Are you looking for the best pregnancy-safe body lotion? Here you will find the safest lotions, creams and butters for pregnant women that will give your skin healthy glow, hydrate it and help with stretch marks.
This article is not a substitute for medical advice. It may contain affiliate links.
Whether you have some skin issues during pregnancy or you’re just looking for the best stretch mark creams, it’s very important to carefully check the ingredients in all your beauty products, including your body lotion.
It’s best to avoid creams with harsh chemicals and opt for more natural ingredients that will helps to restore and maintain your skin’s natural barrier.
The best body cream will prevent moisture loss, but it should not leave any greasy residue on your belly. I’m sure you don’t want oily stains on your clothes, right?
During those magical 9 months your body changes a lot and your skin stretches a lot. It may be very dry, chapped, itchy and irritated, and stretch marks may start to appear. Your skin tone may be less even, with some dark spots.
As a mom of 3 I had a lot of opportunities to try moisturizing body lotions and oils for stretch mark prevention. For me this Earth Mama Organics belly butter turned out to be the most efficient and best body lotion to reduce the visibility of stretch marks, relieve skin tension and help with dryness. It has super clean ingredients which was ideal for me because I have a very sensitive skin.
Thanks to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, it soothes skin irritation, reduces redness and itching and will nourish mother’s skin. It helps to hydrate and heal damaged skin.
Let’s find the best and safest remedy for your pregnancy skin!
Recommended by 98% of verified buyers!Last update on 2024-04-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
8 Best Pregnancy-Safe Body Lotions & Belly Butters
During my 3 pregnancies I have tested dozens of body lotions, belly oils and butters and here you can find my favorites.
These moisturizes are perfect for dry skin, plus they help to reduce stretch marks!
The best and safest body lotions for pregnancy are:
1. Earth Mama Organics Belly Butter
I just love Earth Mama Organics pregnancy skincare products because they are free of chemicals and thanks to organic ingredients they are super gentle for dry skin.
The belly butter is my favorite pregnancy-safe body lotion. Well, it’s technically not a lotion, because it has more thick consistency (like a butter), but it works magic for moisturizing itchy and dry skin. It also helped me a lot with skin redness during my last pregnancy.
It’s been dermatologically and clinically tested, and it’s free of toxic chemicals like parabens, petroleum and artificial fragrance.
It has pretty simple ingredients list, and most of them are organic! Here are some of the ingredients: aloe leaf juice, olive oil, sunflower oil, shea butter, jojoba oil, calendula, raspberry and sweet orange oils and vanilla fruit extract.
All of them work well for hydrating dry skin on your belly, breasts, hips and other part that may feel uncomfortable when the skin stretches out during pregnancy. This belly butter boost skin elasticity and makes it SO SOFT.
Even though it’s a body butter, it’s has light and absorbent formula, not greasy at all.
The pump makes it easy to use, plus it goes on really smooth, and the smell is IN-CRE-DI-BLE!
I have a very sensitive skin and this delicate Earth Mama Belly Butter turned out to help a lot with itchiness. I started using it at the beginning of my second trimester, together with Earth Mama Belly Oil, and I almost didn’t get any stretch marks (for me it turned out to be the most effective and best belly oil to prevent pregnancy stretch marks)!
| PRO TIP: If you want to get Earth Mama Belly Butter, I recommend you to check out the Belly Bundle which includes the lotion and oil (perfect combination to fight dry skin and stretch marks). If you decide to get this bundle you will save 10% OFF! Get 10% discount here with (no code needed) >> |
2. Green Go Belly Balm Salve
This belly balm is SO AWESOME. It has super short ingredient list which is always a big plus and all of them are natural and clean.
There are 2 active ingredients: organic calendula flower oil and organic rosehip seed extract.
Rosehip seed oil is known to calm and soothe irritated skin, plus it protects the skin from dehydration.
Other ingredients are: olive fruit oil, beeswax, jojoba oil, shea butter, sunflower seed oil, cocoa seed butter, vitamin E, and lavender oil.
