Sep 28 2016

Regaining body confidence post-pregnancy

Posted on September 28, 2016 by admin

One of the most common problems women encounter during pregnancy is fine lines and marks appearing across the stomach and abdomen; it’s your body’s natural reaction to fast growth, and during pregnancy your body undergoes a lot of change. Most women gain between 10kg and 12.5kg during pregnancy, although this certainly depends on individuals – with this, stretch marks are common as the skin is stretched around the area of growth.

Whilst stretch marks are not harmful, many women feel self-conscious by their appearance, and even though you are proud of what your body has achieved and you have a bundle of joy to take care of and be part of your family, a lot of women strive to rid their body of these marks. If you are looking to regain body confidence post-pregnancy, keep reading for some tips on how to get rid of stretch marks.
Bump

What causes stretch marks

During pregnancy, stretch marks commonly appear on the stomach, upper thighs and breasts as pregnancy progresses and your bumps starts to grow. They are narrow pink or purplish lines that appear on the surface of the skin, and can be difficult to live with, occurring when the middle layer of skin becomes stretched and broken in places.

Post-pregnancy, these stretch marks are likely to fade into a white, silver thin mark more likened to the appearance of a scar, whether you get stretch marks during pregnancy will depend on the elasticity of your skin, as this is different between people.

How to get rid of post-pregnancy stretch marks

When you are planning to have a baby, it’s a good idea to look at how this will impact on your body, and learning to accept the changes that your body will go through during pregnancy. There are a number of oils and creams that can be beneficial to both the treatment and prevention of stretch marks, throughout pregnancy using these will help the skin to strengthen preventing the impact that stretching will have on your skin.

Maintain a healthy diet

It is generally advised for pregnant women not to diet whilst they are pregnant, or post-pregnancy – if you are worried about weight gain you should speak to your GP and they can advise on your specific requirements. Maintaining a healthy diet and weight will help you ensure that the weight gained throughout your pregnancy does not exceed what it should be for your body.

Bio-oil

One of the most popular products on the market for stretch marks is Bio-oil, it is an effective treatment for scars and stretch marks on the skin. Working to minimise the appearance of the marks, and give the appearance that they have gone.

Cocoa butter

Another product that is popular amongst pregnant women is Palmer’s Cocoa Butter, for many women it is effective in making the skin more elastic to help prevent and treat the appearance of stretch marks.

Laser treatment

To effectively treat and diminish the appearance of stretch marks, laser treatment is a great procedure that will leave long-lasting results, giving many women their confidence back, at The Laser Treatment Clinic, situated on Harley Street in London, their laser treatment procedure works to rejuvenate the skin to minimise the appearance of stretch marks on the skin.

Article supplied by The Laser Treatment Clinic

Sep 16 2014

The Spoiled Mama Tummy Butter Review: From Effortless Skin

Posted on September 16, 2014 by admin

I’m a firm believer in looking after my own skin, and my families. Heidi and Dexter are therefore spoilt with daily massages, and have their own bathroom cabinet overflowing with organic treatments. And… don’t tell him I’ve grassed him up , but I’ll often catch Craig nicking my face creams in the mornings too.

As the largest organ in the body, and the biggest defense any of us have against allergens and other air-born nasties, our skin needs constant nourishment to keep it in tip top shape (… and let’s face it, no one wants saggy knees, and a wobbly tummy). Sadly, having a baby plays absolute havoc with your skin and most of us (still) yummy mummies have a war wound or two to show for the experience.

I actually don’t mind my stretchmarks as I don’t see them as ugly. Most are already a nice shade of silver and I got away with just a couple of tiger stripes throughout both pregnancies. That said, if there’s a miracle product that can stop them multiplying as I shift the baby weight, that’s fine by me! And it just so happens, I’ve found an amazing one…

The Spoiled Mama Tummy Butter for Stretch Marks (Available at Effortless Skin)

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100% natural, and made from the finest organic ingredients available, this butter is the perfect solution for preventing or fading existing stretchmarks. Pure cocoa butter, organic Rosehip oil, organic Tamanu, and Kukui Nut oils have been combined to make a butter rich in Vitamin A and E, and high amounts of essential fatty acids. Together they promote collagen and elastin levels to increase cell regeneration. This results in firmer skin with greater elasticity.

This is pretty hard to fault to be honest. I love smothering my scars with this every morning and am happy to report that no new ones have come out to play since doing so.

The best way to describe the scent is Terry’s Chocolate Orange. This was a bit of a shock as I was expecting something far more cocoa buttery. It’s not unpleasant, far from it. It quickly fades to leave a light and almost odourless fragrance which makes it ideal for everyday use (basically you won’t be getting up anyone’s nose on the bus!).

Spoiled Mama Tummy

Applying the tummy butter was a cinch. It’s very easy to rub in and leaves your skin feeling amazingly soft. I’d say it takes a little while longer to absorb than other stretchmark creams I’ve used, but this is actually quite reassuring. It gives you a sense that the cream is doing its thing and delivering plenty of moisture where it’s needed. As it’s not quick to dry, I’d therefore recommend it for cheeky massages if you can get your other half in the mood.

In fact, massaging in the butter is key to its success. For much the same reasons as body-brushing, light circular motions will bring blood flow to the surface and this will help aid in stretch mark prevention. My mum always told me to massage towards the heart also. This promotes venous blood return back to the heart so that it may get re-oxygenated - thus improving results.

