Dermaoil Review

I had hoped I wouldn't need to worry about stretch marks again... at least not for a while.  However, since starting running back in June, I've lost nearly 2 stone and my body is fairly rapidly changing shape so yes, the stretch marks from two babies are really very noticeable again!  Thankfully, Dermaoil asked me to try out their skin repair and stretch mark oil - perfect timing!

Dermaoil is a gentle oil which can be used on all sorts of different areas of the body to increase firmness and elasticity of the skin; not only is it recommended for use in the reduction of appearance of stretch marks but it is also proven to be effective at reducing the signs of ageing and for reducing the appearance of scars.

I've been using Dermaoil for about a month.  I use it on my tummy, the tops of my legs, the tops of my arms and on my face and neck.  The oil is a mix of different natural oils such as sunflower (the base oil), jojoba, macadamia and argan oils - all of which bring different restorative properties.  There are no artificial fragrances but the smell is gorgeous, a mix of calendula flower and mandarin oil extracts which is why I particularly enjoy using Dermaoil on my face.

I shall be very honest and say that, in the month that I've used Dermaoil, I haven't seen any ground-breaking results but then I don't think I have any particular problem areas that need to be addressed; the stretch marks are still very much as they were before but I'm going to keep applying the oil because Dermaoil recommend using it for at least 3 months.  I don't find Dermaoil to be a stand-out rehydration oil (although I do enjoy the feel of my skin when I use the oil as a base for my evening moisturisation routine).  Obviously, results will vary depending on your skin.

The place in which I've noticed the most difference is my knees and the funny bit of dry skin on the outside of my ankle... both feel less nobbly than before!

The oil is naturally a yellowy colour (it has no added colour, no preservatives and no wheat or yeast unlike some stretch mark oils).  The oil applies very smoothly to the skin and it is up to you how much you want to rub it in, but I like to perform little massage movements to help it absorb (very mellow when you are applying it to your temples!)

Over the coming weeks I'm going to try using Dermaoil as a nail and cuticle conditioning treatment as I have been suffering from broken nails for a few weeks - it'll be interesting the see whether Dermaoil can give my nails a boost.

Dermaoil is suitable for use during pregnancy (from the start of the second trimester) to aid elasticity of the skin and help prevent stretch marks.

Dermaoil is available from chemistdirect.co.uk; 200ml for £15.99.

MaterniCare Pre & Post Natal Nourishing Cream Review

In the weeks following Holly's birth I used a new skincare product on my bump (and its remnants!) called MaterniCare Pre & Post Natal Nourishing Cream. It is a really nice thick and luxurious cream that feels very pampering. Unlike many of the oils and butters that I used throughout the bulk of my pregnancy (all of which were scrumptious), it doesn't leave a greasy residue - in fact my bump seemed too suck MaterniCare right up in seconds!

MaterniCare is made by the same people who make Colief. For me, MaterniCare is a nice mix of natural plant-based ingredients with a little dab of science to help it along the way. The cream is packed full of plant oils and essential vitamins to nourish and care for your skin as your bump grows and then to support your body as it recovers. It is hypoallergenic and containspro-vitamin B51 – a powerful natural skin healer and protector – as well as almond, avocado and grape seed oils, vitamin E and soothing calendula. All of these lead to MaterniCare cream having a very gentle, appealing scent (you know these things matter to me!)

During pregnancy, MaterniCare is designed to help prevent stretch marks (although I can't vouch for this as I only started using it in my final weeks) and to hydrate itchy dry, stretching skin. After pregnancy it is designed to help your skin recover from that stretching.

MaterniCare is suitable for breasts, tummy, thighs, hips and bottom where it can contribute to the suppleness of your skin. For me, the most noticeable thing from using MaterniCare Pre & Post Natal Nourishing Cream is a level of strength that has returned to my skin - even before baby was born. The way my skin feels after use is very much how my thighs felt after using Alva Naturkosmetik Intensive Refining Cream - firm and taught and strong. MaterniCare cream costs £14.99 for 200ml.

I seem to have got away without any new stretch marks this time around so I can't certify its effectiveness at tackling them!

Palmers Tummy Butter for Stretch Marks Review

I have been using Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therapy oil to prevent stretch marks since the start of my second trimester. When I reviewed it I mentioned that the scent was a little strong for me so instead I've been trying out the Palmers Tummy Butter for Stretch Marks which has a new formula.

The Tummy Butter comes in a small, low tub and is a thick, buttery texture. You apply the butter to your bump (or, after the birth, where your bump used to be) to tackle stretch marks and there's nothing to stop you using it elsewhere on your body where stretch marks could appear.

The Cocoa Butter Formula is the secret to tackling dry and stretched skin but in addition, this ultra-concentrated balm also includes Vitamin E, Collagen and Elastin to help maintain and restore firmness to the skin where you apply it. The best thing about the Tummy Butter for me is the scent. The butter is supplemented with soothing lavender oil which not only means it is nice and restful when I apply it in the evenings, but also means that the scent is a little lighter than other Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula products I've tried in the past - less cocoa-ey.

