Over the summer I have been trying out 4 different body products. My aim was to smooth my existing skin and hopefully reduce the fine stretch marks I have – thanks Eloise! Also to prevent further stretch marks and keep my skin smooth as I continue to lose weight. I don’t want to end up thin but with a saggy pouch…

So these are my personal views about the products I tried.

Clarins Contour Body Treatment Oil 100ml £40

This was an bit of a splurge for me, bought when there was an offer on the web site.  The product smells absolutely divine. It is all natural, and contains geranium oil , broom, and Marjoram — which the website claims helps to eliminate toxins to streamline skin, plus hazelnut Oil to lock in moisture.

The oil does not sink in immediately, there is enough time to massage the area, but then it is absorbed and my skin felt very silky, not sticky and had a slightly satin sheen, which I liked. The aromatic scent lasted a long time, and had an uplifting feeling. I am not sure how well that would sit with any perfume, so it is perhaps best used in the evening. Like all of Clarins products, you can tell it is a quality item. The glass bottle is heavy and looks good in the bathroom. The oil is sumptuously thick, lovely to touch and wonderfully aromatic.

Clarins provides a little instructional video on how to apply it, which was a useful touch. I was a little disapointed that it did not last longer, I used it up in 2 weeks, but when I see another offer I would buy it again.

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Nivea Q10 Plus Firming Body Oil 200ml £6.95

I loved this product! It absorbs nice and quickly, made my skin feel as smooth as the Clarins oil for a fraction of the price and has a pleasant, slightly citrusy fragrance. it is quite a thin oil, so a little goes a long way. The only drawback to it is that you are supposed to apply it at least twice a day to get an effect and I kept forgetting. I usually only put oil on my body after my morning shower and sometimes before bed.

You are supposed to see a difference in 2 weeks. I did see a slight difference, but it was not dramatic. This might have been because I did not apply it enough. It certainly made my skin feel soft.

Unlike the Clarins oil this is not a completely natural product, although it contains avocado oil. it also contains Paraffinum, Liquidum, Isopropyl Palamite, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, and Benzyl Alcohol amongst other things.

The magic ingredient is Q10 which is the skin’s own coenzyme Not sure that applying this topically would do any good as anything that would penetrate the epidermis has to be prescribed.

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Palmers Firming Butter 315ml £4.99

Like a lot of Palmer’s products, this thick, buttery cream is made of Cocoa Butter, which is a rich natural moisturiser. It also contains antioxidant Vitamin E to help improve the appearance of scars, and stretch marks; Collagen & Elastin to improve skin elasticity and firmness; Plus Shea butter for more moisturising and the ubiquitous Q10. Sounded good.

First thing I noticed was the almost overpowering smell of the cocoa butter. At first I didn’t mind it, but by the third day I found it sickly. The product is also quite difficult to use. You need to warm it in your hands for ages before it becomes easy enough to massage over the skin, unlike the oils, which I much preferred.

It is recommended that you use it twice a day, but I gave up due to the smell.

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Johnson’s Baby Oil 500ml £2.69

Yes, good old baby oil. I have had this in the cupboard for years and it is one of my favourite products.

It smells so lovely, the oil is silky smooth, and a little poured into the hands to warm before applying to damp skin goes a very very long way. I massage it in the same way as the other oils, and I do wonder if it is the massage that does the firming more than the oils.

The only drawback is that it takes a little longer to be absorbed, but by the time I have done my face and teeth it is fully absorbed.

This is not a natural product it contains Paraffinum Liquidum, which is a highly refined mineral oil;  Isopropyl Palmitate, an emollient and thickener, and the special Johnson’s perfume

If you have enough money and want a natural product I would recommend the Clarin’s oil out of the 4 products that I tested, but if you are living on a budget then this is a fabulous oil. It also makes a great general massage oil; I put it on my toenails after I take off my nail varnish to stop them drying out; removes waterproof mascara; you can use it to remove plasters easily, and also sticky price tags from plastic – my tip!

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