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Whether your stretch marks appeared during a growth spurt in your teenage years or on your growing pregnancy bump as an adult, stretch marks are completely normal. Nearly 80% of Americans have stretch marks on their shoulders, thighs, or belly. But the decision of either living with your stretch marks or getting rid of them is entirely up to you. If you’ve decided to try to heal these marks or if you want to prevent them from occurring, the ideal remedy is to use a stretch mark cream.
Stretch mark creams help your skin look and feel more elastic while minimizing the appearance of marks. Although stretch marks are nothing to be ashamed of, some feel more confident with clearer, smoother skin. If you’re looking for a surefire way to keep these pesky marks at bay, here are our picks for the top-rated stretch mark creams of 2024.
Comparing the Leading Stretch Mark Creams of 2024
TriLASTIN Stretch Mark Cream — Best Overall
The main issue that many face with cosmetic creams is that they aren’t always suitable for all skin types. However, this isn’t the case with this stretch mark cream. The TriLASTIN Maternity Stretch Mark Cream is made to work on all skin types, including oily, dry, or combination skin types. No matter your skin composition, you’ll get the same results every time with this handy cream.
This cream is made of natural ingredients with a blend of botanical oils and shea butter. It’s also paraben-free and hypoallergenic, making this stretch mark cream the best choice for sensitive skin. Made in the USA, this cream complies to the highest safety standards, which makes it our best overall choice.
Pros
- Non-sticky, non-greasy formula
- Subtle, gentle fragrance
- Works on all skin types
Cons
- A bit expensive
Palmer’s Stretch Mark Cream — Most Sustainable Formula
While hydrating lotions keep skin moisturized and healthy, certain formulas serve other purposes as well. This stretch mark prevention lotion by Palmer’s is made with plant-based and sustainable ingredients, making it safe to use all over your body. What’s more, the non-greasy texture makes this lotion suitable for oily skin types as it won’t leave your skin sticky or tacky.
What’s even better is that this product is dermatologist-approved and is free from phthalates, sulfates, and parabens. As it is made with shea butter, cocoa butter, and natural oils, this lotion keeps your skin moisturized for up to 48 hours, making it a great choice for everyday use.
Pros
- Hypoallergenic and suitable for sensitive skin
- Helps improving overall skin elasticity
- Made of high-quality, plant-based ingredients
Cons
- Some may not like the smell
Body Boost Stretch Mark Butter — Toxicologist-Approved
Key Features
- Free of parabens, synthetic colors, and fragrances
- Strengthens connective tissues for enhanced resiliency
- Cruelty-free and made of plant-based ingredients
If you’re not a fan of creams or lotions, then you’ll love this body butter, which has a thicker texture. With a consistency of butter, this stretch mark cream by Body Boost is not greasy and feels light and airy on the skin.
This stretch mark cream is both safe to use and extremely effective. What’s even better is that you can use it with complete peace of mind because it’s clinically tested and made of gentle ingredients. This product contains linoleic acid to maintain collagen and elastin levels within the skin. Plus, because it’s toxicologist-approved, you will definitely be in good hands by choosing this body butter.
Pros
- Not suitable for extremely dry skin
Mustela Stretch Mark Cream — Most Hypoallergenic
Say goodbye to those nasty creams loaded with synthetic and toxic ingredients! This stretch mark cream by Mustela contains 97% natural, skin-friendly ingredients. Women can use this cream throughout their pregnancy, starting from the first month all the way up to postpartum. Just apply the recommended amount of this stretch mark cream over the affected area in the morning and evening and let it work wonders.
This cream contains avocado peptides and shea butter to provide long-lasting nourishment, leaving the skin soft and moisturized. To promote collagen and skin elasticity, the manufacturer has also added galactoarabinan, an extract from North American larch trees. What’s more, the hypoallergenic formula minimizes the chances of an allergic reaction, allowing you to use this cream worry-free.
Pros
- Fast-absorbing formula for quick results
- Free of alcohol, parabens, and caffeine
- Safe for both mother and baby
Cons
Needs to be applied twice a day
Burt’s Bees Stretch Mark Cream — Recyclable Packaging
Key Features
- Non-irritating formula won’t cause itchiness
- Safe formula with 99% natural origin
- Small amount goes a long way
Designed for expecting mothers, this Burt’s Bees belly butter moisturizing cream penetrates deeply into the skin. It works like magic to control the appearance of stretch marks. After massaging the affected area with this cream, which contains hydrating cocoa shea and jojoba butter, you will feel its effects long after the massage session.
Keeping your skin smooth and mark-free, this unscented formula is free of parabens, phthalates, and petrolatum. What’s more, this stretch mark cream enhances the elastin of your skin to ensure that your connective tissues don’t become damaged when your belly grows during pregnancy. Plus, the non-irritating formula is long-lasting.
Pros
- Some don’t like the updated formula
Cons
- Some don’t like the updated formula
Buying Guide: Choosing an Optimum Stretch Mark Cream
Although some people embrace the changes in their skin wholeheartedly, some may want to get rid of stretch marks to achieve smoother, clearer skin. Stretch mark creams efficiently control and minimize the appearance of stretch marks. But choosing a skin-friendly and safe cream to use can be challenging. To help, we’ve written this detailed buying guide with all the information you need to know so you can find the right cream. Let’s take a look!
Why You Should Use Stretch Mark Cream
Removes stretch marks
The most obvious purpose of using these creams is to control and remove stretch marks. Stretch marks can be an eyesore for some. Even though they’re entirely natural, some people don’t like the way they look. By improving the elasticity of your skin on the affected area, these creams can help boost the production of connective tissues to remove stretch marks and make your skin look like it once did.
Keeps your skin healthy
Skincare products do more than just fix one problem. Often, they’re made out of ingredients with amazing benefits to treat different skin conditions. This is the case with stretch mark prevention creams. You’ll be surprised at how effective these creams are for all sorts of skin conditions.
Some ingredients used in stretch mark creams, such as shea butter, are also used widely in other skincare products to moisturize and prevent aging and wrinkles. These wholesome, natural ingredients enhance your skin’s condition overall, generally improving your skin’s health and appearance with little-to-no side effects.
Types of Stretch Mark Products
Creams
This is the most common type of stretch mark prevention product and is trusted by most people. Stretch mark creams have a thick consistency and a quick-absorbing formula. There are different variations of creams available to choose from according to your skin type and the added benefits you want.
Lotion
A lotion is a great alternative to cream if you’re looking for something that will be lighter on your skin and easier to apply. Stretch mark lotions are super easy to massage into your skin; you won’t have any trouble spreading them over your belly or on your legs. Lotions also don’t feel as thick or heavy on your skin as creams or butter.
Body butter
Most people get confused between stretch mark body butter and cream because they are quite similar in terms of consistency and thickness. While the differences are subtle, some prefer butter over creams. Butter has a bit thicker consistency than lotions but is generally lighter than creams. The ingredients and results are often the same, it just depends on what thickness and feels you prefer.
How Much Do Stretch Mark Creams Cost?
Not all stretch mark creams are made equal and their price varies depending on the ingredients used, packaging, quantity, and effectiveness. Some stretch mark creams cost less than $10 while high-end creams might cost more than $50.
This difference in the price is mainly due to the ingredients used. Some manufacturers use hyaluronic acid, lactic acid, plant-based ingredients, and extracts to offer anti-aging and moisturizing properties. On the other hand, low-cost options feature basic ingredients that only work to prevent and minimize the appearance of stretch marks.
