients: A jar full of skin-nourishing ingredients such as shea, cocoa, and jojoba butter – you can slather on Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter with no worries during and after your pregnancy.
- Safe for mommy and baby: With a formula specially formulated with moms-to-be in mind, Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter is guaranteed to be free from phthalates, parabens, petrolatum, and SLS. It is also safe to use for all skin types! Moms can definitely use this cream to help prevent stretch marks from the early stages of your pregnancy up to when you’re nursing your bundle of joy.
Mustela Stretch Marks Prevention Cream
Mustela is another brand that has an expansive line of products for both mommy and baby. For their stretch mark prevention cream, they use a unique blend of natural ingredients: maracuja or passionfruit oil and avocado oil and peptides which have been patented by the company for use.
These three unique plant ingredients help the skin maintain its elasticity while maintaining the hydrolipidic barrier.
Apply these natural, all-good ingredients to help keep stretch marks at bay!
Features we love
- A unique blend of natural ingredients: The main ingredients of passionfruit and avocado oils as well as avocado peptides provide an amazing skin nourishing effect.
- Safe to use: Aside from being formulated with pregnant women in mind, this cream is formulated to be hypoallergenic and to be compatible with breastfeeding, ensuring that you can use this product safely even when your baby is already born.
- Eco-friendly: Mustela Stretch Mark Prevention Cream’s easy-to-use squeeze tube is actually recyclable! They also ensure that their active ingredients are sourced from sustainable supply chains.
Clarins Body Partner Stretch Mark Expert
The last product on our list is certainly not the least. Coming from a luxury skincare and cosmetics brand is Clarins Body Partner Stretch Mark Expert.
This lightweight and easy-to-absorb formula is specially formulated with plant-based ingredients. These are gentle on your skin but firmly prevent the appearance of stretch marks.
The gentle formula also ensures that it’s safe to use for all moms and moms-to-be. It’s also safe even for moms that have just recently given birth!
Features we love
- Lightweight texture: The light and gentle texture of Clarins Body Partner Stretch Mark Expert is easily absorbed into the skin. This formula doesn’t feel greasy or heavy on the skin.
- Gentle ingredients: This cream uses a blend of centella asiatica and organic green banana extracts to promote skin firmness and elasticity. An addition of hazelnut oil helps relieve the feeling of tightness on the skin. This formula targets stretch marks and give visible results.