Cocoa butter is an excellent moisturizer that nourishes dry and chapped skin.
Lavender is known for having calming and relaxing properties. It also helps to even skin tone.
Shea butter is rich in antioxidant vitamins, it soothes irritated and cracked skin and help to regenerate it. It has one more big advantage: it easily absorbs and it’s well-tolerated even by sensitive skin.
Another great thing about this belly cream is that it’s free of: petroleum, phthalates, parabens, mineral oil and gluten. You can rest assure that there are no nasty chemical additives that could absorb through your skin.
But the biggest advantage of this belly cream is that it REALLY take away any itch and works miracles for stretch mark prevention!
Lots of moms who have been using this cream say that they didn’t get any stretch marks!
It moisturizes skin really well and creates a thick coating on your bump. This unfortunately means oily stains on your T-shirts so make sure to wear something you don’t mind getting a bit dirty.
Its consistency is rather not creamy, but pretty thick and greasy. It melts as you rub it into your bump. Not all mamas like this consistency, but I didn’t mind it because IT WORKED!
I would say it’s a tradeoff for long-lasting hydration, no itchiness and no stretch marks. I think the pros outweigh the cons.
Many moms recommend using it during postpartum too, especially if your breastfeeding. It helps to reduce the appearance of stretch marks on your boosts and it works perfect for chapped and cracked nipples.
This cream brings immediate relief to itchiness and various rashes (even those caused by eczema).
3. Earth Mama Organics Eczema Cream
What really cool about this eczema lotion is that it’s suitable for all ages! You can use it during pregnancy, as well as for your babies if they have irritated and wildly itchy skin.
Me and my babies have eczema prone skin and this cream brings an immediate relief to itchiness. It moisturizes your skin, makes it silky soft and prevents dryness. It goes on easily and a long way so the 3 oz. tube should last you for quite a while.
The best thing is that it works for skin irritation and itchiness related to various causes: eczema, rashes, insect bites, poison ivy, oak and sumac. All thanks to organic colloidal oatmeal that helps to soothe angry skin.
This body cream is perfect for sensitive skin, because it has only clean ingredients, and it’s free of: artificial fragrance, steroids, petrolatum, and harsh artificial preservatives (like phenoxyethanol, sodium benzoate or potassium sorbate).
According to mamas who have been using this eczema lotion, it works insanely well for easing the itchy eczema, as well as mosquito bites, and it helps with dry patches on the skin.
Some moms even say this is the best body lotion for eczema because it gives immediate relief and helps to improve eczema which means means less scratching!
4. Earthley Wellness Good Night Lotion, Magnesium Lotion
Earthley Wellness Magnesium Lotion really stands out in this ranking of pregnancy-safe body lotions.
It’s not designed to prevent stretch marks, but it supposed to help with leg cramps, RSI (restless legs syndrome), constipation, headaches and pains. Lots of moms recommend it for pregnancy headaches which are common in first trimester.
Moreover, it promotes better sleep and some doctors recommend this magnesium lotion for sleep-deprived pregnant women and new moms. It promotes normal sleep cycles and less frequent waking up.
Lots of moms use it to help their little ones sleep better throughout the night. Yes, this lotion is safe to be used for babies too! And it seems to be working really well for majority of infants and toddlers, helps them to relax before bedtime and have better restful night.
What you are also going to love about this pregnancy-safe body lotion is its clean ingredients: apricot oil, organic shea butter and mango butter, Magnesium Chloride Flakes, candelilla wax, lavender essential oil and filtered water.
It’s paraben-free, sulfate-free and vegan. It doesn’t contain harmful polysorborate 80 or any artificial fragrances.
To sum up, this body lotion may help you if you have insomnia in pregnancy or experience cramps and tiredness in your legs, or your baby has sleeping problems. But you will need other lotion for relieving dry skin condition or preventing stretch marks.
