Keeping Stretch Marks At Bay

I had a question recently from someone who wanted to know my thoughts on keeping pregnancy stretchmarks at bay. Because I truly believe that a large part of it is genetics, I have my Mom to thank for my luck so far (as I knock on wood ... we still have approximately seven weeks left!). But, always one to overprepare, I have also built up an arsenal of products that I rotate through in order to keep my skin moisturized and healthy.

I've always been a big fan of using oils in the winter months for moisturizing, and I just felt with this pregnancy that I wanted to fully go the oil route for the skin on and around my belly as it grew and stretched to make room for Baby Girl. Here are the four oils that I've been rotating, and a few notes on each.

Bath Junkie Olive-Me Body Oil

This oil spreads so well and is definitely the easiest with the pump! As you can see, I've flown through this one. Once it's done, I'm going to reuse the bottle for one of the other oils due to the convenience of the pump. Bath Junkie is a very small franchise and they have a few locations in Texas, Arkansas, and North Carolina (locations). You can also order online! I went to the location in Asheville -- it's in the Grove Arcade. The Olive-Me line is paraben free and there are TONS of different combos you can put together for your own customized scent. I went with pink grapefruit with a touch of vanilla added in, and it's heavenly. The bottles are $19.25, so not the cheapest, but it is my favorite oil to use. 

Palmer's Moisturizing Body Oil

You can find this one at just about any drugstore. I love the cocoa butter scent -- but whoa nelly it comes out of the bottle quickly. Drugstore.com has it on sale for $4.39 currently (here).

The Body Shop Sweet Lemon Beautifying Oil

I feel like this oil is the lightest of the bunch, but the smell is delicious. Plus, it was on major sale in my store. They are normally $14, and the Sweet Lemon scent I chose was on sale for less than $5. They do have a ton of other available scents like their signature satsuma scent (love it) and another scent of theirs I love, pink grapefruit. The oils are all here if you are interested, and I saw today they are offering free shipping with any purchase.

Belli Elasticity Belly Oil

This was a recommendation from two girlfriends, and I've seen it at a lot of our nicer maternity stores. I found mine on eBay and you can also purchase from Amazon (here). It's going to be the most expensive of the bunch ($30-40 depending on where you buy it) but I use it sparingly and as more of a luxurious treat. Because of the lavender smell, it's my favorite oil to use at night before bed. I just feel like it's really calming, and Ian loves the smell of it too.

Remember that when it comes to moisturizing to prevent stretch marks, you don't just want to focus on the tummy -- there are a lot of other expanding areas too :) Your chest, your hips, your buns, your thighs -- all good places to keep nice and oiled up! I use my oils twice a day; in the morning -- right out of the shower -- and also at night before getting into bed.

I'd love to hear about your favorite moisturizers and what you use to keep your skin healthy!