The Best Stretch Mark Creams for Pregnancy, Postpartum, and Beyond

Key ingredients: coconut oil, sweet almond oil, shea butter, vitamin E | Fragrance-free: yes, but also available in Bergamot and Lavender & Mint

Best Stretch Mark Oil: Hatch Belly Oil

Why it's worth it: Sure, Hatch's Belly Oil is a little pricier than most belly oils, but this nourishing formula is worth every penny for its moisturizing blend of pregnancy-safe ingredients like calendula extract and sweet almond oil, to name a few. This pink-tinted oil also features grapefruit oil, which is rich in antioxidants and provides an uplifting, citrusy scent. Though it's an oil, it dries down faster than most lightweight lotions, so you'll be grease-free and ready to put on your most bump-hugging top seconds after applying.

Tester feedback: Shipin says this oil has been a body-care staple for both of her pregnancies. "The ritual of pulling the glass dropper out of the pink bottle was something I looked forward to every morning and night, and thanks to the natural fragrance, the whole thing was always a lovely sensorial experience. (When you're growing a human, you're especially deserving of little luxurious moments!)," she says. "I'm a sucker for calendula—I reach for products with this ingredient for my toddler's rashes—and almond oil, but what sets this product apart is the zesty-yet-subtle grapefruit oil. Plus, it's a giftable item that your preggo friends will use 'til the last drop."

Key ingredients: calendula extract, sweet almond oil, jojoba seed oil, argan oil, grapefruit oil | Fragrance-free: no

Best Stretch Mark Lotion: Mustela Organic Maternity Essential Care Multi-Purpose Lotion

Why It's Worth It: If you have sensitive skin that's prone to redness or irritation flare-ups, keep your belly bump routine stripped down to the basics with Mustela's Maternity Essential Care Multi-Purpose Lotion. Gentle and non-irritating on your delicate skin, this unscented formula is rich in hydrating humectants and emollients (hey, glycerin and sunflower seed oil) that leave your skin feeling velvety smooth. This formula also contains aloe vera for added skin-soothing properties.

Tester feedback: “This lotion is truly my—and my belly's—happy place. As someone with eczema all over (I've had flare-ups across my belly during both pregnancies!), I can't tell you how many times I fought the urge to scratch, wash, and towel off too-thick butter and heavy oils that itched and irritated me—but all I ever want to do with this lotion is to slather it from head to toe,” Shipin says. The silky formula spreads easily and doesn't suffocate sensitive skin—plus, it's fragrance-free, something Shipin finds important throughout the postpartum period ("Not just for my skin, but so I don't irritate the baby's!"). "I love that Mustela is clear that this product is not a miracle worker and that stretch marks are often caused by genetics. Even still, I felt like this lotion left my skin as elastic as my waistbands in the third trimester, which is extremely helpful in stretch mark prevention!"

Key ingredients: glycerin, sunflower seed oil, capric triglyceride, aloe vera leaf juice powder | Fragrance-free: yes

More stretch mark creams we love:

Best Stretch Mark Balm: Summer Fridays Babymoon Belly Balm

• Why it's worth it: For more intensive conditioning, we recommend a denser formula like the Summer Fridays Babymoon Belly Balm. You'll find that a softening blend of antioxidant vitamin E and oils derived from avocado, calendula, and sunflower seed is the key to improved elasticity. This rich balm may need a moment to fully absorb, but once it does, your bump will feel oh-so-smooth.
• Key ingredients: vitamin E, calendula oil, avocado oil, sunflower seed oil | Fragrance-free: no (there's naturally derived fragrance from calendula oil)

Best Scented Body Oil for Stretch Marks: L'Occitane Almond Smoothing and Beautifying Supple Skin Oil

• Why it's worth it: If you can't resist a product with an alluring scent, you'll love L'Occitane's Almond Smoothing and Beautifying Supple Skin Oil. Crafted with 50% almond oil, this cookie-scented treatment contains all kinds of skin-nourishing vitamins, including D and E, says Elaine Kung, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. For best results, Dr. Kung says it's important to massage almond oil–infused products into the skin. The pump emits a fine mist that spreads easily without making your skin feel overly saturated.
• Key ingredients: sweet almond oil, sea buckthorn oil, rosehip oil, carrot seed oil | Fragrance-free: no

Best Hydrating Stretch Mark Serum: SkinCeuticals Hyaluronic Acid Intensifier

• Why it's worth it: While this Hyaluronic Acid Intensifier is pricey you "can't go wrong with an intense hyaluronic acid for prevention," says Andrea L. Braden, MD, a board-certified OB-GYN in Decatur, Georgia. SkinCeuticals is widely known for its highly efficacious treatments and this editor-beloved serum is no exception. In addition to the natural humectant, it boasts proxylane, an ingredient that nourishes the skin barrier to improve firmness, and licorice and purple rice extracts to help lock moisture and address discoloration concerns.
• Editor's tip: For best results—and to support your natural pregnancy glow—use this product in tandem with a vitamin C serum in the morning.
• Key ingredients: proxylane, licorice root extract, purple rice extract, hyaluronic acid | Fragrance-free: yes

