Let’s talk about stretch marks. They certainly are not harmful or painful, but they sure can make us self-conscious. Would you believe that 80% of people have stretch marks? That’s women, men, and kids. Even though most of the population gets them, we still we can get so sensitive about their appearance, and we worry that others will judge us if they sneak a peek of them on our bodies.
Pregnant women are quite susceptible, especially in the third trimester. It’s disappointing, but no matter how much lotion or oil we slather on our skin, whether or not we get stretch marks during pregnancy is usually a matter of genetics. Here's the good news: after pregnancy these marks should fade.
Stretch marks usually start as a dark red or brown color… but eventually, when skin is no longer stretched tightly, they can fade to a silvery, pink, or pale appearance.
While we cannot make them disappear entirely once they begin to fade, we can help reduce their appearance with topical treatment. The best solution is to keep your skin supple and moisturized at all times. (If pregnant, this means massaging the skin with a healing balm before stretch marks appear... and continue as you lose pregnancy weight.)
We’ve devised a DIY stretch mark balm that will help your skin’s elasticity and texture by moisturizing and nourishing it. It’s helped us be prouder of the skin we live in, and we hope you like it!
Stretch Mark Soothing Balm
Ingredients:
- 1/2 c raw, unrefined Shea Butter (A mix of 1/4 c Shea Butter and 1/4 c Coconut Butter, works great if you prefer)
- 1/4 c Coconut Oil
- 20 drops Vitamin E Oil
- 10 drops Frankincense Essential Oil
- 10 drops Lavender Essential Oil
- 10 drops Rosehip Seed Oil
Instructions:
- Either in a double boiler, or in a heat-safe glass container you’ve placed in a shallow pan of water, melt the Shea Butter (or Shea/Coconut combo) and Coconut Oil over low heat.
- Once melted, CAREFULLY remove the insert of the double boiler or the glass container and stir occasionally as the mixture returns to room temp. If your kitchen is cold, don’t allow the mixture to become rock solid, or the next step will be impossible!
- Add the Vitamin E Oil, the Essential Oils, and the Rosehip Seed oil. Stir well.
- Let everything get solid.
- Bonus step: once everything is solid, you can use an electric whisk or mixer to whip up the stretch cream balm to make it creamy. This isn’t necessary, but we love how it feels!
- Store in a glass jar in a cool dry place. If the mixture gets too warm, it’ll melt. Don’t worry about it, though — you can always stick the container in the fridge and whip it up again!
Slather on this balm and massage into your skin often, especially after exfoliating in the shower or bath. Consistency is key.
Let us know how you like it!
* If you have any DIY body butters, balms, or elixirs you'd like us to test and feature as recipes, please let us know! We're always cooking up something new.