I’ve decided to ditch the Coconut and Rosewood dry oil (at least for the time being) as I keep breaking out shortly after I use it. I initially read that coconut oil can cause breakouts when newly introduced, but that it’s due to toxins being brought to the surface and should subside within a few days. I guess I’m just a little nervous, especially as the author of the aforementioned post wrote a few days later that things actually seemed to get worse and so she scrapped it. I’ve decided to go with the Camellia and Copaiba Bath & Body Oil instead, which hasn’t caused any breakouts so far and smells fantastic.

I’ve also adjusted my stretchmark routine. Basically, I was getting annoyed at how greasy the Monoi Oil and the Whipped Butter were leaving my legs, so I’m solely using the Camellia and Copaiba Oil for that as well. There’s been no obvious improvement in my stretchmarks, but it’s only been a few days and the general opinion is that it takes months of daily use before scars are visibly reduced. I’m not really bothered by how long it takes, I just wish I knew for certain that it will work for me. Nothing is more disheartening than spending a lot of time and money on something only to find it didn’t do any good.

Oh, one final thing. I’m sad to say that I won’t be using the Whipped Butter in my hair either. I used a tiny amount yesterday and, though it did leave my hair luxuriously soft and smoothed out my split ends (briefly), it also left an oily sheen and needed washing again within a couple of hours.   

I was googling info on stretchmarks the other day and was quite surprised to learn that oily-skinned people don’t get them very often. Because the skin is more elastic and supple, it’s harder for scar tissue to form - so it’s just my luck that I’m one of the minority that do get them and I guess that’s down to genetics. They first appeared on the backs of my legs during my teens and I also have a few on my hips and upper thighs, some at the top of my bum and the odd barely-visible one on the sides of my breasts.

So, what can I do to get rid of or minimise them? Well, I’m currently trying a mixed regime of products and yes, it’s those Anita Grant ones again, I told you I’d find some use for them. :D Anyway, I’m applying the products as follows, twice daily:

Monoi de Tahiti Oil: This goes on the back of my legs. I’m hoping the high content of coconut oil will have a positive effect. It’s the greasiest solution I’m using, but it does smell fabulous.

Ylang-Ylang & Cedarwood Whipped Butter: This is the one I expect to have the greatest effect, containing a more traditional stretchmark remedy of shea butter and cupuaçu butter (a member of the cocoa butter family). I’m using it on my hips and thighs and though it’s a little greasy to start, it absorbs quite quickly and leaves the skin nice and soft. I’m rather partial to ylang-ylang as well and it’s very easy to apply over a wide area.

Camellia Copaiba Bath & Body Oil: Finally, this goes on my chest. It’s the least greasy of the three and instantly leaves a velvety feel. The woody aroma is gorgeous. The ingredients are a little more exotic, camellia kissi is purported to be very good at treating stretchmarks. Anita does a pure Camellia Kissi oil as well, but I went for this one because the copaiba balances out oily skin, which often causes blemishes and pimples on my chest. May as well kill two birds with one stone as they say.

I’ll post the results at a later date. Although I only have sample bottles, they are going to last me a long time by the looks of things.