Following on from last weeks blog post "Lets Talk Stretch Marks" I started to think about the oils that I used when trying to prevent my inevitable stretch marks. I thought about how much people pay for branded products that don't necessarily do what it promises to. So, for the last few months, I've been testing out two stretch mark oils one costing over £10 and one costing under £5. Do you really get what you pay for? Is there any difference? Or do they all do the same thing?
SPEND on Palmer's Skin Therapy Oil
Price - £10.49
Where - Widely available (supermarkets, Boots, Superdrug, etc.)
Amount - 150ml
Thoughts - When I think of something nourishing for my skin I immediately think of Palmer's, it's a well-known brand for being kind to skin and reducing the appearance of scars and stretch marks. The oil has that typical cocoa butter smell that you expect from Palmer's products, it's not too overpowering which is great when your nose is more sensitive than usual (another lovely pregnancy symptom). The oil itself is quite thin so runs easily if you don't rub it in straight away, but you can't really expect much else from oil. It absorbs into the skin really well and doesn't feel your skin feeling greasy afterwards, in fact, my skin always feels very nourished, silky and soft after every use. One of my favourite things about this product is that it comes in a pump bottle making it really easy to control how much you're using.
However, I haven't really noticed a huge difference in the appearance in the colour, texture or size of my stretch marks. I know over time and after the baby has arrived they will start to fade but then it makes me think can I get the same result from something half the price?
SAVE on Just 4 Mums Stretch Mark Oil
Price - £3.99
Where - Savers & Amazon
Amount - 100ml
Thoughts - I'm always really nervous about trying new products but I wanted to see how this one matched up to the more well-known brands. This oil contains argon oil and coconut oil which is obvious in the scent, it feels like something you'd want to apply on holiday. It feels very nourishing when applied but it doesn't sink in really quickly making it feel like there is a greasy layer left on your skin. The formula is a lot thicker than I expected but it actually makes it feel a lot nicer to massage into the skin than I expected, in a way it makes it feel nourished for longer. The product is quite hard to get out of the bottle as it only has a tiny hole in the top to let a single drop out at a time. It does make it quite time-consuming as you could sit for ages to get the right amount...especially if you have a larger bump to cover! I've also tried squeezing the bottle but it doesn't help in the slightest.
Again, I have to admit that I haven't really noticed much of a difference where my stretch marks are concerned. It may stop my skin from itching (due to stretching) but I haven't noticed any difference in the texture, colour or the number of stretch marks I have.
Verdict -
Honestly, when I think about the fact that that there is no difference in the look, colour or amount of stretch marks that I have then I really can't say that there is a difference between the Just For Mum's and Palmer's oils. Yes, Palmer's one feels a lot nicer to apply but is it really worth the extra £7? Probably not! In all honesty, both oils have ended up being used to get rid of the itching on my bump rather than stretch marks so it doesn't really make much of a difference to me whether I'm applying a £4 oil or an £11 oil. Basically, both are currently doing what I could have done with a bottle of moisturiser already in my bathroom cabinet.
Did you have much success with stretch mark oils? I'd love to know your opinions.
Price - £10.49
Where - Widely available (supermarkets, Boots, Superdrug, etc.)
Amount - 150ml
Thoughts - When I think of something nourishing for my skin I immediately think of Palmer's, it's a well-known brand for being kind to skin and reducing the appearance of scars and stretch marks. The oil has that typical cocoa butter smell that you expect from Palmer's products, it's not too overpowering which is great when your nose is more sensitive than usual (another lovely pregnancy symptom). The oil itself is quite thin so runs easily if you don't rub it in straight away, but you can't really expect much else from oil. It absorbs into the skin really well and doesn't feel your skin feeling greasy afterwards, in fact, my skin always feels very nourished, silky and soft after every use. One of my favourite things about this product is that it comes in a pump bottle making it really easy to control how much you're using.
However, I haven't really noticed a huge difference in the appearance in the colour, texture or size of my stretch marks. I know over time and after the baby has arrived they will start to fade but then it makes me think can I get the same result from something half the price?
SAVE on Just 4 Mums Stretch Mark Oil
Price - £3.99
Where - Savers & Amazon
Amount - 100ml
Thoughts - I'm always really nervous about trying new products but I wanted to see how this one matched up to the more well-known brands. This oil contains argon oil and coconut oil which is obvious in the scent, it feels like something you'd want to apply on holiday. It feels very nourishing when applied but it doesn't sink in really quickly making it feel like there is a greasy layer left on your skin. The formula is a lot thicker than I expected but it actually makes it feel a lot nicer to massage into the skin than I expected, in a way it makes it feel nourished for longer. The product is quite hard to get out of the bottle as it only has a tiny hole in the top to let a single drop out at a time. It does make it quite time-consuming as you could sit for ages to get the right amount...especially if you have a larger bump to cover! I've also tried squeezing the bottle but it doesn't help in the slightest.
Again, I have to admit that I haven't really noticed much of a difference where my stretch marks are concerned. It may stop my skin from itching (due to stretching) but I haven't noticed any difference in the texture, colour or the number of stretch marks I have.
Verdict -
Honestly, when I think about the fact that that there is no difference in the look, colour or amount of stretch marks that I have then I really can't say that there is a difference between the Just For Mum's and Palmer's oils. Yes, Palmer's one feels a lot nicer to apply but is it really worth the extra £7? Probably not! In all honesty, both oils have ended up being used to get rid of the itching on my bump rather than stretch marks so it doesn't really make much of a difference to me whether I'm applying a £4 oil or an £11 oil. Basically, both are currently doing what I could have done with a bottle of moisturiser already in my bathroom cabinet.
Did you have much success with stretch mark oils? I'd love to know your opinions.
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