As women, there are so many things we think about when we get pregnant: the health of the pregnancy, the gender of the baby, the baby registry, a baby shower, the nursery, breast feeding, finding a pediatrician, stretch marks, weight gain, and a million other things. I think a common topic pregnant women wonder about and have some anxiety around is stretch marks. I know I did. It is an easy thing to research early on in pregnancy before you have to get into some more of the nitty gritty with actually birthing and raising a baby. I asked girlfriends and did research online for the best belly oil for pregnancy. I have tried multiple and definitely come to find my most favorites that I LOVE so I wanted to share them with y’all.
Will you get stretch marks? I’ve read that it is estimated that women develop stretch marks in 9 out of 10 pregnancies. Chances are that the majority of us will. My next questions was, what determines stretch marks? It is largely genetic so a lot of it is out of our control. Stretch marks also come on due to the weight gain of pregnancy so this is another reason why it’s great to keep in line with the weight gain recommendations of your doctor. Pregnancy stretch marks are pretty inevitable but we can do some things to try to combat them, i.e. maintaining healthy weight gain and finding a wonderful belly oil or butter. P.S. Stretch marks aren’t anything to be ashamed of. They are proof that you are one strong mother who brought a new life into this world!
Best Belly Oil For Pregnancy
When looking for a pregnancy oil or stretch mark cream, it’s important to find a hypoallergenic option (especially if you have sensitive skin) that soothes and hydrates the skin. Hydration is KEY! Hydration helps skin keep up with the massive transition it’s going through with your growing belly and helps with improving skin elasticity. For more on this from people who are definitely more experts on the topic (I am not!), you might enjoy this article on how to use essential oils safely during pregnancy, this article on how to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy, and this article on what works and doesn’t work with stretch mark creams. Time to dive into what I think is the best belly oil for pregnancy.
Earth Mama Belly Butter and Belly Oil
Of all the belly products I’ve tried, the Earth Mama Belly Butter and Belly Oil combo is my absolute favorite (along with the Kate McLeod Mama Stone – next on the list). I am a huge lotion person so I adore the belly butter and truly look forward to putting it on after the shower and before bed/in the morning (I usually do one or the other). I understand that you might want to steer clear of fragrant products while pregnant but I am telling you, this belly butter smells divine! It is subtle and smells like a creamsicle. I love it so much that I wish it smelled more, ha! I use both the Earth Mama Belly Butter and Belly Oil and layer them on top of each other.
You can definitely use either or if you prefer one product type over the other but I think the combo is especially luxurious and smoothing. I also love these Earth Mama products because I know they aren’t causing me any harm. They are organic, non-toxic, and use NO petroleum, mineral oil, parabens, or artificial fragrance. The two belly products use organic herbs and oils traditionally used to help ease the appearance of emerging stretch marks and to encourage skin’s natural elasticity. The natural ingredients are wonderful for all skin types! You can scoop up the super affordable belly butter (about $15) on Amazon or Thrive Market and the also super affordable belly oil (about $10) on Amazon and Thrive Market.
Kate McLeod Mama Stone
In addition to the Earth Mama Belly Butter and Belly Oil, the Kate McLeod Mama Stone is my other absolute favorite belly product. My bestie, Nora, sent it to me and I was instantly obsessed. I alternate between the Earth Mama products and this Mama Stone. Either way, these products are the best part of my beauty routine! You might be wondering what exactly a ‘mama stone’ is as it’s clearly not a tradition butter, lotion, or oil. Here’s the scoop: the Mama Stone is an all-purpose pre/post natal moisturizer in the shape of a stone that melts on contact when applied to dry skin (I LOVE to apply it after a warm shower as it truly melts right onto my skin).
The stone is a made-from-scratch revolution against plastics, pumps, and chemicals… woohoo! You can use it for multiple purposes including to soothe blossoming bellies, aid perineal massages, and calm nibbled-on nipples. I also love this belly product because, like the Earth Mama products, I know that it is safe for my baby and me (don’t forget that our skin is our largest organ!). It is 100% plant-based, medicinal-grade with no essential oils, vegan friendly, and hypoallergenic. The main ingredients of this highly concentrated nourishment stone are cocoa butter, sweet almond oil, apricot kernel oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil. Moisturizing your skin has never been so luxurious!
