DIY Stretch Mark Cream with Vitamin E
Today, we’d like to give you a recipe for a DIY stretch mark cream with vitamin E. Stretch marks are irregular lines on your skin that form when the elastic fibers extend excessively, which happens during pregnancy. They’re also the results of weight fluctuations and other hereditary factors.
While this condition doesn’t negatively impact your physical health, its appearance can lead to self-esteem issues. There are currently many topical creams and products that can minimize the appearance of stretch marks. However, they’re often very expensive. Luckily, there are some natural products that can help get rid of stretch marks that are easy to use.
DIY Stretch Mark Cream: Why Use It?
A DIY stretch mark cream with vitamin E has many interesting benefits. First, its moisturizing compounds easily penetrate the skin layers and provide greater elasticity to the tissues. The healing and regenerating properties of vitamin E will also give the skin a smoother appearance.
This vitamin is also helpful in the prevention of skin sagging, which is key to prevent the appearance of new stretch marks. Also, its application through massages reactivates circulation and reduces inflammation, helping improve the appearance of the stretch marks that rise above the skin layer.
Other advantages of this cream are:
- It helps renew the collagen and elastin present in the skin.
- This vitamin decreases the negative impact of free radicals on the dermis.
- Vitamin E is an antioxidant. Therefore, it not only protects the elastic fibers of the skin but also prevents breakage when it stretches.
- Its gentle formula is safe to use during pregnancy.
- It’s way less expensive than “designer” treatments for stretch marks.
- The ingredients in this cream are 100% natural and don’t usually cause allergic reactions.
Read also: Can Stretch Marks Be Eliminated?
DIY Stretch Mark Cream with Vitamin E
The direct application of vitamin E on stretch marks is enough to minimize their appearance. However, we propose a homemade cream that includes ita more complete treatment. This is because the cream contains other beneficial ingredients, such as coconut oil and shea butter. Both ingredients have fatty acids, antioxidants, and amino acids that, contribute to skin regeneration once the skin assimilates them.
Here’s the recipe:
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp shea butter
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 vitamin E oil capsule
- 1/2 tbsp avocado oil (optional)
Preparation
- To begin, pour the shea butter into a heat-resistant jar and melt it in a double boiler.
- Once it melts, add the coconut oil and stir over low heat.
- Next, open a capsule of vitamin E and add the content to the mixture.
- Keep stirring and remove the mix from the heat.
- If desired, add half a tablespoon of avocado oil.
- Finally, wrap it in a container and wait until it solidifies.
- Store it in a cool dry place to keep it fresh.
How to use it:
- Rub the cream on any area where you might have stretch marks.
- Massage until your skin absorbs the cream.
- Leave it on without rinsing and repeat its use every day, preferably twice a day.
Note: You can double the recipe if you’d like. However, just keep in mind that it’ll spoil after one-two months, depending on the temperatures where you live and how you store it.
Discover: Minimize Stretch Marks at Home with These Tips
Final notes
The application of this cream isn’t miraculous and doesn’t offer immediate results. In fact, no anti-stretch cream in the market can completely eliminate these marks. So, you must be consistent with the application of the product to decrease their appearance.
Additionally, you must supplement its use with a healthy diet and physical activity. These habits are huge factors in the health of your skin as they help maintain firmness and suppleness. It even lessens the effects of stretching during pregnancy.
Add it to your daily beauty routine. As you can see, the cream is easy to make and the ingredients aren’t expensive!
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Keen, M., & Hassan, I. (2016). Vitamin E in dermatology. Indian Dermatology Online Journal. https://doi.org/10.4103/2229-5178.185494
- Nachbar, F., & Korting, H. C. (1995). The role of vitamin E in normal and damaged skin. Journal of Molecular Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00203614
- Thiele, J. J., Hsieh, S. N., & Ekanayake-Mudiyanselage, S. (2010). Vitamin E: Critical Review of Its Current Use in Cosmetic and Clinical Dermatology. Dermatologic Surgery. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1524-4725.2005.31724
- Lin, T. K., Zhong, L., & Santiago, J. L. (2018). Anti-inflammatory and skin barrier repair effects of topical application of some plant oils. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms19010070
- Brennan, M., Clarke, M., & Devane, D. (2016). The use of anti stretch marks’ products by women in pregnancy: A descriptive, cross-sectional survey. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-016-1075-9
- Ud-Din, S., McGeorge, D., & Bayat, A. (2016). Topical management of striae distensae (stretch marks): Prevention and therapy of striae rubrae and albae. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. https://doi.org/10.1111/jdv.13223
