I made a balm to help with stretch marks this week. I’m 15 weeks pregnant and my tummy is beginning to expand, so this is to help ensure I am not left with stretch mark scars as my body changes. You can use this balm to help avoid stretch marks when gaining or losing weight for what ever reason, including during and after pregnancy. Since my breasts have also increased in size, I will be using it on them until the baby is born. If breast feeding, then only apply at times when there is space between your baby feeding as you don’t want them feeding on the balm, or being put off by it.
Stretch Mark Balm – Recipe for 50g Pot
- Beeswax, 5g
- Shea butter, 5g
- Rosehip oil, 20g
- Calendula oil*, 20g
- Essential Oils (optional):
- Mandarin, 2 drops (I used yellow & green mandarin)
- Lavender, 1 drop (ensure it’s pure ‘Lavandula angustifolia’ essential oil).
- Caution: not all essential oils are safe to use in pregnancy, so check any safety advice if you want to tweak the recipe. Also, essential oils should be used at a much lower dose in pregnancy, as they can cross the placenta, so use around 0.25%. I always imagine I’m choosing oils that will be safe for the baby if I’m making something for someone who is pregnant.
- *You can replace the calendula oil with something else if you wish for example daisy oil, olive oil, apricot oil, safflower oil or camellia oil. You can also replace the rosehip oil, but this is particularly useful for scars.
Instructions:
- Weigh out the beeswax and shea butter using the scale and weigh or measure out the base oil.
- Use a bain marie or double boiler to melt the beeswax (do not heat directly), then add the base oil and continue to gently heat. Add the shea butter at the end so it is not heated longer than necessary. As soon as it’s completely melted remove from the heat.
- Let it cool a little before adding essential oils, so they are not affected too much by the heat. If it begins to solidify give the mixture a stir.
- Pour the mixture into a clean, dry container and leave to cool and set before applying the lid and labelling so you don’t forget what’s inside.
- The balm should last for 12-18 months, but if it smells rancid, it may have been contaminated and should not be used.
Click here for more details on making a Balm.
You can order a custom made massage balm for pregnancy, stretch marks, scars and many other health & wellbeing conditions here: Bespoke Blends.