5. Zoe Organics Belly Butter
This is another amazing pregnancy safe body lotion with buttery texture. It soothes itching skin and improves its elasticity which is very important for stretch marks prevention.
You can use it during pregnancy and postpartum to improve your skin’s condition and hydration.
| PRO TIP: If you have really dry skin, I recommend you to apply this Zoe Organic Belly Oil first, and then layer the Belly Butter over it. It’s a perfect nourishing combination. |
I really like this butter consistency, it’s not too greasy and goes on smooth as you massage it onto your skin. You can use it on your belly, hips and breasts as often as your skin feels thirsty.
What I like about this belly butter is that it has waterless formula, and it’s free of synthetic ingredients. In fact, it’s made with 100% certified organic ingredients, including: shea butter, coconut oil, avocado oil, rosehip oil, calendula, chamomile and sandalwood essential oils.
I would prefer if it didn’t have rosemary extract – it’s one of the ingredients expectant mothers should avoid. So bear that in mind when choosing this butter.
There are two more things that I like about Zoe Organics pregnancy skincare products. First of all, you can get an inexpensive 0.25 oz. sample to check if your skin likes this moisturizer.
The second thing is that both the belly butter and belly oil come in travel-friendly size packaging. If you plan on an air travel, you’ll be able to pack the belly butter in your carry-on luggage.
6. The Honest Company Mama Rock The Bump Body Butter
This was the first skincare product I tried from Honest Company. It was a bit pricey but I wanted to see if it’s more soothing or prevents stretch marks better than other lotions.
I like that it’s free of parabens, silicones, petrolatum, fragrance, PEGs and lanolin.
It has almost no smell, which for me is a big advantage, because when I was pregnant lots of smells made me nauseous.
Another good thing about Mama Rock The Bump Body Butter is that it’s less sticky than other lotions which means it doesn’t stain your clothes. Big plus for that.
It absorbs quickly and moisturizes dry skin pretty well, but it doesn’t last as many hours as other body butters in this ranking.
It’s also a bit difficult to spread and you have to use a lot to cover your bump and other areas prone to stretch marks.
It’s made with shea butter, avocado oil and vitamin E which work well for nourishing and hydrating itchy and dry skin on your growing belly.
Other ingredients include water, glycerin, castor seed oil, sunflower seed wax, jojoba esters, allantoin, and also a few synthetic ingredients like ascorbyl palmitate, trisodium ethylenediamine disuccinate or potassium sorbate (which is a preservative).
I still decided to add this cream to my list of best pregnancy-safe lotions because it does seem to be working for many moms, it makes skin soft and because it’s fragrance-free it’s a fantastic option for moms with sensitivity to smells.
7. Alba Botanica Very Emollient Body Lotion
This is one of the most popular body lotions at affordable price, beloved by hundreds of pregnant women.
It comes in a large 32 oz. bottle which should last you even for a few months! And it’s WAY CHEAPER than other body lotions from Earth Mama, Honest or Green Go brands.
It’s 100% vegetarian, and free of toxic ingredients like phthalates and parabens, plus it’s fragrance-free. It’s hypoallergenic.
Alba Botanica body lotion is made with virgin, unrefined coconut oil and milk, as well as sunflower seed oil and shea butter that leave your skin feeling moisturized and intensely hydrated.
In contrast to body butter, this lotion has more lightweight and creamy texture which is easy to spread all over your body.
Keep in mind that this body lotion is not made specifically for use during pregnancy, but lots of expectant mamas have been using it. According to them it’s a good body moisturizer that helps to get rid of red marks and even the skin tone.
However, it’s not the best body cream to healing stretch marks (Earth Mama or Green Go moisturizers work way better).
It also has a few synthetic ingredients like potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate and maltodextrin (highly-processed filler and preservative).
