Mama Mio vs Bio Oil for Stretch Marks - Which One Works Better?

Mama Mio Tummy Rub Butter or Bio-Oil for Stretch Marks. With a myriad stretch mark creams on the market, it can leave sufferers confused about which ones offer the best benefits, and whether they will prevent stretch marks from occurring or ease their appearance if they do.

The result of tears in the skin’s dermis layer, stretch marks are most often the result of pregnancy, which is why many products are marketed to moms-to-be.

We’re taking a look at one product, Mama Mio Tummy Rub Butter, and comparing it to Bio-Oil, one of the most familiar names in scar treatment, and will present you with enough facts that you’ll be able to decide if Mama Mio or Bio-Oil is the right option for you.

MAMA MIO or BIO-OIL?

Mama Mio was developed to help prevent stretch marks during pregnancy, and offers organic oils that help encourage elasticity, so skin can handle the fast growth associated with pregnancy. It is also packed with moisturizers, and is safe to be used throughout the pregnancy and while nursing because it is free from parabens, petrolatum, colorants, xenoestrogens, PEGs, glycols and phthalates.

Some of its powerhouse ingredients include:

• Argan oil. Argan oil is packed with vitamins A and E, both of which offers tremendous skin benefits, as well as antioxidants to protect collagen and elastin skin cells, omega-6 fatty acids to help moisturize skin, and linoleic acid, another fatty acid that helps offer hydration while reducing inflammation.



• Almond oil. Almond oil has two big benefits. It not only helps hydrate skin – and penetrates the surface easily, where it can help the dermis layer heal - it also acts as a gentle, natural exfoliator, lifting away the skin’s surface cells, revealing the healthier cells beneath.
• Shea butter. Shea butter is a great moisturizer that melts on contact with skin, allowing it to penetrate the surface easily. It is also packed with antioxidants to help protect skin from damage.
• Rosehip oil. Rosehip oil is packed with fatty acids – omega-3s, omega-6s and linoleic fatty acid – to help keep skin moist and supple while reducing inflammation that can damage skin cells. It is also high in vitamins A, which helps encourage the production of new collagen and elastin cells, and vitamin C, which helps strengthen skin, fight off free radicals and lighten dark marks such as those that are the result of new stretch marks.

Mama Mio Tummy Rub Butter reviews

Mama Mio has an 84 percent approval rating on Amazon, with the majority of users giving the product a five-star rating.

One reviewer said she used Mama Mio during her first pregnancy, and developed no stretch marks, but switched to a cheaper product (Mama Mio Tummy Rub Butter is $36 for a 4.1-ounce jar on Amazon) during her second pregnancy, only to see her skin turn red and itchy. “I immediately switched back to The Tummy Rub Butter, and the skin on my stomach cleared up right away,” she said.

Those who gave the product a rating of three stars or less thought the cream was too thick or was not effective, although many noted that genetics could have been a factor.

BIO-OIL OR MAMA MIO?

According to the product’s website, Bio-Oil has become the best-selling product to treat scars and stretch marks in 24 countries since its global launch in 2002. The product was developed in Germany when a cosmetic scientist realized that the oil he had developed was an ideal carrier for skin-friendly nutrients, and helped them absorb deep beneath the skin’s surface, where they can be the most effective.

Bio-Oil’s innovative ingredient list includes:

• Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract. Calendula oil helps soften skin and eases inflammation associated with damaged skin.
• Lavandula Angustifolia Oil. Lavender oil helps promote the production of collagen and elastin, strengthening the dermis layer where stretch marks are formed.
• Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil. Rosemary oil helps soften and smooth skin while evening out skin tone, helping to reduce the appearance of scars.
• Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil. Chamomile oil contains properties that help reduce the appearance of scars, along with moisture to improve scar tissue’s texture.
• PurCellin Oil. This propriety blend is a synthetic version of duck preening gland oil, which for ducks, helps keep their feathers waterproof. For people hoping to ease the look of scars, the oil helps the oil better absorb into skin while strengthening the barrier layer, improving overall skin health.
• Tocopheryl Acetate. Vitamin E is a skin-friendly antioxidant helps protect collagen and elastin from free radical damage and encourages the production of new protein cells while hydrating skin.
• Retinyl Palmitate. Vitamin A helps smooth roughness, so scar tissue will be less noticeable. It also helps strengthen collagen and elastin skin proteins so the dermis layer is less vulnerable to tearing.

Bio-Oil Reviews

Bio-Oil has a 79 percent approval rating on Amazon (four or five stars), where the majority of satisfied users have given it a five-star rating.

Of the negative reviews of three stars and below, many said the product did not have any noticeable effects on their stretch mark scars, although the formula is better suited for either the prevention of stretch marks or the improved look of fresh scars. It has not been shown to be effective at treating older stretch marks.

Which to choose, Bio-Oil or Mama-Mio?

If you’re wondering of Bio Oil is better than Mama Mio Tummy Rub Butter or if you should choose Mama Mio or Bio-Oil, you might want to look at the ingredient list or do a price comparison to make your decision.

In terms of availability, in a head-to-head of Bio-Oil vs. Mama Mio Tummy Rub Butter, Bio-Oil is the more readily available of the two.

You can likely find Bio-Oil at your local drug store, superstore or online vendor – Amazon, CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Target and Wal-Mart among them. Mama Mio is available through a wide range of online vendors, including Amazon, Jet, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Apothecarie New York, Cosmetics Now and DermStore, among others, but prices vary widely.

Bio-Oil is about half the price of Mama Mia Tummy Rub Butter (less than $12.50 on Amazon and about $10 in stores), which may also be a factor to consider when making your purchase.

Is Senvie's Scar and Stretch Mark Cream a Better Choice Than Bio-Oil or Mama Mio?

So, based on the cost or price and overall effectiveness, we recommend Bio-Oil over Mama Mio.