Teach Soap

I am 5 months pregnant and so far am stretch mark free! I would love any tips on staying this way, or at least keeping them to a minimum! I have been using a lot of straight cocoa butter but want to make an actual lotion or butter, does any one have any tips or suggestions?

You could make an easy body butter with 1/3 butters 1/3 liquid oils and 1/3 wax of some sort (beeswax or candelila are good choices).

_________________
Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

I hate to be the Negative Nelly in this conversation but what I have ready is not encouraging.

I love Paula Begoun and her no nonsense approach to cosmetics. So I looked up her reviews of stretch mark lotions and she says that none of them work. Where the damage is happening is in the subcutaneous layer of the skin - and a topical lotion will have no effect on this layer. She has a fabulous article here http://www.cosmeticscop.com/learn/art.asp?ID=369

I've heard essentially the same thing - and I have to say that I have some stretch marks that I've tried everything on, with very little results. They're kind of subsurface scarring, really, not a problem with the surface of the skin.

Sorry to be a bummer.

If it were me, I'd still be using belly cream or butter even if supposedly they don't work - after all, just in case... =)

So, I'd make something with Tamanu Oil, Shea Butter () and Lavender and Carrot Seed Essential Oil . Kind of like a strange mash-up that won't smell so good but if it even saved 15% of stretch marks, it would be worth it. [/list]

_________________
Happy Soaping!

Anne-Marie
blog: www.soap-queen.blogspot.com
supplies: www.brambleberry.com

_________________
Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

AngelBella - I loved that story, thanks! I have still been using creams and lotions, just in case! (Lots of Cocoa Butter and Vitamin E Oil) I only have about 2 months left, so we shall see! Thanks again for the story!

Glad you liked the story.. It's sweet..

I was thinking the same thing.. Vitamin E mixed with Cocoa Butter. I think that's the best.. Jojoba is suppose to be the best oil for sinking into the skin..maybe mix some of that in with it..

good luck with everything..

Rhonda

I know this is WAY too late but it came up under a search for belly.

I am 8 months and have been using shealoe butter straight out of the jar when I remember. I have a few marks, but nothing major. I'm hoping it stays that way.

I am going to make a lotion bar tonight using this recipe, but subbing cocoa butter for the kokum and jojoba for the SAO.

2 oz bees wax
1 oz shea butter
1 oz kokum butter
2 oz SAO

_________________
Epona's Melting Pot
http://EponasMeltingPot.etsy.com

I ended up using a mix of Cocoa Butter, Shea Butter, Vitamin E Oil and maybe one other oil.... can't really remember, was a while ago. I got to the last 2 weeks with no marks at all... then they came... not too bad, but definitely there. She is 8 1/2 months old now though and they are really faint. She was also 1 week overdue and HUGE. 9lbs 2oz., 21 inches

I am not sure if the butter really helped or not, but if I did it over again I am sure I would still use it anyway!

I'm a testament to the goodness of cocoa butter...I used it for both my littlest kids, not a stretchmark to be found! And, I um...."ate for two" on the first one...I also have an older daughter...didn't believe in lotion back then and ooooops....it twas not pretty!

I think whether you get stretch marks or not depends on the elasticity of your skin. My grandmother had 8 children and does not have a single stretch mark on her body. I on the other hand got stretch marks when I was 6 months pregnant with my first and I slathered cocoa butter and lotion on my belly like crazy. I think it also might depend on the rate at which you gain weight. If you gradually gain weight you might have less marks and vice versa.

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

_________________
http://www.inarubathandbody.com

I heard the same thing. Depends on your skin type and also possibly comparable to what type of stretch marks your mother had...of course when I was actually pregnant I did not care. I just wanted to slather on anything that I heard would help... just in case!