Why paraben-free stretch mark cream appeals to so many Mamas

Turn over almost any body cream and you will find a long ingredient list in very small print. During pregnancy many Mamas start reading it properly for the first time, and one word they often look for is "paraben".

If you would rather keep parabens out of your routine for the next few months, a paraben-free stretch mark cream is an easy way to do it. The research behind the worry is more reassuring than the internet suggests, and we explain it first. If you only want to know about our own cream, skip straight to it.

What are parabens?

Parabens are a family of preservatives. Methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben and butylparaben are the ones you are most likely to see on a label. They stop bacteria and mould from growing in water-based products such as creams and lotions, which matters, because a cream that grows mould is a real hazard to your skin.

They have been used for decades because they are cheap and they work at very low levels. In Malaysia, as across ASEAN, they are permitted in cosmetics within set maximum concentrations.

Why some Mamas prefer to avoid them

The concern comes from laboratory research showing that some parabens can act weakly like oestrogen. Researchers have also found traces of parabens in urine, blood and breast milk, which tells us that some of what goes on the skin is absorbed.

What that research has not shown is harm to mothers or babies from parabens at the levels allowed in cosmetics. European regulators reviewed the evidence and concluded that methylparaben and ethylparaben are safe at their permitted levels. They set lower limits for propylparaben and butylparaben and banned a handful of less-studied parabens altogether.

So choosing paraben-free is a reasonable personal preference. You will be rubbing a stretch mark cream over a large area of skin twice a day for months, and many mothers simply feel more comfortable with fewer question marks on the label. Your cream should be a source of calm in that routine.

What causes stretch marks, and what a cream can do

Stretch marks form when skin is stretched faster than it can adapt, which is why the belly, breasts, hips and thighs are the usual places. Your genes play a large part. If your mother or sisters had them, you are more likely to get them too, and rapid weight gain adds to the odds.

A good cream keeps stretching skin moisturised, soft and supple, and that also eases the dry, tight, itchy feeling that so often comes with a growing bump. Some mothers find that marks look less noticeable with regular use. Research on creams for preventing stretch marks altogether is mixed, and no cream can promise you will not get any.

Our paraben-free stretch mark cream

Mama's Choice Stretch Mark Cream is formulated for pregnancy and breastfeeding. It is made without parabens and without drying alcohol, and it is halal certified by BPJPH, Indonesia. Instead of parabens, it is preserved with phenoxyethanol, sorbic acid and caprylhydroxamic acid.

It is a light, fast-absorbing cream that you can smooth over your belly and get dressed straight after. In a Mama's Choice satisfaction survey of 78 mums in Indonesia in 2022:

• 100% felt the texture was just right
• 98% felt it absorbed easily
• 97% felt it was comfortable to use and not sticky

For a fuller routine, the cream pairs with our Stretch Mark Serum. In a Mama's Choice use test with 29 mums in 2022, 83% agreed the serum helps skin look smoother. Results differ from person to person. The pair is sold together as the Stretch Mark Cream and Serum Set.

What is in the cream

Lipobelle soyaglycone

A soy-derived ingredient made by a Swiss supplier, built around soy isoflavones and lecithin. In our cream it helps keep stretching skin feeling firm and moisturised.

Aloe vera

Aloe vera leaf juice gives the cream its cool, fresh feel on warm skin, which is welcome in Malaysian heat when your bump feels tight and dry.

Shea butter and olive oil

Shea butter softens dry skin. Olive fruit oil adds richness without leaving a greasy film, so the cream feels comforting rather than heavy.

Jojoba oil

Jojoba oil is close in feel to the skin's own oils. It helps the cream spread smoothly and leaves skin feeling soft.

How to use it

• Smooth it over your belly, breasts, hips and thighs every morning and night
• Massage gently in circles until it disappears, using a lighter touch over your bump
• Start early, ideally from the end of the first trimester, because skin that is already moisturised copes better with stretching
• Carry on after the birth, when your skin is changing again

Patch test on the inside of your arm first if you have sensitive skin.

Where to buy

You can read the full ingredient list on the product page. Our official stores on Shopee and Lazada show the latest price, and you can send us a question there or on our social media at any time.