Bio Oil vs Mederma vs 8 Sheep Organics

It’s no secret that a lot of transformations come with pregnancy - obviously, there’s the beautiful bump that has you so excited to bring new life into this world. But with it comes some not-so-pleasant changes. Dry skin, irritation, and of course, stretch marks.

That’s where we see moms-to-be comparing solutions like Bio Oil vs Mederma, two of the top stretch mark products on the market. How does 8 Sheep Organics stretch mark serum stack up, though? As you’ll discover below, it’s the #1 choice because it’s carefully crafted around the two ingredients recognized by the American Academy of Dermatology as effective for stretch marks:

• Centella Asiatica 
• Hyaluronic Acid 

The True Belly Serum supports skin elasticity through all stages of pregnancy, minimizing the risk of stretch marks and helping your skin bounce back better. Learn more about Mederma vs Bio Oil vs 8 Sheep Organics below! 

Bio Oil vs Mederma vs 8 Sheep Organics (Quick Comparison)

What Should You Use Bio Oil For?

This mineral oil is paired with retinyl palmitate (vitamin A), vitamin E, and botanical extracts like calendula, lavender, rosemary, and chamomile. It’s a wonderful daily moisturizer if you just want your skin to feel softer. The botanicals can be genuinely soothing on your skin, too.

But despite being recommended for stretch marks, we don’t actually see anything on the ingredients label that’s been clinically shown to make a measurable difference. Mineral oil hydrates skin, but can’t work its way into the dermis where stretch marks actually form.

Now, Bio Oil has run a clinical trial for its product. 80 participants used the oil on scars and stretch marks. There was about a 14% improvement in appearance - against no treatment at all. It wasn’t even compared to another moisturizer. We think most expecting mothers would be disappointed and perhaps even downright frustrated with just a 14% improvement. 

There’s one other issue we personally have with Bio Oil, that actually has nothing to do with performance. The original formula’s retinyl palmitate content is a red flag for pregnant women. There is a natural version without retinoids or mineral oil, but you’re getting pretty bare-bones support at that point. 

Bio Oil may be the most well-known pregnancy stretch mark oil on drugstore shelves - but does that make it the best? Let’s look at the other half of our Bio Oil vs Mederma comparison below.

What Can Mederma Be Used For?

There are two products that come up in the Mederma vs Bio Oil conversation:

• Advanced Scar Gel (allantoin + onion extract) targets existing scars from surgery, acne, or injuries. 
• Stretch Marks Therapy cream is the pregnancy-specific formula. That’s what we’re going to zero in on today. 

Credit where it’s due - Stretch Marks Therapy does include Centella Asiatica leaf extract and sodium hyaluronate (a form of Hyaluronic Acid). That’s why we think Bio Oil vs Mederma, specifically for stretch mark appearance, is an easy win for this brand. 

The caveat, though, is ingredient order - which speaks to concentration. Cosmetic labels list ingredients by highest to lowest concentration, and you’ll see that both of these essential ingredients sit towards the bottom of the label. Both fall after emulsifiers, silicones, alcohol, and fragrance. After water, onion extract (Cepalin) is the dominant active - Mederma's proprietary botanical.

This product is safe starting in the second trimester and through breastfeeding. It’s paraben-free, which we appreciate, but not organic. It does have fragrance and cyclomethicone (a silicone).

That said, Mederma claims to improve the appearance of stretch marks after 4 weeks, with best results around the 12 week mark. It’s worth considering as you embark on this exciting journey towards motherhood. But, how does 8 Sheep Organics fit into the Bio Oil vs Mederma debate?

Is Mederma or Bio Oil Better Than 8 Sheep Organics, Though?

8 Sheep Organics was born specifically to help pregnant women move through this chapter with grace, loving their skin at all stages of motherhood. The True Belly Serum belongs in the same conversation as Mederma vs Bio Oil.

What separates it from other stretch mark products is the sheer concentration of Centella Asiatica and Triple-Weighted Hyaluronic Acid. These are the two AAD-recommended actives that can actually move the needle on stretch mark appearance reduction.

Triple-weighted means you’re getting three molecular sizes of Hyaluronic Acid working at different skin depths. Smaller molecules can more easily move past the skin surface and get into the dermis where scarring and stretch marks actually develop. On the other hand, most types of Hyaluronic Acid just sit on the surface of your skin, locking moisture in. You’re getting hydration and stretch mark prevention with triple-weighted.

It’s organic, fragrance-free, non-greasy, and handmade in small batches in the USA. Safe throughout your entire pregnancy. Not from the second trimester forward. The entire time.

The best part? You don’t have to wonder if it’ll work for you. It’s backed by a 100-day money-back guarantee. Goes for all of 8 Sheep Organics’ organic pregnancy products, from the magnesium lotion for pregnancy to the magnesium lotion for kids. 

Does Using Mederma and Bio Oil Together Ever Make Sense?

You might be sold on the big drugstore names, and that’s okay - you’ll come around sooner or later! In the meantime, though, you’re wondering whether using Mederma and Bio Oil together might help you enjoy the best of both worlds. Fair question.

What you’d actually end up with, though, is a mineral oil moisturizer layered with an onion-extract cream. They won't react badly, but combining them doesn't make a difference in your battle against stretch marks. You’re still not getting the support you need.

Performance aside, you’re just doubling your daily routine (and cost). That’s a lot to manage during nine long months of pregnancy, when all you really want is to simplify things. 

We get it. You want maximum coverage. There’s a better way than using Mederma and Bio Oil together. 8 Sheep Organics delivers the ingredients you actually need to keep stretch marks at bay while helping your skin stay supple. 

The Bottom Line on Mederma vs Bio Oil

We hope this Bio Oil vs Mederma comparison has left you clear on what each brings to your ritual, and whether either is really right for your journey or not. Long story short, they have their place, but it’s not in minimizing the risk (and appearance) of stretch marks. 

Bio Oil is basically a body moisturizer that just happens to get marketed for stretch marks. Mederma is a stretch mark cream that actually contains the right ingredients, just not at concentrations that earn top billing on the label.

You need clinical levels of Centella Asiatica and Hyaluronic Acid for preventing or reducing stretch marks during pregnancy. That’s something 8 Sheep Organics knows better than anyone, as we’ve been through this journey ourselves - and made our products for women just like us (and you!). Learn more about the 8 Sheep Organics Belly Butter for Stretch Marks today!