Victoria Beckham’s Post-Baby Body Secret (And Yes, It Works)

Recently, I read a stunningly sharp piece by legal analyst Lisa Bloom, arguing that American women are playing into a “dangerously, unabashedly stupid celebrity and celluloid-saturated culture.”  Her new book, Think: Straight Talk for Women to Stay Smart in a Dumbed-Down World, premieres this week, and I can’t wait to read it.

Yet, even though I know non-intellectual fodder is bad for me, I can’t stop myself from indulging in the world of celebrity now and again.  (I think of it as a banana split for the mind).  Today, for instance, my brain took in a monster load of empty calories from That Extra Half an Inch, the style manual by one of my favorite celebrities, Victoria Beckham.  (She’s so well put-together all the time!  The woman defines fierce, I tell you.)   I learned the perfect length for bootcut jeans (right above the toe), the best brand for a trenchcoat (Burberry London), and also to never ask for a book that has a double entendre as its title by name ever again.  Let’s just say the lady at the local Barnes & Noble appeared to be a-hardcore judgin’ until she found the book in the “Beauty and Grooming” section.  I didn’t understand why she was looking at me that way until I got home, started reading, and had one of those Oprahesque “Aha!” moments.  And blushed.

But I digress.  In That Extra Half an Inch, Ms. Beckham also reveals why she believes she didn’t get any stretch marks during any of her three earlier pregnancies:

“During my pregnancies, the one product I really relied on was Elemis Japanese Camellia Oil, which is really great for preventing stretch marks and is one of the few aromatherapy oils you can put on yourself when pregnant.  I would just cover myself in it, really massaging it into my tummy, my bottom, my thighs, and my boobs and honestly, that stuff really works.”

Why Camellia Oil Prevents Stretch Marks

Not surprisingly to a fan like me, Ms. Beckham has recommended a high-quality product.  Camellia oil, also known as tea seed oil, is similar to olive oil and grape seed oil in its storage qualities and low concentration of saturated fat.  For centuries, camellia oil has been used in cooking in China, a tradition that is likely to sit well with all-natural skin care enthusiasts who advocate to use only the skin care ingredients you would eat.  I personally am not that strict, but I do appreciate that a 2007 study in Ethnobiology found that camellia oil increases collagen production within the skin and promotes hydration.  Specifically, camellia oil was found to stimulate collagen production by two mechanisms:  One, camellia oil activates a gene promoter in human skin cells called COL1A2, which starts the production of collagen type I.   Two, camellia oil prevents the breakdown of collagen by inhibiting matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1, an enzyme that breaks down collagen.  That’s pretty awesome.  Add in the fact that camellia oil-treated skin had less transepidermal water loss (TEWL) than non-treated skin 1-2 hours after treatment, and you’ve got yourself a quality product that may actually prevent stretch marks, which are caused by the breakage of collagen and elastin fibers.  Strengthen your collagen fibers, and you’re reducing your risk of stretch marks.

Why do women get stretch marks during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, glucocorticoid hormones are released, preventing the skin cells from producing new collagen and elastin fibers.   This makes the skin less firm and more easily stretched.  As the pliable skin continues to grow, this can induce tearing of the dermis (under the skin) or epidermis (upper layer of the skin).   Interestingly enough, numerous creams have been shown in very reputable, peer-reviewed, double-blinded studies to prevent the formation of stretch marks.  These include cocoa butter, as established by a 2010 study in The International Journal of Obstretics and Gynecology, and a combination of Centella asiatica extract, vitamin E, and, interestingly, collagen and elastin hydrolisates, as proven by a 1991 study in The International Journal of Cosmetic Science.  Cocoa butter is likely to have an effect because it is hydrating, and Centella asiatica extract has potent antioxidant activity that may aid in dermal wound healing, as suggested by research in the Indian Journal of Medicine.  I personally would prefer Ms. Beckham’s suggestion of camellia oil because it has both hydrating and collagen-building activity.

Bottom Line:  Victoria’s Secret Works!

Although Lisa Bloom may be correct in saying American women spend too much time reading about celebrities, time reading Victoria Beckham’s That Extra Half an Inch is certainly not wasted for the woman who is amused by fashion, accessories, skin care, and hair care.   It definitely made for a fun Sunday afternoon read!  The fact that Ms. Beckham’s trick to prevent stretch marks turned out to be spot-on is a true bonus.  I’m not planning to have children anytime soon, but when I’m pregnant, I’ll definitely be bendin’ it like Beckham and soaking in some Elemis Japanese Camellia Oil!