♥

Feeling your belly blossom with a growing baby is an indescribable privilege I’ve been granted. There isn’t a day that goes by without a zing of excitement about who that bump will turn out to be.

However, despite the wonder and excitement, my body is throwing all sorts of wicked challenges my way. Discovering an aversion to my favourite vegetables (keep sweet potato and broccoli far, far away), the now-passed morning sickness (welcome second trimester!) and watching my muscles fade as a softer look wraps around my body.

There are certain things that you can do to make yourself feel like the lady you once were; manicures and pedicures, making the most of the lustrous condition of your hair (one of the pros, less hair shedding!) and taking care of that stretching skin.

Some believe certain body types are doomed to stretch marks no matter what, but I’m not taking my chances. It’s better to prevent rather than cure, right? So I sought out a couple of reputable brands to nix those squiggly lines before they branched out across my already stretching body.

♥

Be Genki creator Samantha Sample developed an all-natural body oil through a new brand Be Naturallyou after pregnant friends begged for a stretch mark elixir. After extensive research, the Body Oil ($38 for 130mL) is now a blend of avocado oil, flax seed oil, apricot kernel oil, wheatgerm oil and essential oils of mandarin, lavender, neroli and frankincense. The resulting blend boasts properties that nourish skin, promote regeneration of scarred skin, helps skin retain elasticity, moisturizes and is good for eczema and psoriasis.

The smell of the oil is pure relaxation and the lavender stood most prominently. The long-necked bottle meant the oil rushed out and surprised me on the first go, resulting in my palm covered in the slightly green oil. The oil was fabulously moisturising and kept my skin well hydrated. The strong scent meant I didn’t want to wear it during the day as it was close to overpowering my perfume, but at night it was perfect for rubbing in after a warm shower and the soothing smell was lovely to fall asleep with.

♥

At a much higher end price bracket, L’Occitane’s Almond Supple Skin Oil ($64.95 for 100mL) was recommended by a friend so I had to give it a go. The handy pump top means I controlled the amount a lot better and the oil was lighter in texture. The smell is delicious; sweet and a hint of almond, you could almost wear it as a light perfume but I wear it alongside my daily spritz of Bvlgari Rose. The moisturising component is also excellent although perhaps not as long lasting as the Be Genki oil.

With the combination of these two beauties, I have a day and night combo going on and am yet to see the dreaded effects of stretch marks. And let me tell you, it’s not just the belly that expands and there are a few other bumps getting vigorous attention from the body oils. But the belly rub is definitely my favourite… and I’m pretty sure it’s the baby’s too.

Article by Lisa O’neill, Freelance Journalist and super cute anti-stretch mark crusader.

Be well,

xoxo