Oh stretch marks…
I got them with my first, and have since gotten rid of them, even through four more pregnancies (and I haven’t gotten any new ones).
I think it is largely due to the healthier diet and lifestyle I’ve adopted during that time, but today I’m also sharing my salve that I make to help keep belly skin smooth during pregnancy. I call it Tiger Salve since I’ve often heard stretch marks referred to as “Tiger Stripes.”
Don’t get me wrong, I’m proud of my stretch marks and wouldn’t trade a second of motherhood for better abs, but I also prefer to avoid getting any more stripes! I do think that diet is a crucial part of pregnancy health though, so this alone won’t keep stretch marks away for everyone…
Pregnancy Stretch Marks Salve Recipe
This salve is designed to keep skin supple so that it can accommodate a growing belly, but also to sooth any skin irritation that accompanies pregnancy. It’s also super simple to make, so I can even manage to remember the recipe when I have placenta brain…
Stretch Marks Salve Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Shea Butter
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 3 Tablespoons Apricot Kernel Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Calendula flowers (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon dried ginger root
How to Make Stretch Marks Salve
- If using the calendula and dried ginger, add to Apricot Kernel or Almond Oil and place in a double boiler or bowl over a small pan of water. (or use a glass jar for easier clean up)
- Bring to a simmer and heat for 30 minutes on medium low heat to incorporate the properties of the herbs.
- Strain through a cheesecloth or metal strainer to remove herbs. YOu will want to make sure you still have at least 2 tablespoons of liquid oil left.
- Return the oil to the double boiler and add the shea butter and coconut oil.
- Heat until melted and stir to incorporate.
- Remove from heat and store in small glass jar.
- Add any pregnancy safe essential oils if desired.
- Use as needed on skin before, during or after pregnancy as needed.
Ever tried a salve for stretch marks? What have you done that’s helped get rid of them? Share below!
How to Make Herbal Tinctures
I am hoping to be pregnant very soon! In the meantime, would you recommend it as a good moisturizer? Every moisturizer I use gives me red bumps on my legs or doesn’t absorb well 🙁 thanks!
It is great as a moisturizer too!
This is great thanks!! Do you recommend any essential oils that are safe during pregnancy? Seems like the list is rather short!
For the most part, I avoid essential oils during pregnancy but I’ve added a homemade vanilla oil before…
This sounds great! I’ve never heard of those flowers, what exactly do they do? Or are they just used for fragrance? Thanks!
They are actually in the marigold family, but contain properties that benefit the skin…
Do you have or do you make videos of you making these salves and sprays? For some reason visually seeing it done is easier for me to grasp and not get anxious about the process and messing it up.
Not normally…
I have shea butter and apricot kernel oil-would that work?
Yep!
Awesome! Thank you.
What can I use in place of coconut oil, allergic to it?
You can use equal parts shea butter and almond oil…
I would recommend bio oil from walgreens and Palmers cocoa butter lotion, I used those two during my second pregnancy which worked great after getting a lot a lot of stretch marks 11 yrs earlier with my 1st pregnancy. My stomach looks amazing compared to before I used it twice a day for 8 months, and now every once in awhile. Mine are not gone completely but their so light u can barely see them and now with working out I’m sure as my stomach/abs tighten they will look more gone than now. Doesn’t hurt to try’ take care
I would not use Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula it has known carcinogens and other known toxic ingredients. You can check all products on EWG website. Making your own really is best. Corporations want to maximize profits and use many synthetic and cheap toxic chemicals as a result. You can purchase a pound of synthetic Lavender fragrance for $1 vs $211 one pound of a natural Lavender essential oil. Steep difference. Plus natural carrier oils are more expensive than the synthetically made or modified ones. I doubt you will ever need to buy a pound of a natural essential oil so purchasing the smaller amount of what you need is still cost effective and safer for your body. 1/2 oz. of essential lavender oil is $12.75 and you use a dropper to count the drops you want to add into your homemade lotion mixture. Check out the toxic chemicals palmers uses….http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/brand/Palmer%27s/
Would this work with cocoa butter instead of shea? That’s what I have on hand at the moment. Also, I wonder if this could be made into a whipped body butter, rather than a salve? Think I may have to try that. 🙂
I just had to report back that I made this with the cocoa butter than I had on hand, with some calendula-infused olive oil that I also needed to use up, and coconut oil. Instead of melting them in a double boiler, I stuck them all at room temp into my food processor and let it beat them into a nice, smooth, whipped body butter. Much nicer to apply than a salve. 🙂
I think I’ll try that
what was the portions for the ingredents you used
I am also curious. I have a hard time imagining a salve being able to reverse stretch marks…but that would be SUPER!
