This DIY Belly Oil is made with natural ingredients like jojoba oil, rosehip seed oil, calendula infused oil, vitamin E oil, and essential oils of lavender and frankincense, to help in promoting skin elasticity and hydration, and assist in preventing pregnancy stretch marks. This belly oil is perfect for pregnancy or as a daily moisturiser to help keep the skin hydrated and smooth.
When my sister fell pregnant with her first child, she asked me if I could make her a pregnancy belly oil to help with the tight, dry, itchy skin symptoms she was experiencing as the baby grew.
I made her a pregnancy stretch mark salve, too, as she wanted both an oil and a cream to use on her belly to help in any way she could in avoiding the pregnancy stretch marks that are a genetic gift in our family.
Pregnancy is a beautiful time, but it can bring about many changes to the body, particularly around the belly as it grows and stretches to accommodate the growing baby.
A belly oil can be really helpful in relieving itchy, dry skin, particularly if used from the beginning of the pregnancy and maintained throughout as the baby grows and develops, and the belly gets bigger. The skin is left feeling incredibly soft and hydrated after each use, and can also be just as helpful during the postpartum days when skin can be left feeling dry and flaky.
The homemade belly oil recipe includes just one essential oil, lavender, which is considered safe for use during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, and may help to fade or reduce stretch marks on the skin. However, this ingredient can be omitted if there is any concern or wariness when it comes to using essential oils during pregnancy.
However, this oil makes an excellent everyday body moisturiser whether you are pregnant or not, so please do not feel restricted to using it only during pregnancy.
The Benefits of the Nourishing Oils Used
While this DIY belly oil will not magically erase stretch mark scars from the skin, it can help to fade stretch marks over time, and possibly prevent more marks from developing in the future.
This oil is made from a handful of nourishing oils that have a been found to help with fading scars and stretch marks. Ingredients like jojoba oil, rosehip seed oil, calendula infused oil, vitamin E oil, and lavender essential oil, can help to deeply nourish and moisturise the skin, providing a layer of protection and helping to support skin elasticity, promoting healthier looking skin.
Below is a breakdown of the benefits of each ingredient used in this oil recipe, and how these oils may help in reducing the appearance of stretch marks on the skin.
Jojoba Oil
Jojoba oil closely resembles the natural oils (sebum) produced by the skin, and makes an excellent moisturiser. This oil can help to balance the oil production on the skin, keeping skin hydrated without clogging pores.
As it is also rich in vitamins A, D, and E, this oil can help in repairing skin damage, may assist in reducing itchiness that comes with dry, stretched skin, and may help prevent or fade stretch marks on the belly, breasts, and hips.
Rosehip Seed Oil
This nourishing oil is a rich source of essential fatty acids, including omega 3 and omega 6, as well as Vitamin A, which may help with skin cell regeneration, can help to boost skin elasticity, and may assist in reducing the appearance of scars and stretch marks.
Calendula Infused Oil
Along with coconut oil, calendula infused oil is one of my most used oils for the skin! Here is my go-to recipe for making this medicinal oil at home. Calendula has a remarkable ability to stimulate skin cell turnover in the body, and may help to boost collagen production with its active compounds, carotenoids and flavonoids. Furthermore, calendula oil can help to penetrate deeply into the skin and promote skin elasticity and hydration.
Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender oil is considered safe for use during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, as long as the to dilution rate remains below 4%. I have chosen to limit the essential oil dilution for this belly oil to a 2% dilution rate, just to be on the safe side.
Lavender is a wonderful healing herb with many medicinal properties, like calendula. This botanical oil may help to support skin regeneration and repair as it can help to promote collagen synthesis in the body, speed up cell turnover, and assist in reducing inflammation with its active compounds, linalool and linalyl acetate.
Frankincense Essential Oil
Frankincense is a wonderful anti-inflammatory, and may help to promote skin elasticity and smooth the overall texture of skin, assisting in fading both fresh and mature marks on the skin when combined with a carrier oil.
Before we get started in learning how to make this homemade belly oil recipe, if you like what you’re seeing, subscribe to my email newsletter at the bottom of the page to keep up to date on the latest recipes, DIYs, gardening and health tips I share!
DIY Belly Oil Recipe
This belly oil may help to soothe symptoms of dry, tight, itchy skin and assist in promoting skin suppleness and elasticity.
This recipe makes approximately one 50 mL (1.7 ounce) dropper bottle with a 2% dilution of essential oils.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon calendula infused oil
- 1 tablespoon argan oil
- 3 teaspoons jojoba oil
- 1 teaspoon rosehip seed oil
- 5 drops vitamin E oil
- 10 drops lavender essential oil (optional)
- 10 drops frankincense essential oil (optional)
- 50 mL (1.7 ounce) glass dropper bottle
To Make:
- To make this homemade belly oil, using a funnel, carefully pour each oil including the calendula oil, argan oil, jojoba oil, rosehip seed oil, vitamin E oil, lavender essential oil and frankincense essential oil (if using), into a 50 mL glass dropper bottle. Dark amber glass is preferred as it will help to protect the oils from the harmful UV light, which may help in extending the shelf life of the product.
- Once all the oils have been added, close the lid tightly and shake the bottle well to combine the ingredients.
- To use this oil, apply a small amount of the solution onto the belly, and gently massage it onto the skin in circular motions, ideally twice a day. This oil can be used all over the body as a moisturiser after a shower or a bath.
This blog is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice. The use of information on this blog or materials linked from this blog is at the user’s own risk. The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard, or delay in obtaining, medical advice for any medical condition they may have, and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions.
Have you found a belly oil to be helpful during pregnancy? Share in the comments below.
Lots of love,
Vanessa
