Pregnancy changes the body in many ways, including that wonderful belly. Learn how belly oil can preserve your skin’s elasticity and keep it soft and moisturized.
By Dr. Kenosha Gleaton, Chief Medical Advisor, Natalist
Belly oil─true to its name — is a mix of oils designed to rub on your pregnant belly, in order to provide relief from dry, itchy skin and to help reduce stretch marks.
What does belly oil do?
Depending on the ingredients, a good Belly Oil can be very useful for a number of reasons:
- Some evidence suggests that a water-in-oil cream containing argan oil and emollient ingredients may be helpful in the prevention or early treatment of stretch marks.
- Some ingredients can keep skin moisturized and hydrated and help relieve dry, itchy skin.
- Using belly oil can feel amazing and what pregnant woman doesn’t crave that?
- Some belly oils can make your belly glow ✨, allowing that pregnancy glow to reach far beyond your face.
Why do pregnant women use belly oil?
Belly oil is a useful tool for pregnancy as it helps moisturize the skin and helps with dryness and stretch marks on your growing belly. It can even be useful for other parts of the body — such as the breasts, hips, and thighs — that also tend to grow during pregnancy.
Can belly oil reduce stretch marks?
We believe stretch marks are beautiful reminders of growing a human that don’t need to be reduced. However, if you’re curious, there is some evidence that certain ingredients like argan oil and emollient can have an impact on stretch marks. Keeping the skin moisturized while stretching is key to reducing visible marks on the skin.
When should I start using belly oil?
Every pregnancy is different, but it can’t hurt to start using belly oil during your first trimester. The skin can become dry and painful, and you’ll have a changing body before you know it. Keeping your skin moisturized is the best way to maintain healthy and soft skin.
What ingredients should I look for in belly oil?
It’s important to make sure that any products you use or ingest while pregnant are safe and effective. Check out this list of safe skin care products to use during pregnancy.
- Caprylic acid is useful for inflammation and dry skin
- Plant oils like sunflower, argan, coconut, soybean, and more are great for skin repair and anti-inflammatory and healing properties.
- Rosemary extract, which is found in Natalist’s belly oil, has antioxidant properties that neutralize free radicals, nourish skin, and help stretch marks.
💦 Shop our new cruelty-free, organic Belly Oil ⟶
Are there any ingredients I should avoid in belly oil?
Most belly oils on the market are safe for pregnancy, but for skin and cosmetic products in general, make sure you keep an eye out for
- Retinoids- the absorption rate from topical retinoids is low, but there have been a few reports of birth defects possibly associated with skin creams. Until further research is done, it’s not recommended that pregnant women use topical retinoids.
- Hydroquinone- a depigmenting agent, otherwise known as skin-lightening, is absorbed into the skin at very high rates and shouldn’t be used during pregnancy. Hydroquinone is most likely found in products targeted towards treating acne scars, melasma, and possibly stretch marks.
How to apply belly oil
Applying belly oil is a simple task. Just get a few drops or mists of your oil and rub over any areas you want to keep moisturized, like the belly, thighs, hips and breasts. Depending on what brand of belly oil you use, a little bit should go a long way. With Natalist’s Belly Oil, you just need to rub in a few spritz of the mist, and you’re good to go. For liquid forms of the oil, a few drops should do the trick.
How often to use belly oil
The frequency for belly oil use is dependent on a number of things and can vary based on the person. If you typically have dry skin, you notice that your belly is growing a lot in a short span of time, or are experiencing itchy skin, you may want to use belly oil up to three times a day. For others, one to two times a day after showering could be enough. The good news is that there’s no way to use too much oil, as long as you’re comfortable and find that it’s useful.
Be gone, dry skin and stigma!
Some say that stretch marks are your baby’s first paintings, and we think they are beautiful! Stretch marks can be wonderful reminders of your pregnancy, but if you’d like to reduce these marks while keeping moisturized skin, belly oil can be useful. Just use a few drops a couple times a day, and the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties found in most belly oils will protect the skin around your belly, thighs, breasts, and hips.
To learn more about Natalist, head to natalist.com now.
