Does Stretch Mark Cream Work: What Helps and What Doctors Say

In 1965 Clarins launched its Tonic Body Treatment Oil, three years after its Masvelt body shaping cream. Jacques Courtin-Clarins had opened his first institute at 35 rue Tronchet in Paris in 1954, and the brand still calls the oil the go-to formula for pregnant women since 1965. It was sold as a daily ritual for the body, and more than sixty years later the ritual is still what a good product gives you.

Here is where I want to be honest. The American Academy of Dermatology says treatment seems to have little effect on mature stretch marks, and that massaging almond oil, cocoa butter, olive oil or vitamin E did not fade them or prevent them. The Mayo Clinic says stretch marks are harmless and often fade, and Cleveland Clinic says cocoa butter has not been shown to prevent or reduce them. Prescription tretinoin is the most-studied topical for early marks, and it is not safe in pregnancy. If you are pregnant, ask your provider before using any product that claims to treat or prevent them.

So my case for a stretch mark cream is simple. It can soothe an itch, soften tight skin and turn a few minutes a day into something you look forward to. Mustela, which has been family-owned since 1950 and launched its 9 Months pregnancy line in 1994, makes the Stretch Marks Cream Fragrance Free. Burt's Bees has its Mama Bee Belly Butter, Bio-Oil its skincare oil for scars and stretch marks, and StriVectin its SD Advanced PLUS. Luna Daily, Pure Mama and HATCH Mama add belly oils, and Clarins' Tonic Body Firming and Toning Treatment Oil is the 1965 original.

One rule for oils: apply them to damp skin, straight out of the shower, and use less than you think. Damp skin holds more of it, and a small amount spreads a long way.

Summer Fridays' Babymoon Belly Balm is the balm made for the belly, a treat to use before bed. Katini Skin's Signature Firming & Hydrating Body Oil is the one I would leave on overnight. L'Occitane's Soothing and Firming Almond Supple Skin Body Oil is soft and simple, and I would use it after a bath.

Then the body oils that were made to be enjoyed. Nécessaire's Body Oil in Grapefruit is bright and clean, Augustinus Bader's The Body Oil is the polished one, and MUTHA's Body Oil is the quiet one you might not know yet. MARA's Sea Sculpt Body Oil, made with algae and moringa, and KORA Organics' Noni Glow Body Oil are the plant-forward pair.

A pairing I like: a belly balm at night for comfort, and a lighter oil in the morning on legs and hips, when you have somewhere to be.

What I would skip: heavily scented oils if fragrance bothers you during pregnancy. Choose the plain one, and check with your provider if you are unsure.

Start by asking what you want from a firming cream, because none of them promise a miracle. What they can do is make skin feel smoother, more supple and more even to the touch, and that is a nice thing to have.

Caudalie's Vinosculpt Lift & Firm Body Cream and Biossance's Caffeine Toning Body Cream + Squalane are the two with a caffeine and toning story on the label. Sol de Janeiro's Brazilian Bum Bum Visibly Firming Refillable Body Cream comes in a refillable jar, which I like. La Mer's The Body Cream for Hydration and Firming is the one I would keep for my legs.

Nécessaire's The Body Lotion is the plainest of the group, and Josie Maran's Always Nude (Unscented) is the answer for people who avoid fragrance. Lavido's Thera-Intensive Firming Body Butter is the butter of the group, while Voesh's Tone'd Body Firming Roller Creme is the tool-and-cream option, with a roller to massage it in.

A pairing I like: a lighter firming cream by day and a richer butter from the next grid at night, so your skin gets two different jobs from two products.

What I would skip: a strongly scented cream on skin that is already itchy. Fragrance-free is kinder.

A habit worth borrowing: keep a jar of body butter where you cannot ignore it. Next to the bed or on the edge of the tub, it turns a one-off into a daily thing, and daily is what makes skin feel better.

Bio-Oil's Body Lotion is the lightweight one, easy in warm weather. Summer Fridays' Body Butter Balm and goop Beauty's Nourishing Repair Body Butter are the rich, soothing ones. Kiehl's Crème de Corps Soy Milk & Honey Whipped Body Butter is a classic for a reason, and Glossier's Crème de You is the dry-touch one, for people who hate a sticky finish.

Moroccanoil's Body Butter Moisturizer is the salon-brand choice. Burt's Bees' Boosted Body Daily Lotion with Ceramide Complex is a simple everyday lotion, and Susanne Kaufmann's Body Butter is the plainest-named pot of the lot.

A pairing I like: a butter on the belly and thighs, a lotion everywhere else. Two textures are more comfortable than one thick coat.

What I would skip: rubbing a rich butter on hard just because you want a result. Gentle, steady pressure is enough.

I think the best stretch mark cream is the one you will actually put on, every day, with your hands and a little time. I would start with a fragrance-free cream like Mustela's or Josie Maran's Always Nude, and add an oil if I liked the ritual.

Ask your doctor about anything that promises to erase or prevent stretch marks, and skip the shame altogether, because these marks are just a record of growth. Clarins put a bottle on the shelf in 1965 and sold a habit ever since. The skin remembers the care, even when the marks stay. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together The Neck Cream Edit, From a Stretch-Mark Accident to Red Light Devices and Say Yes to Ouai Hair Oil.