I should note that it doesn’t bother me but this stone is a bit greasy so you’ll want to let it absorb before slipping right into your clothes. You can scoop up the Kate McLeon Mama Stone for $45 at Saks or Maisonette as well as stone refills for $38 at Saks.
Hatch Mama Belly Oil
Of all the belly oils and butters I tried and researched, the Hatch Mama Belly Oil definitely looks the prettiest on a vanity. I love the sleek, streamlined bottle and branding. Also, I really liked this belly oil for exactly what it is: a belly oil. I found the Hatch Mama Belly Oil to be effective and nourishing but nothing revolutionary. I definitely wouldn’t not recommend it, I just found other products I personally like more. It is a true oil so it is slippery when you use it out of the bottle but I will praise it for drying and absorbing quickly into the skin (aka it isn’t very greasy!)!
Other reasons to love this belly oil: it is made from plant extracts, is vegan, is fragrance free and also free of parabens, phthalates, and dyes. All of which are wins for mamas and growing bellies. I do think that the Hatch Mama Belly Oil Mini Me is brilliant because the roll-on packaging is perfect for travel and being on the go. I’d recommend it more than the large bottle. Scoop up the Hatch Mama Belly Oil for $58 from Hatch and Belly Oil Mini Me for $34 from Hatch. I also have the Hatch Mama Down, Girl Soothing Leg + Foot Relief and the Hatch Mama Nipple + Lip Balm and like both products… they are both soothing, which is something I appreciate while pregnant.
Rebecca’s Herbal Apothecary Belly Butter
My same best girlfriend who sent me the Kate McLeod Mama Stone turned me on to Rebecca’s Herbal Apothecary products. It is a Boulder, CO based business so, just from hearing that, I knew I wouldn’t have to worry about the safety of any of the ingredients. Spoiler alert: I was right! Rebecca’s Herbal Apothecary Belly Butter is formulated to reduce and prevent stretch marks while it softens and nourishes the skin. I will say that the word ‘butter’ in the product name should not be glossed over. This product is delicious and feels divine on skin but it is very greasy.
I recommend putting this belly butter on and then putting on an old shirt you don’t care about because it will bleed right into your clothes. Don’t let that deter you though, it is a wonderful product that is safe enough for your newborn baby too. The belly butter uses 100% organic ingredients and is very nutrient rich thanks to the organic raw shea butter, organic extra virgin olive oil, and organic refined cocoa butter as well as the super soothing ingredients like organic chamomile, organic lavender, and organic rose geranium essential oil. Scoop up Rebecca’s Herbal Apothecary Belly Butter for $15 from the Rebecca’s Herbal Apothecary site. P.S. She has other pregnancy products like nipple salve too.
Beneath Your Mask Heal Whipped Skin Soufflé
The Beneath Your Mask Heal Whipped Skin Soufflé isn’t technically a pregnancy cream but it is so effective that it can work as one. It is best described as a luxuriously nourishing whipped body cream. Its formulation allows it to hydrate and reduce the appearance of stretch marks. Why does it work as a belly cream? It is deeply hydrating thanks to its shea butter, sweet almond oil, and avocado oil! This skin soufflé won the highly coveted Allure Best of Beauty award last year so you know it’s fantastic! I second how wonderful this product is both for pregnancy or not! Note: this product has been selling out like crazy! It is packaged in California, which is causing delays due to Covid but you can set a notification for when it is available and scoop it up at Credo.
More Highly Recommended Belly Oils for Pregnancy
How many belly oils, butters, lotions, and creams does one person need? I’ve tried the above ones but the list goes on. I’m in my third trimester and really in the grove with the Earth Mama butter and oil as well as the Kate McLeon Mama Stone but I am still curious and have really enjoyed testing out different pregnancy belly products. So, I still might give one of two of the following a try. These six belly products have come HIGHLY recommended to me and I’ve read a ton about them online too to find rave reviews. Have any of you tried them? I’d love to hear if you think I absolutely must give one of these a go!
Belli Elasticity Belly Oil // Mustela Stretch Mark Prevention Cream
Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter // Pipette Belly Oil
Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Tummy Butter // Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Massage Lotion
I hope this post gave you some insight into the best belly oil for pregnancy. What I love might not be your favorite and vice versa but this post should hopefully give you a place to start and some ideas for what to try and look for in a pregnancy oil or butter.
Photography by Edwin Eversole