At this price point, Alba Botanica lotion is still a good and pretty safe option, but if you have bigger budget opt for something more natural.
| PRO TIP: Alba Botanica Very Emollient Body Lotion is available in many versions, but I only recommend this Coconut Rescue version that I reviewed here. It has safer ingredients than other versions. Keep in mind that other versions of this lotion contain parfum and phenoxyethanol which I prefer to avoid during pregnancy. |
8. Aveeno Skin Relief Moisturizing Lotion For Very Dry Skin
This moisturizing body lotion is one of the most popular and best-selling products for pregnancy skincare routine.
There’s a lot of things I like about this moisturizer but also some drawbacks that I need to tell you about.
Let’s start with the good things. This body lotion is fragrance-free, parabens-free, steroid-free and dyes-free, which makes it gentle on sensitive skin.
It has Triple Oat Complex (with oat flour, oat extract & oat oil) and shea butter which moisture and help to relieve dry and itchy skin.
This body lotion has one more important ingredient: dimethicone 1.2%. According to FDA and Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR), it is a safe skincare ingredient.
It reduces redness and prevents further moisture loss and skin damage. It helps to calm irritated skin, and thanks to non-comedogenic formula it doesn’t clog pores.
Aveeno body lotion has been allergy tested and it’s been clinically proven to bring relief for itchiness.
It has rich consistency but it absorbs quickly and keeps the skin moisturized for a long time (I wouldn’t say it’s 48 hours like they advertise, but it’s the skin does feel soft and looks hydrated throughout the day).
I also like that it doesn’t live greasy residue – so you don’t have to worry about stains on your favorite tank.
There are however some ingredients that makes me wonder if this body lotion is really pregnancy-safe. Ingredients that I don’t like are: petrolatum, sodium chloride (it may dry your skin), and isopropyl palmitate (it may clog pores).
But it looks like these ingredients are used at very low level, because this body lotion seems to be working amazing for very dry skin (even with eczema!). It loosens tight skin and makes it feel cushioned and moisturized for many hours.
I used it daily for 2 weeks, and after this time I noticed visible improvement of my skin condition – less dry patches, significantly reduced redness and no itching – and it stayed this way even after I stopped using Aveeno moisturizer.
I also went through real customers’ reviews on Amazon and it seems like lots of pregnant women have been using this body lotion.
According to them, it works well for sensitive skin, and thanks to no fragrance formula it’s a good choice for women who are extremely sensitive to smells during the pregnancy.
Which Body Lotion Is Best During Pregnancy?
After trying many body lotions I came to a conclusion that the best body lotion during pregnancy is this Earth Mama Organics Belly Butter.
It has organic and clean ingredients, without harsh chemicals – which makes it perfect for sensitive skin.
It is an excellent moisturizer and it makes the skin soft and hydrated for the rest of the day. And because it boost elasticity, it also helps to reduce the appearance of pregnancy stretch marks.
You are also going to love its non-greasy light formula – it means no oily residue on your skin!
It’s simply the best pregnancy-safe body lotion. Just like Earth Mama Organics Belly Oil is the best pregnancy-safe body oil.
Speaking from my personal experience, body lotion is one of the pregnancy must-haves, because dry, irritated and itchy skin is one of the most common things during those 9 magical months!
What Lotions Are Not Safe During Pregnancy?
As a mom-to-be you may be wondering what lotions are not safe during pregnancy. You should be careful when choosing your skin care products and always check ingredient list.
Lotions with these harmful chemicals are not safe during pregnancy:
- parabens
- phthalates
- synthetic fragrances
- artificial dyes
- salicylic acid
- benzoyl peroxide
- formaldehyde
- hydroquinone
- dixydroxyacetone
- phenoxyethanol
Moreover, body lotions with retinoids (retinol, retin-A) or other vitamin A derivatives, are not safe during pregnancy.
During the first trimester it’s best to avoid body lotions with essential oils.
There are also many essential oils that are not safe during the whole pregnancy, including: basil, clary sage, peppermint and rosemary. They may not only irritate your skin, but also cause problems for your baby’s development.
I recommend you to read my article about ingredients in beauty products you should avoid when pregnant.
