Love your bump
Pampering pregnancy products put through their paces by Suzanne and Marissa
I absolutely loved doing this section of reviews – quite a change from the moon cups and tampons.
I became pregnant the month after the period review was completed – all good timing, all in the name of Daisy (well sort of).
I have tried and tested a multitude of lotions and potions to keep stretch marks at bay. So then, what are stretch marks or ‘mammy marks’ as I now call them?
Wikipedia says that stretch marks or ‘striae’, as they are called in dermatology, are a form of scar with an off-colour hue. They are caused by tearing of the dermis and over time can diminish but not disappear completely (oh the joy).
Don’t get complacent like I did. With my copious amounts of creams and oils on my body I didn’t get one stretch mark at all for months. Then at 32 weeks I went away for a weekend leaving bump cream at home and voila! I woke up in the middle of the night with terrible itching and within a couple of days I had a little road map of mummy parks all over my lower tummy.
Apparently, if you are genetically predisposed to getting stretch marks because of your genetic what you put on can only reduce the effects and not obliterate them altogether. C’est la vie. But let’s be philosophical. A few marks are so worth the wee gift you get at the end of it all.
Here are some of the products I tried and tested but for your first port of call I would recommend a really good organic olive oil.
Erbaviva
An entirely natural approach to skincare designed specifically for both mummy, mummy to be and baby.
I felt truly pampered with this pregnancy range (made in the USA and imported to the UK). These are the products I tried.
The Mommy-to-be Milk Bath (£25) is filled with luxurious skin-soothing properties of milk combined with oils of lavender, lemon and sandalwood (all organic). The smell was subtle and divine. This product is designed to relieve itchiness and tummy dryness which it really did. It is a powder and so no lather (which is good) and you don’t need to put much in.
Stretch Mark Oil (£23) I only opted for oils on a night time or when I knew I was mooching around the house. With all oils, a little goes a long way. Erbaviva’s organic oil combines rose, sandalwood, lavender and mandarin. They recommend you use it at night in conjunction with a day cream.
Stretch Mark Cream (£23) This product is based on Erbaviva’s best seller and contains shea butter and sea buckthorn extracts in a rich emollient cream. I could slather this on wait for five minutes and go.
This is quite pricey but go for it if you’re feeling flush. Makes a lovely gift too.
Spiezia Organics
Spiezia is a UK based company that makes its products at one of the first Organic Farms to be established in Cornwall – Gear Farm in the Lizard.
From Spiezia, I sampled the Mother and Baby Starter Set (£21.95) which included; Baby Skin Salve, Restorative Body Balm, Baby Massage Oil, Calendula Ointment, Soothing Leg & Foot Balm and Lavender & Chamomile Soap. This is most definitely a starter kit as I only got a maximum of two tries before the products were gone. So I am not sure I would recommend the kit but would recommend full sized versions of one of the sampled products.
Organic Restorative Body Balm: This balm is 100 per cent organic and very nourishing if somewhat sticky. The smell was not overpowering in the slightest - a happy mix of coconut and sunflower oil. The advice was to use it twice daily over a period of four weeks and you could watch existing stretch marks fade. Alas, the 10ml lasted for two applications (I really do slather on products) so I can’t tell you if this is the case. The full size jar is £31.95 for 100ml.
Buy from spieziaorganics.com
Cow Shed (Udderly Gorgeous)
Udderly Gorgeous Bath and Shower Gel (£16) This lovely looking product contains no parabens, petrochemicals, sulphates, artificial colours or likely allergens and is suitable for vegetarians. Contains sea buckthorn oil, an emollient packed with vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids to pamper and protect the skin. I sampled this both in the bath and shower. The application was lovely, the fragrance subtle. But it did take a lot of rinsing off to the point that even after I dried myself I still felt sticky (this may have been what the product was meant to do).
Egg Maternity
This range comes from New Zealand and is exclusively available in the UK at Harrods. The full range is really user friendly but not that accessible if you don’t live in the big smoke.
Bath and Body Oil This is specially formulated with tangerine and lavender essential oils, blended with pure sweet almond oil and avocado oil. I loved this in the bath and just before I stepped out I would put an extra coating of it in all stretch mark prone areas. Very relaxing. Beware though. If, like me, you use too much the bath becomes slippy so give someone a shout to help you get out of the bath!
Bath and Shower Gel Again with tangerine and lavender essential oils. I used this as my shower product in the morning and absolutely loved it. It’s a great team member going hand in hand with the body butter.