Other products in the Palmers range for stretch marks include a massage lotion and more concentrated massage cream designed specifically to target the dryness of pregnant, stretched skin and to restore the skin's elasticity. I enjoy the massage lotion as it is a light texture on my skin and I can see myself using this post birth to help increase the firmness of my skin and target the stretch marks (assuming I have some!)

  

My Bio Oil Skin Story (and a BIG Mellow Mummy announcement)

There is something rather rewarding about accepting that you have got stretch marks. Its almost liberating to admit it. As part of Bio Oil's new 'Skin Stories' campaign to get people sharing and celebrating their scars, I thought I would share some exciting news with you.

When I was pregnant with Lara I swore by Bio Oil. I slathered it on for much of my second trimester when I first noticed that my boobs were doubling in size and the skin was stretching. I'll admit that I wasn't anywhere near as thorough during the final trimester when my belly really started to bulge and I guess that was because I really felt that my skin around my tummy was healthy and seemed to be coping well with the stretch.

In the couple of years following Lara's birth I've noticed that the skin on my breasts has recovered well but the skin around my belly (where it was most stretched to accommodate Lara's 8lb 12oz) is pocked and scarred. With hindsight, I should have paid more attention to this area at the time!

The stretch marks on my tummy have become all the more noticeable in the past couple of months, mainly because my tummy is beginning to bulge once again. Yes, after the little hiccup in the summer, I'm pregnant once more and approaching the end of my first trimester with the beginnings of a bump.

As my waistline has slowly started to expand, I've become really aware of the stretch marks and so this time I'm determined to combat the effects with Bio Oil. I've been using it for a month now and can see a marked improvement in the appearance of the existing stretch marks and I'm hoping that it will also have preventative effects too.

This time, I'm going to stick with it and, along with a few other skincare essentials and handy tips, I'm going to try and keep good care of my skin during pregnancy and in those vital few months afterwards.


To take part in the ‘Skin Stories’ campaign, you can contribute your skin story to the Bio Oil facebook page and for every story shared they will donate £1 to the British Skin Foundation:

• Follow the campaign on facebook at www.facebook.com/biooiluk and find out what women like you have to say


• Join the conversation and contribute your own skincare or body positive ideas, thoughts and recommendations to the group.


• Get some answers by putting your questions to our team of skincare, health, beauty and wellbeing experts (details below) who will dispel myths and offer practical advice that makes a difference


• Try something new: watch videos from our experts and celebrities, learn top make-up and skincare techniques


• Become a campaign ambassador: talk about the campaign on your own facebook wall and maybe offer a link to our page; tweet any positive news or views you learn, and use the campaign to help you talk about the subject with family and friends.

Bio Oil Review

If I had been a blogger when I was pregnant with Lara, I would have written you a Bio Oil review – I loved it and, given that I managed to come out of the other side of pregnancy with no stretch marks then I can safely say that it did it's job well with regards to retaining the look of my skin.

But today, I'm not doing a review of Bio Oil in terms of stretch marks, I'm reviewing it for it's ability to improve skin tone and relieve dehydrated skin. If you've followed Mellow mummy for some time you will probably know by now that Lara suffers from dry skin and ezcema on her arms, and that since becoming a mum, I have also suffered from dry skin, particularly on my arms. I thought that we would give Bio Oil a chance to prove itself by improving the dry skin on our arms.

The first problem I encountered on our experiment is that Lara has inherited a trait from her father – a dislike of feeling greasy! Lara let me put the Bio Oil on her once (we regularly apply moisturiser to her so she is used to this). She really didn't like the oily feeling of it on her arms. She has had massage oil applied regularly in the past but usually you rub oil in until it is pretty much absorbed into the skin. With Bio Oil, you give it a gentle rub and then let it sit on the skin to absorb. The next time I tried to apply the oil to her, she outright refused to let me touch her! I gave up that experiment.

But for me, I love the feeling and I really like the smell of Bio Oil (maybe it reminds me of being pregnant?). I've been applying the oil to one of my upper arms so that I can compare the results. I can't really say that I've noticed a difference to the blotchiness of my skin but I think that perhaps Bio Oil is better at improving skin tone where the skin has suffered from discolouration rather than than irritation. When it comes to rehydrating the skin, I am more impressed.

The arm on which I have been trying out Bio Oil is certainly smoother and less dry at present. Bio Oil helps the skin by supporting the skin's own natural oils and by giving the skin a chance to restore it's own barrier-effect against drying chemicals. After application, once the oil has dried, my skin does feel a lot healthier and more supple.

That said, I still don't feel like the Bio Oil has been as effective against the dry skin on my arms as it was against stretch marks. I'd definitely use it again during pregnancy but I'm not sure I'll continue my dry-skin experiment.