Palmer's
Cocoa Butter Formula Massage Lotion for Stretch Marks
7.6/10 overall£4.00 (250ml)
A budget-friendly cocoa butter lotion aimed squarely at stretch mark prevention through pregnancy.
The verdict
Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula is the long-running budget staple of this category, a 250ml cocoa-butter lotion with vitamin E and collagen-supporting ingredients, priced at £4 — under £1 per 25ml, the cheapest option in the category by a wide margin. Best for anyone prioritising value and a generous bottle size over a premium unscented formula. The clearest reason to skip it: it has a strong cocoa butter scent with no fragrance-free version.
Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula is the long-running budget staple of this category — a large bottle of cocoa-butter-based lotion built around vitamin E and collagen-supporting ingredients, sold specifically as a stretch mark lotion rather than a general moisturiser repurposed for pregnancy.
At under £1 per 25ml, it's by far the cheapest option here, and the bottle size (250ml) is generous enough to cover daily use across a whole pregnancy without needing a repeat purchase. It's a lotion rather than a pure oil or thick butter, so it sits in between Bio-Oil and Mama Mio for texture — thicker than an oil, lighter than a balm.
The main trade-off against the pricier options is a stronger cocoa butter scent, which some people love and others find too strong, especially if pregnancy has made smells more noticeable. For anyone prioritising value and generous bottle size over a premium unscented formula, this is the sensible default.
Is the Cocoa Butter Formula Massage Lotion for Stretch Marks worth it?
- Cheapest option per ml by a wide margin
- Large 250ml bottle lasts through most of a pregnancy
- Marketed specifically for stretch mark prevention
What are the downsides of the Cocoa Butter Formula Massage Lotion for Stretch Marks?
- Strong cocoa butter scent that not everyone likes, especially with pregnancy nose
- No fragrance-free version
Specs
- Size
- 250ml
- Format
- Lotion
- Key ingredients
- Cocoa butter, Vitamin E, collagen and elastin
How we scored it
Absorption & Feel
How quickly it sinks in and whether it leaves a greasy residue on clothes.
Absorbs reasonably well, though the scent lingers for some.
Ingredients & Safety
Pregnancy-safe formulation, fragrance-free options, and ingredient transparency.
Widely used in pregnancy, but strongly fragranced with no unscented option.
Value for Money
Cost per use if applied daily across a pregnancy, not just the shelf price.
The cheapest option here by a wide margin, in a generous bottle size.
Weighted by importance for this category — see our editorial policy for how we test.
How this review was done
We haven't used the Cocoa Butter Formula Massage Lotion for Stretch Marks ourselves yet. This review is built from Palmer's's published specifications and product information, and scored the same way as everything else on the site. We'll update it, and the badge above, once we've tested it hands-on.
How it compares
|  |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £4.00 (250ml) | £5.99 | £54.00 (175ml) | £9.99 (60ml) |
| Overall score | 7.6/10 | 7.3/10 | 6.2/10 | 8/10 |
| Size | 250ml | 50g | 175ml | 60ml (also sold in 125ml, 200ml) |
| Format | Lotion | Balm (firmer than an oil or lotion) | Cream | Oil |
| Key ingredients | Cocoa butter, Vitamin E, collagen and elastin | Olive fruit oil, sunflower seed oil, vitamin E (tocopherol) | — | Vitamin A, Vitamin E, plant oils (e.g. calendula, lavender, rosemary, chamomile) |
Frequently asked questions
How much cocoa butter lotion do you get for the price?+
A generous 250ml bottle for £4, which is enough to cover daily use across a whole pregnancy without needing a repeat purchase.
Does Palmer's Cocoa Butter lotion have a strong smell?+
Yes — it has a stronger cocoa butter scent than the pricier options, which some people love and others find too strong, especially if pregnancy has made smells more noticeable. There's no fragrance-free version.
How does Palmer's compare in texture to Bio-Oil and Mama Mio?+
It's a lotion rather than a pure oil or thick butter, so it sits between Bio-Oil and Mama Mio for texture — thicker than an oil, lighter than a balm.
Reviewed by
Sepehr
Software engineer, soon-to-be dad, uncle to four — the tech-obsessed half of the two of us testing this stuff. Currently building this site with my wife, ahead of our own baby arriving.