FASHION Magazine

  • Beauty Fix: Say goodbye to stretch marks, the best bronzer for darker skin tones and more answers to your beauty questions

    Beauty Fix

    Every week our Beauty Fix columnist takes on your questions about makeup, skincare, hair and more. Have a beauty question we haven’t answered? Email us at beautyfix@fashionmagazine.com.

    I have stretch marks that I’m really self-conscious about, particularly in the summer. Can I do anything to hide them?
    You’re hardly alone in feeling painfully aware of stretch marks on your body! Stretch marks are the result of the rapid stretching of the dermis. Men and women alike can develop stretch marks, often from puberty or weight gain. Approximately 50-90 per cent of women develop stretch marks during pregnancy, which makes stretch marks a fairly common concern that ought to be addressed! Try a topical treatment such as Stratamark ($40, Shoppers Drug Mart). This gel forms a thin but essential occlusive barrier on the skin to create an optimized environment to normalize and hydrate the collagen synthesis process, which will lead to repaired skin. The gel is non-sticky, dries quickly and is transparent, so it can be applied any time. Reduced appearance of stretch marks is apparent in as little as a month, which is all the more reason to grab a tube and start applying now!