Last updated: August 23, 2026
Burt’s Bees is the name most people recognize before they know anything about pregnancy skincare, which is exactly why its belly butter ends up in so many carts. It is the yellow and black tub in the drugstore, it is on the shelf at the grocery store, and it does not require any research to find.
The interesting thing about it is not the branding, though. It is that the Mama Bee belly butter is one of the few genuinely thick, genuinely fragrance free options that is easy to buy anywhere, and that combination matters more in the second trimester than any ingredient story on the front of the tub.
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Quick Answer
Is Burt’s Bees belly butter worth buying?
- Yes if you want a thick, fragrance free tub you can buy in almost any store without ordering ahead.
- The formula is built on shea, cocoa and jojoba butters with vitamin E, and the brand describes it as fragrance free.
- The tub is on the small side for twice daily use, so plan on replacing it or buying a set.
- Ignore the marketing language on some listings. Judge it as a moisturizer for a dry, tight bump.
Bottom line: a plain, thick, unscented butter with unusually good availability, and that is enough.
What the Mama Bee Line Actually Is
Mama Bee is Burt’s Bees’ small pregnancy range, sold both under the main Burt’s Bees name and through its baby arm. The belly butter is the anchor product, and it is a thick tub moisturizer rather than a pump lotion, which is the part that distinguishes it from most of what sits beside it.
The formula centers on cocoa, shea and jojoba butters with vitamin E. The brand states it is a fragrance free formula and lists it as free of phthalates, parabens, petrolatum and SLS, which is the kind of specification people scan for when their nose has become unreliable.
The Fragrance Free Part Is the Selling Point
Thick butters are common. Thick butters with no perfume in them are not, and this is the one most people can find locally at short notice. If nausea has made scented products unusable, that single attribute is worth more than any ingredient list comparison.
How It Feels to Use
Dense and slightly stiff out of the tub, softening between the palms, and slow to sink in. It is a bedtime product in the way most true butters are, and it leaves a noticeable film for a while, which is the trade you make for something that stays on the skin.
Owners who like it describe using it after a shower and again before bed, and owners who do not like it usually mention the greasiness under clothes. Neither reaction is a defect. It is the format doing what the format does, and our comparison of belly oil versus belly butter covers who should pick the lighter option instead.
The Mama Bee Options Compared
| Product | Format | Scent | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mama Bee Belly Butter | Thick tub butter | Fragrance free | Bedtime, sensitive noses |
| Mama Bee Nourishing Body Oil | Liquid oil | Light, from the oils | Daytime, wider coverage |
| Butter and oil set | Both | Mixed | People who want one of each |
The set is the sensible buy for anyone who has read the format comparison and concluded, as most people do, that the two formats suit different moments in the day.
Which Version to Buy
The Standard Fragrance Free Tub
The default. A dense, unscented butter in a tub sized for regular use on the bump rather than the whole body. This is the one to buy if you are buying once and want the least complicated product in the category.
The Body Oil for Daytime
The lighter half of the line, for mornings and for anyone who dislikes a film under clothing. It covers far more skin per application than the butter, which makes it the better choice for legs, hips and lower back.
The Butter and Oil Together
Sold as a pair, which is how a lot of people end up using them anyway: oil in the morning, butter at night. Buying the set removes the second decision and keeps both formats in the house from the start.
What the Listings Claim and What We Do Not
Some retail listings for this product carry marketing language about marks and scar appearance. That is the manufacturer’s own positioning, and it is worth separating from what a moisturizer is understood to do, which is hold water in the outer layer of skin so it feels less tight.
We make no claim about marks in either direction, on this page or anywhere else on this site. Our page on what these products can and cannot do explains why we take that position and what the evidence actually supports.
Where It Falls Short
Two complaints recur. The tub is small if you are applying twice a day to a growing bump, so it runs out faster than people expect, and the texture is stiff in a cold bathroom and needs warming between the hands before it spreads.
The third, quieter one is that fragrance free means fragrance free. Anyone who wanted the pleasant ritual of a scented product finds this tub a bit clinical, and Earth Mama’s version is the usual alternative for that person.
The Alternatives Worth Knowing
If you want a certified organic formula with a plant based scent, Earth Mama is the direct competitor, and our Earth Mama page covers it. If you want something even thicker for overnight, Palmer’s cocoa butter balm is the denser option.
If you would rather not use a butter at all, the oils are the other half of the category, and our full brand comparison puts all four side by side on texture, scent and ingredients.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Burt’s Bees belly butter really unscented? The brand markets the belly butter as a fragrance free formula, and owners who are sensitive to smell consistently pick it for that reason. It still has the faint background smell of cocoa and shea butter, which is not the same as added perfume.
How long does one tub last? That depends entirely on how much bump you are covering and how often, but people applying twice a day generally report going through it faster than they expected. Buying two, or buying the set, is the common workaround.
Can I use it on my face? It is a heavy body product, so most people find it too rich for facial skin. A lighter fragrance free facial moisturizer is the better tool, and our ingredient guide covers what to check on the panel.
Is it safe to keep using after the birth? It is an ordinary moisturizer and many people carry on using it. If you are nursing, keep heavy products off the chest area and check with your lactation consultant or provider if you are unsure.
Is the baby line version different? The same belly butter appears under both the main brand and the baby arm of the business. Compare the size and the ingredient panel rather than the packaging, since the tubs look different in different channels.
If your skin is itching beyond ordinary dryness, or reacting to something you have applied, raise it with your midwife, OB-GYN or a dermatologist rather than switching to another tub.
The Bottom Line
A plain, thick, fragrance free butter from a brand you can find in any drugstore, which is a genuinely useful combination when your nose has turned and your skin feels tight at ten at night. Buy the larger option or the set, and ignore the marketing on the label. Read next: the full belly butter guide and how the four brands compare.