Anti Stretch Mark Creams Review: Derma Mum, Burts Bees Belly Butter, Melvita Stretch Mark PRevention & Neals Yard Mothers Balm

Aloha! Hopefully you won’t mind the mosts about pregnancy related things – I’ve found out quite a lot over the last few months and it may be useful for mums to be and also, a lot of the skincare and vitamins aren’t just for pregnant women!

I’ve used a number of body oils, balms and creams over the months! I thought I’d get a lot of stretch marks as my mother and aunts all got it during pregnancy but so far none to report.

To start off I am going to review the creams and balms I’ve been trying – all pretty good brands and whilst they aren’t the cheapest I’ve really liked using them over standard body butters which are too fragranced for my liking. 

Here they are!

1. Derma Mum Superior Moisturising Stretch Mark Cream

2. Neals Yard Mothers Balm

3. Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter

4. Melvita Stretch Mark Prevention Cream 

I am lazy when it comes to moisturising, but pregnancy does bring out the dry and sensitive in my skin.  I am paranoid about stretch marks – I have been using oils a lot especially after the shower as it’s easier to do and remember then applying something in the morning before work (when I’m dashing out the door!). 

1) Derma Mum has a medicinal looking quality to the brand – they have quite a big range though of cream, oils, roll ons, body get etc. and all pretty good value for the amount you get.  This tub reminds me of Aqueous cream, no!?

They say:

Combining nature’s richest and most nurturing oils, Rose Hip, Evening Primrose, Borage and Wheat Germ with Shea and Cocoa butters, it helps leave skin fully nourished, more supple and ready to expand comfortably.  

This cream is really rich, thick and creamy. It does remind me of aqueous cream bit! It’s one that you want to use if you have very dry skin and also if you are ok with something that takes a little while to sink in.  

I quite enjoyed using this product, it’s very plain and simple and no fuss for people with sensitive skin.

Once again though, because of it’s tendency to sit on the skin (which nearly all these belly butter type things do) I would say less it more and it does take a while to sink in.

At 500ml for £11.99 (from Keep me Inspired) it’s good value, and will really last that’s for sure and a good all over body moisturiser! 

2) Neals Yard Mothers Balm is one that I read about on Bubblegarm’s blog. It’s pretty expensive – I paid £19.25 for it (ouch) and you only get 120g. 

They say:

A fragrance-free moisturising blend, rich in essential fatty acids, to help maintain the skin’s elasticity, prevent stretch marks and soothe the discomfort that can accompany expanding skin. 

This balm is a super rich thick balm which comes apart quite easily if you apply some heat to it.  Then you just need a bit. It sits on the surface of your skin no matter how much you try and rub it in, it will not disappear completely! I will almost definitely end up a bit on your clothes. 

One you get used to the sticky, it’s actually really nice belly balm and I do have a huge soft spot for it!  Whilst it is on my skin I feel like it is constantly hydrating and the fact it has a high oil content means I feel like it is really penetrating the skin.  To me, it has a light orangey smell:

Although it’s expensive and not for everyone (oily) I really really like it!  I mixed this up with other stuff otherwise I imagine it’d cost a small fortune to keep using this throughout the pregnancy.

You can buy it here.

3) Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter

Another one of my favourite pregnancy brands is Mama Bee from Burt’s Bees.  The Belly Butter:

They say:

The Burt’s Bee Mama Bee Belly Butter is specially formulated with Cocoa Butter and Vitamin E to aid the skin in retaining moisture and elasticity during your nine month stretch. Keeping your skin healthy during pregnancy means more comfort now and helps belly bounce back into shape later. Phthalate- and paraben-free.

This Belly Butter is lovely and is one that I would use in the day in that it sinks in quickly without leaving greasy marks everywhere. 

It has a slightly oily light cream texture – it’s got the nice balance between being rich but sinking in well at the same time.

This is a reasonable £13.99 for 181ml.

4. Melvita Stretch Mark Prevention Cream – 150ml for £20

One of the lightest textured creams of the bunch is the Melvita Stretch Mark Prevention Cream. 

They say:

This regenerating treatment has been formulated with the needs of mums and mums to be in mind. This cream combines the restructuring qualities of Sea Buckthorn, Rosehip, Baobab and Inca Inchi oils with the repairing and firming properties of Thyme Honey, Centella, Mamaku fern and Chlorella.

This is one of the first belly creams I used! It has (to me) a slightly nutty scent to it!  Anyway – this is a nice cream-lotion which feels very comfortable on the skin. It sinks in quite easily, although one thing I didn’t like is how it was slightly tacky once dried. 

For example, if I apply it before bed at night, in the morning, there’s a slightly stick residue on my belly! On one hand that keeps my skin feeling really hydrated and soft, on the other hand, it an be annoying if you’re putting on say a shirt that clings a bit. 

Now – it’s important to remember that as I still have 8 weeks to go I may still get stretch marks as the little on puts on weight! I hope not but I will report back afterwards.  So far so good though.

Also no cream can help if you are prone to getting stretch marks, there is no miracle cure but at least these products help with the uncomfortableness of the stretching and hopefully, will help the skin spring back a bit. 

Verdicts!

Best Texture: Neals Yard Mother’s Balm

Best Absorption: Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter

Best Value for Money: Derma Mum 

Best Long Lasting Hydration: Melvita

A lot of it is about texture, so it depends what kind of moisturiser you like – oily, creamy, lotion-y, etc as they are all decent creams!

If you have had a baby, what did you use to prevent stretch marks?