Belly Butter – Anti-Stretch mark Massage Crème Those lavender and tangerine essential oils once more this time combined with sweet almond oil, avocado oil and shea butter to provide a fragrant and relaxing formula. This, with Evi, was my chosen day time stretch mark cream. It comes in a screw-lid tin so makes a great travel companion.
Buy from Harrods.
NHR Organic Oils
Aesthetically, this has to be my favourite range and it takes pride of place in my bathroom. The design is simple and ‘olde worldy’.
The pregnancy and birth range is made from organic ingredients and feels this exquisitely beautiful and deeply nourishing on the skin. I only started using this from 33 weeks and I really wish I had started sooner.
*Both these products are only to be used after the third month of pregnancy.
Organic pregnancy tummy oil (£10)* This oil felt very nourishing and kept my skin soft and supple. The essential oil is lavender (but not overpowering at all) mixed with numerous organic base oils including safflower, sunflower, jojoba, apricot kernel, evening primrose, marigold and pure vitamin E.
Organic pregnancy vitality oil (£9.23)* This is a twist on the tummy oil with a ’pick me up fragrance’. When I knew I was in the house for the day, I take a decadent day time bath and then lather myself in this oil and it definitely refreshed my mind and body. I have even doused it on a tissue and inhaled when nausea kicked in and it was a real help. As well as the lavender oil as in the tummy oil this includes Mandarin and Spearmint.
Buy from nhrorganicoils.com
Milk & Honey Organics
Executive Mum to Be Essentials (£60) This gift box was absolutely packed with gems by Natalia, Timothy Han and Enamore but the pleasure came the moment I opened the wrapping and fell upon the Milk & Honey box which I love. The executive boxes byline is, ‘If she’s determined to stay on top of her game in the office, this set is for her.’ and I would agree.
Natalia Prenatal Instant Revitaliser An uplifting pulse-pointer with sweet orange and geranium to ‘revive her when she’s flagging’. Contains 100% natural ingredients. This was really lovely and is already packed in my hospital bag.
Natalia cooling leg refresher with organic aloe vera and lemon to soothe tired legs and aching feet. This has a very strong minty smell to it and is another one that would be great for summer pregnancies.
Natalia Body & Bath Oil This was really quick to use. Rub and go. It was also a fantastic massage oil.
Natalia Prenatal Instant Unwinder Again, a lovely fragrance but if I had to choose from the two pulse oils I would choose the Instant Revitaliser.
A beautiful sleep mask made in the UK from the softest bamboo. If you like sleep masks then this is a really lovely one. I am one of those fortunate people that can sleep as soon as I am lying horizontal for 10 minutes. So I passed this over to another Daisy Green team member.
Buy your mum-to-be gifts from milkandhoney.co.uk
And here are four more delicious maternity ranges are tested by Marissa-Catherine Carrarini:
Live Native
Organic Pure Natal The purest of the pure skin care company has come up with a delightful pot of mummy skin loveliness. It’s deeply rich in nourishing extra virgin coconut oil and shea butter and lightened with aloe vera and chamomile. Especially good for sensitive skin, it helps heal broken skin, cracked nipples, excessive dryness and reduce stretch marks. Pure Natal can be liberally lathered on skin throughout pregnancy and can even be enjoyed by the baby once it is born (think: cradle cap or nappy rash).
Buy from livenative.co.uk
Akin
Cellular Brightening Mist No matter how beautiful or fulfilling, labour can be a sweaty, heavy and anxious time. Water and Vita Coco coconut water (www.snowsfields.co.uk) can help keep body and mind hydrated. Simply spraying Akin’s Mist on and around the face is like splashing cooling calm all over the body. It is also a useful tool to keep skin hydrated and a feeling of freshness during all that hard work.
Buy from purist.com
Beurre de Karite
Organic Wild Lavender Shea Butter Shea butter has magic properties. Not only does it drastically help get rid of stretch marks, it is a godsend for women with sore pregnancy breasts. And the added bonus of lavender helps promote relaxation and rest. Lather on breasts and tum before bed or anytime your feel the need.
Buy from www.melvita.co.uk
Essential Care
Organic Labour Oil During the first stages of labour, this amazing oil is like a welcome blanket-hug. Specially formulated for labour massage with chamomile, clary sage, lavender and cederwood. Get your birthing partner to gently rub it on your lower back from a few weeks before labour and/or when labour begins. So good, it’s worth packing a spare in your labour bag- just in case!
Buy from www.essential-care.co.uk
