Stretch mark cream reviews

Let's just be honest here. As of the date of this writing, there is no miracle cure for stretch marks. There is no remedy out there today that will make your stretch marks disappear completely. If you're blessed with miraculous skin, then maybe. But if you're human, then nuh-uh. Sorry. So be very very suspicious of infomercials or ads for ANY product that claims to remove the battle scars. It's a lie. But I know that you knew that already, at least in your gut.

The good news is that there ARE remedies out there that will help improve the appearance of stretch marks. And depending on your skin, the results can be quite good. A year ago, a few friends and I did our own market research study, testing out some of the stuff out there. For three months, we massaged the lotions, gels, and creams on our stretch marks. Some women even used two different brands, only applying one to one side or their body and the other to the opposite side. We all took before and after shots. (I recommend taking before and after shots because sometimes the results are subtle and you won't remember the original marks.)

We all saw some improvement in our before and after photos and even to our own eyes, using both the cheapest and priciest gunk out there.

Here are our results:

Emu oil. Lots of people sing the praises of the oil from this animal and it definitely made a difference on my friend K___, who had some pretty severe stretch marks on her stomach. You can find this online, at some health stores, and as an indredient in some stretch mark lotions.

Palmer's Cocoa Butter. Medium results for my friend T, who is olive-skinned and had some not-too-bad battle scars from pregnancy. I used this with plain olice oil on my belly during pregnancy and didn't get stretch marks there.

Mustela. Love this brand for their baby products, but probably the least visible results of the group. Also used on the least visible stretch marks, so that probably skewed the outcome some.

Mederma. First formulated as a scar treatment, this showed good results after a few months. Two women in our group used it, and one found that it irritated her skin a little. Oh well.

Stri-Vectin. Expensive but effective. Definitely seemed to improve the shape and visibility of the stretch marks. Dermatologists often say that this product and RetinA can improve the tightness of skin.

We all saw some improvement using the above products, which range in price from $5 to $140. The difficulty with testing these types of skin products was clear with our group. It's impossible to know how any person's skin will react to the complex blend of ingredients in any stretch mark lotion. Too many variable to name. The good news? Even the worst results showed some subtle improvements. Without before and after shots, we wouldn't have caught the difference. So remember to take photos.

A few key things to remember:

Sooner rather than later: One of our testers used the cream on 10-yr old stretch marks as well as her more recent baby stretch marks. She noticed a big difference in the newer marks using the Mederma than with the older ones.

Overall health and the sands of time: It's impossible to test how effective stretch mark lotions are because dermatologists say that ALL stretch marks fade over time. By 9 months post-partum, most women's stretch marks will have faded to a few shades lighter than their own skin tone. Yes, even if they've done nothing. But keeping your skin and body hydrated, taking vitamins, and staying fit will help your skin in any circumstance. So dermatologists do recommend doing those things to aid in healing those stretch marks.

Skin massage: Massage may also be a key component of the effectiveness of stretch mark lotions. If you massage your skin 2-3 times a day, your skin's appearance will improve over time regardless of which cream you're using. There is a whole cellulite treatment based on this theory called endermologie.


When buying a stretch mark lotion, there are too many choices out there. But here is a list of some of the most popular ingredients found in effective stretch mark lotions:

Shea butter
Cocoa butter
Emu oil
Aloe
Sweet almond oil
Vitamin E
Glycolic Acid
Collagen
Olive oil

Happy Shopping!

Play doh perfume

I’m not one of those lucky (?) people like Mary Karr or Frank McCourt who have childhood memories which remain crystal clear and vivid with detail. My childhood appears to me like a black and white silent film that sometimes has flashes of color or sound. So when my son opened his first container of play doh last year, I inhaled deeply. The chemically-fresh-minty scent brought back a whole host of now-technicolor enhanced childhood days.

My son busts out his play doh every few days so I always get my fix, but if you don’t have your own tot, then play doh perfume may be for you. It says in the marketing materials that it’s for ‘highly creative people’ but I’m doubtful. I think it’s just fun.

Play doh cologne is $39.5 for 4 oz, $19 for 1 oz at demeter fragrance

lip gloss jewelry

In this day and age, why settle for single function accessories? Our phones take photos and send email, so our jewelry can certainly kick it up a notch. Make it work, people!

Gloss is still in, and these multitaskers keep the shine close at hand. Whether you’re trendy, glam, or a little bit butch, one of these glossies should work for you.

This juicy bracelet is bright, bold, and gold, and the two heart charms have gloss and mirrors inside. Triple usage.

$75 at Saks Fifth Avenue

This Dior locket is surrounded by crystals for even more sparkle, and there are two colors of lip gloss within.

$55 at eluxury.com

Military gear has never looked so good. This Urban Decay necklace may be the prettiest dog tag you’ve ever seen, and it hides some utilitarian gloss in two one-shine-fits-all shades.

$26 at Urban Decay