DIY Stretch Mark Cream

Some women are blessed to not get stretch marks during pregnancy. I end up with more stripes than a barber pole. Here are three recipes for DIY Stretch Mark Cream!

What are Stretch Marks?

Stretch marks are the result of a breakdown of your underlying skin fibers as they are put under the strain of rapid skin expansion. They typically start our red or purple and fade to more of your skin tone or a silvery color.

Stretch marks can happen not just on your stomach. It’s not unusual to have them on breasts, thighs, arms, etc.

Stretch marks can appear not just during pregnancy. If you’ve gained or lost a significant amount of weight rapidly you may also have stretch marks show up.

Can I avoid stretch marks in pregnancy?

Stretch marks are something that are genetic. If your mom or sisters got them during pregnancy you are more likely to also develop them. On the flip side, I worked with a gal who had ten kids and never once got a stretch mark while her mother did. So who knows, maybe you’ll win the genetic lottery and avoid them!

While you can’t necessarily prevent them from happening altogether, you can help to lessen their effect and speed along your skin’s recovery. They don’t typically disappear completely but their appearance will fade over time and with some help.

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Essential Oils and Pregnancy

Essential oils can be very powerful and should always be treated with respect. There are some oils that are considered downright dangerous during pregnancy. There are a few that are typically deemed safe for pregnancy and also have the benefit of being good for your skin.

The recipes below include lavender, chamomile, and sweet orange (mandarin also works) essential oils. These three are typically deemed safe to use during pregnancy. Still, it’s important to know your own sensitivities and do a small spot test and check your skin’s reaction before you slather it all over your belly.

It’s also important to use a 1% dilution rate when including essential oils in topical applications for pregnancy. That means that per teaspoon of carrier oil (the main moisturizing oil you are using) all you need is a single drop of essential oil.

If you have any hesitation about using them, the recipes work well even with out them.

Ingredients for DIY Stretch Mark Cream

There are dozens of oils and butters you can combine to make your own recipes. Here’s a little more info on the oils and butters these recipes include:

Almond Oil

Almond oil has a high fatty acid content which will easily penetrate the skin and is good for all skin types. Some substitutes are apricot, sunflower, and soybean oil.

Olive Oil

Olive oil is a heavier oil that is best for body care, not used on the face. Make sure you use extra-virgin olive oil for best results. It has great softening qualities for your skin. It has a stronger scent than a lot of the other oils suggested here but it tends to be masked when combined with the essential oils.

Cocoa Butter

Highly moisturizing, cocoa butter is solid at room temperature but will begin to melt when applied to your skin. It can be whipped or left as more of a balm. The unrefined version smells heavenly of chocolate while a refined butter will not have the scent.

Wheat Germ Oil

This stuff is packed with protein, fatty acids, vitamin B (used in anti-aging serums) and vitamin E. It spoils quickly unfortunately so store in the fridge after use.

Sesame Seed Oil

This oil is high in vitamin A which helps for cell regeneration. It is also high in vitamin E which moisturizes the skin and helps with blood circulation.

Apricot Kernel Oil

This oil is similar to almond oil and is very lightweight. It has tightening abilities/is slightly astringent to help help draw skin cells together. If you need to substitute consider almond, hazelnut, or soybean oils.

Vitamin E Oil

Vitamin E helps to act as a preservative for other oils so it’s a good idea to always add a few drops into your recipe. It also helps to prevent the formation of scar tissue and will lessen the appearance of stretch marks.

Beeswax

Often used in natural skin care, beeswax helps to stabilize a product while also providing antibacterial properties and a barrier that helps to lock in the moisture of the oils it is paired with.

DIY Stretch Mark Creams

I know not everyone has a cupboard stocked with creams and oils like I have. With that in mind, I have three recipe options starting from what is technically just an oil, all the way to a whipped fancy butter.

Feel free to experiment with different oil combinations. If you decide to play around with essential oils please do research on what is safe for pregnancy/breastfeeding and keep that dilution to 1%.

All these recipes were adapted from the sources listed at the end of the post.

Easy DIY Stretch Mark Oil

For this recipe you will need:

• 4 Tbsp Almond Oil
• 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 15 drops Lavender essential oil

Combine all the ingredients in a dropper bottle or roller bottle. Shake well before applying to your stretch marks.

Basic Stretch Mark Cream

This recipe gets a little fancier with ingredients but not much!

• 3-4 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (sesame also works well)
• 1 Tablespoon Beeswax
• 8 drops Chamomile Essential Oil
• 1 Tsp Vitamin E Oil

In a double boiler, combine the olive oil and beeswax. If you want a firmer balm consistency use less olive oil. For more of a salve consistency use more.

After the oil and beeswax have melted, stir in the chamomile and vitamin e oils.

Pour into a heatproof container (glass mason jar, tin, etc.) and allow to cool completely before capping.

Whipped Stretch Mark Cream Recipe

Here is the fanciest of our stretch mark creams! Quite a few ingredients but still simple to make.

• 1/4 Cup Cocoa Butter
• 1 Tablespoon Wheat Germ Oil
• 1 teaspoon sesame seed oil
• 1 teaspoon apricot kernel oil
• 1 teaspoon vitamin E oil
• 1 teaspoons beeswax
• 10 drops mandarin essential oil

Combine all the ingredients except the vitamin E oil and the essential oil in a double boiler. Boil until the beeswax and cocoa butter are melted completely.

Remove from the heat and stir in the vitamin E oil and essential oil.

Allow to cool slightly, so that when you scrap the sides of the bowl it is becoming solid. Using a whisk or a hand mixer, whip the ingredients until they are fluffy and light. Store in whatever container you like.

Or if you don’t want it whipped, you can skip the whipping part and pour it into a storage container (heatproof) and allow to cool before capping.

Applying the Oils and Butters

I recommend putting these on 1-2 times a day. I always use the belly butter right before bed. I also recommend sitting around topless for a while if you can to allow the oils to soak into your skin thoroughly before putting on your shirt or pajamas. Or you can do the SUPER attractive tactic I use which is to tuck my pajama shirt up under my boobs and let my belly sit out in the breeze. Yes, my husband still says he loves me.

Loving these natural recipes? Put those oils to good use with a DIY Natural Leather Protector or whip up a paw balm for your pup!

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Sources

Aromatherapy and Massage for Mother and Baby by Allison England

Natural Beauty at Home by Janice Cox

Organic Body Care Recipes by Stephanie Tourles