Pregnancy Safe Body Lotions – FAQ
Here are a few more things to keep in mind when searching for the safest body lotion for pregnancy.
What Lotion Can I Use While Pregnant?
During pregnancy you should opt for more natural moisturizers with clean ingredients (the shorter the ingredient list is, the better!).
It may contain natural oils like avocado oil, coconut oil, jojoba and calendula oils, as well as organic aloe, cocoa butter, vitamin C, vitamin E and hyaluronic acid.
Thanks to these ingredients, the best body lotion for pregnancy skin reduces dryness, boosts skin elasticity by improving collagen production and helps to prevent stretch marks.
Lotion that you can use while pregnant should be hypoallergenic and dermatologist tested. The safest body lotion for pregnancy should not cause any allergic reactions.
It should provide long lasting moisture barrier but still maintain skin permeability.
All of that means healthy looking skin that feels soft and stays hydrated all day long, with no irritations, inflammation or red marks.
Keep in mind that the best lotions are free of artificial fragrances. They may have light scent from the natural, plant-based ingredients, but artificial fragrances are a no-no for pregnancy.
Is CeraVe Body Lotion Safe For Pregnancy?
I’ve heard lots of moms are using this CeraVe Moisturizing Cream With Hyaluronic Acid & Ceramides or this CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion For Itch Relief for extra dry skin.
According to the brand statement, CeraVe body lotion is safe for pregnancy.
But you should keep in mind that it has lots of synthetic ingredients which are potential irritants especially if you have very sensitive skin.
Personally, I would avoid using CeraVe lotion during pregnancy, it’s not worth the risk. There are many better natural and organic body lotions which are safer option when you’re pregnant.
These body lotions contain petrolatum, dimethicone (which is a silicone and microplastic) and disodium EDTA.
I particularly don’t like the fact that these CeraVe body lotions contain phenoxyethanol which can be harmful when absorbed through skin, especially for infants and breastfeeding moms. It can lead to birth defects and may have negative effect on the brain and central nervous system.
Moreover, CeraVe cream with hyaluronic acid contains parabens: methylparaben and propylparaben. According to expects pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid using skincare products containing parabens.
Studies have shown, that if pregnant woman uses beauty products that contain parabens and they remain on her skin for longer periods (like a body lotion), it may have negative effect on baby’s subsequent weight development.
I’ve noticed some comments from customers on Amazon that there is a new version of the cream that is paraben-free, but there are still lots of reviews from recent months that say parabens are still listed among ingredients.
If you’re concerned about this like I am, opt for body creams or body oils with natural ingredients that will keep your skin hydrated.
Sources of pictures:
Pictures of Earth Mama Belly Butter, Oil & Eczema Cream belong to Earth Mama Organics Brand.
Pictures of Zoe Organics Belly Butter belong to Zoe Organic Brand.
Pictures of Go Green Natural Belly Balm Salve belong to Go Green Brand.
Pictures of Wellness Magnesium Good-Night Lotion belong to Earthley Wellness Brand.
Pictures of Mama Rock The Bump belong to The Honest Company Brand.
Pictures of Alba Botanica Very Emollient Body Lotion belong to Alba Botanica Brand.
Pictures of Aveeno Skin Relief Moisturizing Lotion For Very Dry Skin belong to Aveeno Brand.
The purpose of this article is informative. It’s not a substitute for professional medical advice or medical care. Remember: safety first! Consult your doctor/pediatrician in case of any doubts. The author of this article does not accept any responsibility for any liability, loss or risk, personal or otherwise, incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, from any information or advice contained here.
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Hello Moms! I am Zooey. I am a wife and a mother of three amazing kids: almost 5-year-old Haley and 2-year-old twins Jesse and Matthew. I am a jogger, cooker and blogger.If you have a question or a comment, do not hesitate to write to me! 🙂
Hello Zooey!
Thank you so much for this Amazing info! What do you think of Welly lotion for dry and itchy skin? Safe for pregnancy? Thank
You in advance!