Whether you have stretch marks, achy legs, swollen feet, blemished skin, or a little of everything, I hope my experiences with these products will help you make the best decisions for you. I've listed each product alphabetically and rated them on a scale from 1 to 5 stars for your shopping convenience.

Stretch Mark Creams
There's no evidence that any lotion or potion can make stretch marks disappear, or never appear at all, but we can keep trying! My mission in trying these creams was to find the best lotions to relieve that itchy, stretched-out feeling that most pregnant bellies get along the way.

BeneFit Avocado Body Potion
$16 for 8 ounce bottle, at BeneFit stores, counters, or through mail order: 1-800-781-2336

There is no law that you have to use "pregnancy specific" lotions, so I tried this avocado lotion from BeneFit, one of my favorite companies for skin care. It moisturizes without a greasy feel and smells fantastic. Depending on how dry your skin gets, this lotion may work better during the warmer months.

The Body Shop Mama Toto Cocoa Butter Stick
$10.95 for 2.4 ounce stick, at The Body Shop stores

If you love cocoa butter, this is the one for you. The portable stick is great for applying the cream wherever you need it, and the chocolate smell is absolutely divine! Just draw it on wherever you look or feel stretched. Be careful, however, if you are suffering from morning sickness or food aversions, since the strong chocolate smell may make you a little queasy. I couldn't use this until my fourth month when food started to smell good again!

The Body Shop Body Butter
$11.95 for 6.2 ounce tub, at The Body Shop stores

If you are very itchy or already have dry skin, check out one of these body "butters". Each one (mango, avocado, and nut) combines fruit or plant oils with shea butter and/or cocoa butter for a rich, super moisturizing skin treat in solid form. Just scoop some out, warm it in your hands, and spread. These are great for fall and winter.

Clarins Body Toning Oil
$68.50 for kit with breast gel (available at maternity stores)

I wasn't sure how I would feel about a body oil versus a cream, but I've actually liked it better. The oil is more conducive to massage, which I finds feels soothing and helps me get in touch with what my baby is up to in there (grin). The oil soaks in surprisingly fast and has a warm, herbal smell.

Mustela 9 Response Stretch Mark Cream
$26 for 4.25 ounce tube, at speciality maternity stores

This is the first cream I tried, and during the warm summer months its slight cooling sensation felt great. It's lighter than most of the other creams I tried, so if you are very itchy or have very dry skin, it may not give you all the moisture you need.

Foot and Leg Products
As your pregnancy progresses, your legs and feet will get tired faster, and often feel hot or swollen. You'll be pregnant at some point during the summer, and the heat and humidity only make our natural rise in body temperature more unbearable.

The Body Shop Cooling Leg Gel
$3 for 2 ounce bottle, at The Body Shop stores

The cooling peppermint oil in this gel made it one of my favorites over the summer for both feet and legs. It's especially good when you can relax for a minute, smooth some gel on, and put your feet up! The peppermint tingle lasts for several minutes and really does seem to help.

Mustela 9 Response Tired Legs gel
$19 for 4.25 ounce tube, at specialty maternity stores

I liked the smell of this gel, but the cooling effect didn't last on the skin as long as I would have liked (especially for the price). If you like something more subtle, this might be nice, but I don't wholeheartedly recommend it.

Nectar Cosmetics Aloe Vera Instant Cooling Gel
around $9 for 5 ounce tube, at Nectar Cosmetics stores and online

Aloe vera gel combined with cucumber and chamomile extracts made this gel the most refreshing (especially for legs) of all the brands I tried. The cooling sensation lasts for quite a while, and you can ever use this gel on sunburns or irritated skin. Nectar is a little hard to find (I got mine from their website) but they have some wonderful products that are worth looking for.

Vaseline Intensive Care Solutions Smooth Feet cream
$4 for 3.1 ounce tube, at drugstores and supermarkets

If your feet are tired, swollen, and dry all at once, you must try this cream! It has a gentle combination of alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) to exfoliate dead skin and moisturize, as well as a blend of peppermint oil and menthol for a super-cooling feeling. The best part is the mandatory time you have to put your feet up to let it soak in and give you some relief!

Breast Care
This category is great for before and after pregnancy, since you'll want to keep the skin moisturized to prevent itchiness, as well as get relief from soreness or dryness when/if you breastfeed. One note: most of these products are not to be used while you are breastfeeding, since the skin needs to be as free of soaps, lotions, and perfumes as possible. Treat yourself to their moisturizing benefits before you deliver.

The Body Shop Mama Toto Nurturing Cream
$4.50 for 1.7 ounce tube, at The Body Shop stores

Designed specifically for sore nipples from breastfeeding, I can't say I've the opportunity to test it in that capacity yet, but it is a nice cream! I have used it for those days when my skin was dry and a little flaky, and it worked well to relieve it. If you decide to (or need to) use this cream while nursing, be sure to let it soak in then wipe away any excess so your baby doesn't come in contact with it.

Clarins Breast Beauty Gel
$68.50 for kit with body oil (available at maternity stores)

This lightweight gel is the companion to the body oil from Clarins, and I enjoyed using them together. This gel has a similar aromatherapy, botanical fragrance, but it feels slightly cool rather than warm on the skin. It's not very moisturizing but does give you an "uplifted" sort of feeling. If you like natural plant based products, this is a nice choice.

Nectar Cosmetics Serophyte Firming Cream
$19.95 for 1.8 ounce jar, at Nectar Cosmetics stores and online

Of the three bust products I tried, this one is the most moisturizing. It is surprisingly lightweight but does an excellent job of keeping the skin soft and supple. If your skin is dry, this is the best choice of the ones I tried.