You may have noticed Marula oil in your favorite luxe face serum or cream. It’s one of those multi-tasking ingredients that sound too good to be true: high in antioxidants and amino acids, deeply hydrating, does not clog pores, non-greasy, and has anti-inflammatory effects. What doesn’t it do? But golden-hued Marula oil, which is extracted from the Sclerocarya Birrea seed, native to the continent of Africa, is not only the premier ingredient for your skincare routine, but also what the doctor ordered as your body goes through drastic changes during and after pregnancy.
What it is:
Marula oil is a rare super ingredient that benefits all types of skin, from acne-prone to dry, from younger to older. This is because it is naturally high in antioxidants, essential fatty acids, and amino acids, which work together to protect, strengthen, and hydrate your skin without clogging pores, without feeling (or looking) greasy, and without irritating even the most sensitive skin. Marula oil is even richer in antioxidants than dark chocolate, matcha, or black tea! Continuous topical usage of Marula oil supports skin cellular renewal, improves skin elasticity, and combats inflammation in the skin.
How do we use it?
While it’s typically found in luxury facial care products, we’ve incorporated it as a top active ingredient in our Golden Belly Serum, formulated with 13 potent and safe botanical oils and extracts to significantly reduce the appearance of stretch marks and signs of inflammation (such as redness or blotchiness), and improve skin elasticity as the body changes. One of these remarkable ingredients is Centella Asiatica, which is a medicinal herb rich in vitamins C, A, B1, B2, niacin, and carotene that works in synergy with Marula oil to help fight premature aging and combat stretch marks.
Marula oil and Centella Asiatica, which are my two favorite ingredients, help to hydrate and provide the skin with lipids and fatty acids, while also promoting the skin’s own production of its lipids by stimulating the keratinocytes, which are the skin cells on the top-most layer of the skin."
- Evereden Scientific Advisor and Board-Certified Dermatologist Dr. Sarina Elmariah
Despite these benefits, not all Marula oil is the same. We source our proprietary cold-pressed Marula oil from the woodlands of Southern Africa, West Africa, and Madagascar—and we don’t skimp on the good stuff. Our Golden Belly Serum contains the maximum active level of Marula oil, rich in critical antioxidants like tocopherol (vitamin E), tochotrienol, and antioxidant polyphenols, and rich in omegas 6 and 9, to fight free radical damage, support cellular renewal, improve skin elasticity and recovery, and improve the appearance of healthy skin.
Furthermore, it is our not-so-secret ingredient for strengthening the skin barrier during the transformation of pregnancy. As the dermis layer of the skin breaks while the baby is growing, red or purple stretch marks appear due to the veins, capillaries, and arteries showing through the cracks. Over the next months, as the skin heals, the stretch mark turns white as collagen in the dermis begins to rebuild unevenly and randomly. Our Marula oil is blended with other potent but safe ingredients like oat ceramides, passionfruit seed oil, and prickly pear extract to prevent elasticity loss and maintain firmness in the skin. A stronger skin barrier also loses less water, aka retains more moisture, which also helps with wound healing and collagen production.
“The pregnant belly is actively changing and dealing with so many insults, such as expanding skin and hormonal changes,” Dr. Sarina says. “The ingredients in the Golden Belly Serum truly help to address the skin’s needs during this time.” When you massage your skin regularly with our Golden Belly Serum, you’re reducing the likelihood of stretch marks and other visible signs of inflammation. That’s largely thanks to our cold-pressed Marula oil, formulated to help you glow as you grow.