Getting skincare right and ensuring you’re using high quality products that are tailored to each part of your body is something I usually rave about; what you use on your arms and legs, will rarely be ideal for your breasts or your tummy. The fact some areas of your skin are more prone to stretching, less exposed to the elements, and more likely to sweat, are all different factors to take into consideration when selecting which product suits which body part best. This butter however, is a bit of an all-rounder.

It’ll lock in moisture all day and leave your skin incredibly hydrated (without any of the greasiness we’ve come to expect from rich creams). I can’t tell you how chuffed I am with it.

At £31 for a 4oz tub, it’s not cheap. Compared to other stretchmark solutions, it’s in the Ivory League in terms of price. But I’d happily pay this for what is essentially a gold star product. It’s a MUST-HAVE for any woman, regardless if she’s in the throes of pregnancy or not.

The only thing I’d have liked to have seen, is a prettier pot. For a premium organic product, the packaging is a little naff. I’d have liked to have seen real glass, more robust labeling (mine is peeling away) and a lid shield to save the cream slipping when laid on its side. Moot points I’m sure, but it’s the least I’d expect from a Rolls Royce brand. I’ll leave this in The Spoiled Mama’s capable hands.

To find out more, you can pop across to The Spoiled Mama’s website (US). To purchase, best prices can be found on effortlessskin.com, where there are also tons more luxury skincare products to get giddy over. You can also connect with Effortless Skin on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest for offers, tips and beauty news.

Aug 21 2014

Bepanthen Stretch Mark Cream Review

Posted on August 21, 2014 by admin

We’re all familiar with Bepanthen as sore bum and nappy rash experts. Now they have an entirely different offering, a stretch mark cream for use both before and after pregnancy. Okay, I can’t comment on their preventative powers, but I can tell you if they’ve reduced the look of my stretch marks after 4 weeks use.

Bepanthen Stretch Marks

What is it?

Bepanthen Stretch Mark Cream is developed with the latest scientific knowledge and the needs of mums-to-be in mind. Unlike other stretch mark creams, Bepanthen comprises a unique formula which works to strengthen and support the skin before the first signs of stretch marks appear - thus reducing the risk of occurrence.

Contains:

Extract of Centella Asiatica which encourages the production of collagen
Provitamin B5 and glycerine which are proven to nourish the skin to improve elasticity
Pure Olive Oil and skin lipids to moisturiser and act as a barrier to external influences
Hypoallergenic and free from colours and preservatives

The lowdown before the cream…

Two babies have taken their toll. Okay, the stretchmarks aren’t disastrous (and they certainly don’t make my Craig think twice) but they might signal the end of my bikini-clad days.

Stretch Marks

Initial thoughts…

Before trialling this, I’ve been a big fan of Bio-Oil. It does the job, sinks in easily and eases my conscience that I’m at least trying to cover up the road-map my babies have left. I wouldn’t go so far as to pretend it works, who knows if it prevents marks you haven’t got yet, and they’re all still very much there (if a little lighter).

I have to admit that the pursuit of a scar-free tummy doesn’t consume me. I think my Craig is sensible enough to realise that the odd scar I’m sporting is because I’ve given him the best gifts on earth, more so, it could be a damn sight worse! I would like to look like Kelly Brook, but life just gets in the way.

So I used it on the odd few marks that my babies have left; twice a day (as recommended) on my tummy, my breasts and my thighs.

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And?….

Oh dear. I soooo wanted to bring you a success story!

I’m not suggesting this cream has zero benefit.I actually like the smell (although have read online that some find it unpleasant), and it does offer fabulous hydration throughout the day. It has an almost silky texture and rubs in incredibly easily.

Within minutes it dries to a matt finish and leaves the skin feeling tighter and firmer. I haven’t had any new stretchmarks since using it which could indicate it’s doing its thing, or just that I’ve finally reached the pinnacle of physical fitness and have stopped growing (that’s a joke if ever there was one!).

I also really like the bottle design which features “bag in a bottle” technology. The action of pumping squeezes the bag inside the hard exterior case so you can access every last drop of cream. Well done Bepanthen - more companies should embrace this technology so we’re not so wasteful and get the most out of our purchases. I won’t bore you with all the lengths I’ve gone to to get the last bits of foundation out of my bottles.

Bottle

Usually £24.99, it’s now reduced to £16.66 at Boots. If we compare this to other well regarded stretch mark lotions and potions, you can see that stretch marks are big business and Bepanthen’s offering is competitively priced :

Bio Oil (200ml) RRP £19.99

Clarins Stretch Mark Control (200mls) RRP £37.00

Mama Mio The Tummy Rub Butter (125mls) RRP £23.50

Various Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Remedies RRP from £3.00 -£9.00

Weleda Pregnancy Oil (100mls) RRP £15.00

TEN Stretch Mark Prevention & Reduction Cream (200ml) RRP £35.00

In fairness I’d buy the product again if I were to go on and procreate some more, but for now I’ll be sticking to Bio-Oil in a fairly half-arsed attempt to fade out my current tiger stripes. That said, it’s certainly been well received by others and was recommended by a massive 96% of mums-to-be during a product trial on Netmums.

To find out more about the entire range of Bepanthen products, head on over to Bepanthen.co.uk.