Shea butter is supposed to be naturally helpful in healing scars and keeping skin supple. The dietary side is also really important for replacing collagen…
Would you say you got rid of your existing stretch mark with this salve or was it more because of your diet? If it was the diet what particular food did you include that helped get rid of them? And how long did it take?
There is a link to the diet in the post.. I would say it was definitely a combination…
So can this actually remove stretch marks if it’s been over a year since you’ve given birth? I didn’t think that was really possible without some type of laser treatment? Not to doubt, just hoping for some clarification, because I’d love to get rid of mine (they’re pretty bad…)
Mine went away… but like I said, I think diet played a big role too by helping heal from the inside out…
I’ve been eating a healthy diet for years, so that wasn’t a factor at all, but most of what I’ve read said it has more to do with genetics than anything else, which is why I just wonder if there’s something out there that does work that doesn’t cost thousands of dollars. Thanks for replying!
I had really bad s.m, from my son.(he was 10.6 lbs!) With my girl didn’t get them as much. I started using vitamin E oil from Wal-Mart by the vitamins, $4. 2x’s a day.It really helped heal my scars, way better than any expensive cream ever did. Coconut oil is really good too. I would chose 1 or both and apply 2x’s a day.I don’t want any new ones this time! good luck:)
I haven’t tried vitamin E oil specifically… although some of the stuff I’ve used has that in it. Thanks for the suggestion! Although I’m worried that they won’t go away much now after two years. 🙁
Not a fan of coconut oil myself really… too sticky, clogs my pores and doesn’t seem to actually absorb into my skin (just sits on top and then I have to work harder to exfoliate). I also used that on stretch marks (and while pregnant) and did nothing for my stretch marks. 🙁 That’s why I’m buying more into the genetic (and diet) idea.
I tried the above recipe and it’s done nothing. Sadly. Have also been dry brushing for several months and no improvement. I think it’s hard to actually “prove” these things work in general, because how do you (general you) know the marks wouldn’t have disappeared/faded on their own, or that you wouldn’t have gotten any in the first place? Tricky.
Have you tried Bio Oil? It’s a new oil from Europe. Now available in the US, and It’s not too expensive!! Look for it at the drugstore. It faded some stretch marks I had from puberty and I’m now in my 40’s!
Do you think this would help with older 3rd degree burn scars?
Ashley, I am a mom of 6, soon to be 7. Had HORRIBLE stretch marks. Lotions and creams didn’t seem to help. But!!! Now that I’ve been incorporating grass fed collagen and dairy/beef into my diet (2years) they have faded drastically, and though I’m heavier than I’ve ever been and expectating my 7th, my skin is more supple and elastic than it ever has been, no signs of stretch marks and I only have 8 weeks left.
Hope it helps and gives you hope. Btw, my mom (4 babies, last one at 42 years old) has never had a stretch mark and my sis almost none, so my genetics are definitely different cause I got them BAAAD on all 3 b’s with my first pregnancy 15 years ago.
Well, What did you eat?
how long did it take you for yours to go away?
Do you put the calendula flowers into a food processor before measuring or do you measure with the whole flower? Love your site!
I have actually used plain cocoa butter, and stretch marks didn’t even develop on my belly where I applied it. They developed on other areas that didn’t get the cocoa butter treatment
Hi Wellness Mama! Thanks for sharing this recipe! I’ll be making some for my niece who has really bad stretch marks! Blessings from Bama!