Cica-Infused Goodness: Mederma Stretch Marks Therapy

• Why it's worth it: Mederma Stretch Marks Therapy is not just any old drugstore pick. This therapeutic lotion contains a medicinal herb called Centella asiatica (again, cica for short) that Dr. Kung says has been shown to prevent stretch marks during puberty and pregnancy. The formula also boasts intensely hydrating hyaluronic acid—a powerhouse skin-care ingredient that can hold 1,000 times its weight in water. The manufacturer claims you'll see noticeable improvements in skin tone and texture in just four weeks.
• Key ingredients: Centella asiatica extract, cepalin, hyaluronic acid | Fragrance-free: no

Most Luxurious Feel: Clarins Body Partner Stretch Mark Firming Cream

• Why it's worth it: For those in search of a luxe cream that feels more like a treat for both the skin and the senses, try Clarins Body Partner Stretch Mark Firming Cream. The gentle cream has a light yet pleasing scent and a silky texture that practically melts into skin to relieve dry, itchy skin. It contains those hardworking skin-care ingredients you want in a quality stretch mark cream, too. Dr. Kung says the formula includes both cica and hazel seed oil, a natural oil rich in vitamin E, which is known to repair skin and boost collagen production.
• Key ingredients: Centella asiatica, hazel seed oil | Fragrance-free: yes

For Non-Pregnant, Non-Breastfeeding People: Bio-Oil Skincare Oil

• Why it's worth it: A beloved formula since it was introduced many years ago, Bio-Oil is an ultra-hydrating option for those who prefer oils to creams. "The vitamin A- and E-rich formula strengthens a compromised skin barrier while improving the skin's texture," says Corey Hartman, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Birmingham, Alabama. This is a great body oil to stock in your medicine cabinet for a whole host of skin concerns. In addition to stretch marks, it can also help improve the appearance of scars and marks from acne, injury, surgery, and more.
• Editor's note: Pregnant people, listen up—Bio-Oil is a popular product for stretch marks in general, but it does contain a type of retinol, specifically, retinyl palmitate. Morgan Rabach, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, previously told Allure that retinol is on the shortlist of ingredients not to use while pregnant or breastfeeding. You'll want to take care and save this for when you get the green light from your doctor.
• Key ingredients: vitamin A (retinyl palmitate), vitamin E, chamomile oil, sunflower oil, lavender oils | Fragrance-free: no

Suitable for the Whole Family: Kiehl's Centella Sensitive Cica-Cream

• Why it's worth it: Kiehl's Centella Sensitive Cica-Cream is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive pregnant skin, says Dr. Braden. She recommends this cream for stretch mark prevention because it includes cica, a potent medicinal herb. It's intensely moisturizing—the brand claims it can keep skin hydrated for up to 48 hours—plus, it's entirely fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, and non-comedogenic.
• Editor's tip: This is a great product to stock in the winter when skin—specifically on the hands and elbows—gets chapped and red since it's so creamy and absorbs quickly.
• Key ingredients: cocoa seed butter, shea butter, vitamin B5, Centella asiatica | Fragrance-free: yes

Medicine Cabinet Staple: Vaseline Original Healing Petroleum Jelly Unscented

• Why it's worth it: There's a high probability you already stock this product, as it's great for cracked lips, hands, and more. The fragrance- and paraben-free pick also happens to be a worthy opponent for stretch marks, says Marisa Garshick, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City and New Jersey. "As an occlusive, Vaseline works to lock moisture in and reduce skin dryness," she explains. "It may also help to reduce the appearance of stretch marks and keep the skin on the belly, breasts, and hips looking and feeling healthy throughout pregnancy." If nothing else, it's sure to keep the skin moisturized.
• Key ingredients: white petrolatum | Fragrance-free: yes

Frequently Asked Questions

"Stretch marks, also known as striae, are scars caused by tears in the collagen and elastin fibers of the dermis layer of the skin," says Michele Green, MD, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist in New York City. "These marks often initially appear as red or purple textured lines on the breasts, arms, hips, thighs, buttocks, flanks, and abdomen. Over time, these stretch marks fade and will have a white, scar-like appearance." You may even notice stretch marks coupled with cellulite. Everyone embraces these changes in different ways; for some, leaning on a product that may help reduce the appearance of stretch marks can offer a needed boost in confidence.

As previously mentioned, there is no cure-all cream for stretch marks, says Jennifer M. Segal, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Houston, Texas. "They are genetic, and I always recommend moisturizing, although doing so does not guarantee prevention of stretch marks." What's more, the more potent stretch mark creams—like retinol body lotions—are not safe for use during pregnancy, says Dr. Segal.

"The good news is that there are certain products and treatment options, including in-office treatments like PRP injections and more affordable over-the-counter topical creams, available that can help prevent stretch marks and/or reduce their appearance," says Dr. Green. The most effective over-the-counter stretch mark creams that are safe for pregnancy and nursing mothers contain humectants like hyaluronic acid and natural oils. "Hyaluronic acid can help strengthen the skin while improving the skin's elasticity, which in turn improves the appearance of stretch marks," says Dr. Green. "Natural oils like coconut oil, cocoa butter, and shea butter can help prevent stretch marks by supporting fragile skin, protecting elasticity, and resisting all kinds of stretch.

• Michele Green, MD, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist in New York City
• Elaine Kung, MD a board-certified dermatologist in New York City
• Andrea L. Braden, MD, a board-certified OB-GYN in Decatur, Georgia
• Corey Hartman, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Birmingham, Alabama
• Marisa Garshick, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City and New Jersey
• Jennifer M. Segal, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Houston, Texas

When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that's included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.

For our list of the best stretch mark creams, we considered each product's performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from board-certified dermatologists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.

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