Thanks to puberty, when I was about 15 my formerly narrow hips exploded out of nowhere into a curvier shape. While I have nothing against my hips, I don’t love the stretch marks they brought along for the ride.
~Self love~ is a long road, so while I’ve come to accept them for the most part, I’m still interested in researching ways I can temporarily camouflage them.
When you google “how to over your stretch marks” there’s a few different methods out there, so I tried out four of the most popular ones (and ranked them from worst to best) to see how effective they really are.
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#4 Self-tanning foam
Using fake tan to cover stretch marks is a contentious method. Some people say it camouflages them, others say it makes them more obvious. Unfortunately for me, I fall into the latter category.
As an avid fake tanner, it would be very convenient if it also covered my stretchies but, alas, this has not been my experience.
Another downside to fake tan on stretch marks I’ve found is that as the tan fades, it sticks to the stretchmarks making them way more obvious than they would be if you weren’t wearing anything.
#3 Wash-off tan
While I was aware an overnight tan did nothing but make my stretch marks more obvious, I’d seen some people online saying that wash-off formulas worked better – and I have to agree.
While the result is far from perfect, it does make them slightly less obvious and helps to blend my skin tone.
I used the Bondi Sands GLO in the matte finish, and was impressed with how quickly it dried, not rubbing off onto my clothes at all. A little bit goes a long way too, so if you were doing it regularly you wouldn’t go through too much product.
bh loves: Garnier Ambre Solaire No-Streaks Wash Off Instant Bronzer Gel, Rimmel London Sun Shimmer Instant Tan Gradual Glow, Bondi Sands GLO
#2 Concealer
Using the Bourjois Always Fabulous 2-in-1 Foundcealer Stick, I ‘filled in’ my stretch marks with concealer. I’m pleasantly surprised with the finished product, it made my stretch marks far less visible. If you’re planning on trying this, you’ll need a thick, full-coverage, matte concealer to do the job. You should also be looking for formulas with a lot of staying power, as they’ll be less likely to rub off onto your clothes.
My only complaint is that it takes quite a bit of product to do the job, so if you’re using this method regularly it will end up being pretty pricey.
bh loves: Revlon PhotoReady™ Concealer, COVERGIRL Smoothers Concealer, Bobbi Brown Instant Full Cover Concealer, Bourjois Always Fabulous 2-in-1 Foundcealer Stick
#1 Body foundation
We have a winner.
I was pretty curious to try out the KKW Skin Perfecting Body foundation (kkwbeauty.com, $45), because I’d seen some pretty amazing transformations online. I used the shade Light/ Medium, which was possibly a little too dark but it still worked a treat. I’m very impressed with the results. I only used a pea-sized amount, but the coverage is still amazing. It gives a blurring effect to my stretch marks, and while they’re still visible, they’re far less so.
It was also quick work; 10 seconds to rub it in and then it dried instantly so I could go about my day.
I just flaunt it now, not openly but I have so many ugly things post baby and I don't mind.
The only anti-stretch mark cream helped me with gettin rid of stretch marks is "Stretcheal" ma buddy. Stretcheal gave my beautiful body back. Thanks Stretcheal!
I have been using DermalMD Stretch Mark Serum twice a day for a few months now (has to get 2 jars) and I do not have one stretch mark! I’m currently 9 months pregnant! I absolutely recommend this serum. Only downside is the price but it’s worth it to not have any stretch marks. It says there’s no scent but it actually smells really good.