To compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best products on the market in this category, evaluating their key features-like ingredients, shade range, or design-in addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources. “Topical products or superficial exfoliation don’t have deep or strong enough effects to remodel ruptured collagen and elastin, but they may offer a mild improvement in appearance,” she says. King, stretch mark creams may show some improvements in old stretch marks, but you can expect any results to be on the subtle side.
Main Ingredient: Cocoa seed butter | Application Area: Stomach, hips, thighs, buttocks | Free of: Mineral oil, parabens, phthalates, dyes | Size: 4.4 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: NoĪccording to Dr. And at such a wallet-friendly price, you can slather it on with reckless abandon without having to worry about breaking the bank.
Together, this combo helps increase elasticity in your skin to help ward off new stretch marks (whether or not you're pregnant).
This brand has a large following thanks to its variety of cocoa butter-based lotions, and Mariwalla calls this one the “OG of stretch mark creams.” Ideal for your stomach, hips, thighs, and bust, Palmer's signature formula works to treat stretch marks courtesy of a potent, velvety blend of argan oil, almond oil, pure cocoa butter, vitamin E, shea butter, and bio c-elaste (which is a combination of collagen, elastin, and Centella Asiatica). What do buyers say? 87% of 6,300+ Amazon reviewers rated this product 4 stars or above. Who else recommends it? Healthline also picked Palmer's Cocoa Butter Massage Lotion. If that’s the case for you, check out the best stretch mark creams on the market. The bottom line: Stretch marks are normal, and you don’t need to feel pressure to cover them up or change them at all. That being said, it's just as acceptable to feel like you want to try and do something about them. Look on the packaging for skin-nourishing ingredients like shea butter and coconut oil, which are good options for preventing stretch marks from occurring in the first place or getting worse, as Mariwalla points out. Moisturizers and balms with vitamin A-also known as retinoids-can speed up the fading of stretch marks. That said, over-the-counter creams with certain ingredients like hyaluronic acid can keep the skin well-hydrated and help it remain more elastic. Dermatologists unanimously agree that in-office treatments like lasers and light devices are the best solution. The big caveat to treating stretch marks is that there’s no magical lotion or potion that will erase them.
Another budget-friendly option is the Burt's Bees Mama Belly Butter with Shea Butter and Vitamin E, boasting 99% natural ingredients. A true classic, Palmer's Cocoa Butter Massage Lotion for Stretch Marks is the clear winner for its skin-loving formula and reasonable price point.