Pregnancy Safe Skincare Ingredients: What You Need to Know
Expecting a new little arrival? Congratulations! Let us help you navigate safe skincare for pregnant women. This handy guide explains ingredients to avoid and pregnancy approved alternatives.
Common Pregnancy Skin Conditions
There are some lucky mums-to-be out there that experience the best skin of their lives during pregnancy. Unfortunately, it’s not always the case! You may experience pregnancy-related changes in your skin that are more challenging to deal with:
- Hormonal acne - Breaking out around the chin and jaw? Acne in these areas can be linked to hormonal changes.
- Melasma - Sometimes called the ‘mask of pregnancy’ melasma is hyperpigmentation (skin discolouration) that can appear on your forehead, nose, and cheeks.
- Dryness - Dryness can make fine lines and wrinkles more pronounced.
If you have any pre-existing conditions, like eczema or rosacea, these can get worse during pregnancy. You’ll need to manage these skin concerns while you’re expecting (and during breastfeeding) with skincare products that are safe during pregnancy.
Pregnancy Skincare — Ingredients to Use and Avoid
Safe skincare for pregnant women means avoiding certain ingredients - a few tweaks to your existing routine might be necessary. Carefully read all the labels on the skincare products you’re currently using. You’ll want to press pause on applying the following ingredients during pregnancy:
Avoid: Retinols and Vitamin A Derivatives
Retinol, retin-A, retinoic acid, and tretinoin shouldn’t be used if you’re expecting. These anti-ageing ingredients are all derived from Vitamin A, which is an effective vitamin for your skin but is problematic during pregnancy. Excessive amounts of Vitamin A has been found to interfere with fetal development. No matter the amount you include in your routine, the safest approach is to avoid retinol, or any vitamin A derivatives entirely.
Avoid: Salicylic Acid
Salicylic acid is a heavy hitter for treating acne. Its deep exfoliating action clears blocked pores to minimise bacteria and reduce congestion. When it comes to skincare for pregnant women though, it’s not on the ‘safe’ list in high doses so it’s best to skip this ingredient entirely.
Pregnancy Safe Alternatives
The following table summarizes the ingredients to avoid and the effective alternatives you can use instead:
| Skin Concern | Ingredients to Avoid | Safe Alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Ageing | Retinols, Retin-A, Tretinoin | Vitamin C, Peptides, Omega Fatty Acids |
| Acne & Breakouts | Salicylic acid | Lactic acid, Glycolic acid, Fruit enzymes |
| Congestion | High dose exfoliants | Bentonite clay, Activated charcoal, Polynesian sand |
Anti-Ageing Alternatives
Thankfully, temporarily giving up Vitamin A doesn’t have to mean abandoning your anti-ageing routine. Alternative ingredients that are pregnancy safe and offer effective anti-ageing properties are easy to include in your pregnancy skincare routine:
- Vitamin C - Your antioxidant go-to for a pregnancy skincare routine. An effective all-rounder, it helps repair environmental damage, stimulate collagen synthesis, and brighten skin.
- Peptides - A type of protein that helps preserve and boost collagen levels, smooth fine lines, and minimise the appearance of pores.
- Omega Fatty Acids - Omega 3, omega 6 and omega 9 play a role in maintaining youthful, healthy-looking skin. They deliver positive changes in skin hydration, scaling, and roughness.
Breakout and Acne Alternatives
Take your pick of pregnancy safe ingredients to manage breakouts while you’re expecting:
- Lactic acid - A sensitive skin hero, lactic acid is the gentler, yet effective, exfoliator of the acids group.
- Glycolic acid - An exfoliant that naturally occurs in plants including sugar cane and citrus fruits.
- Fruit enzymes - Enzymes found in some fruits and berries break down keratin proteins attached to dead cells to help target congestion.
- Bentonite clay and activated charcoal - Detoxify and refine congested skin and help control oil.
- Polynesian sand - An effective physical exfoliator for oily skin types, Polynesian sand helps to gently unblock pores for clearer skin.
Breakout prone skin will also benefit from pregnancy safe skincare products that deliver deep hydration, such as hyaluronic acid and niacinamide (Vitamin B3), and plant-based oils that help regulate sebum production.
Recommended Pregnancy Safe Products
For an anti-ageing routine, we recommend:
- The Uncomplicated Cleanser plus Anti-Ageing
- Hyaluronic Hydrating Serum
- 24K Gold Nourishing Oil
- Golden Anti-Ageing Serum (evening)
- Anti-Ageing Repair Gel Booster Mask
For a breakout routine, we recommend:
- The Uncomplicated Cleanser plus Anti-Redness
- Hyaluronic Hydrating Serum
- Acai Hydrate & Nourish Duo
- Peppermint Green Oil
- Anti-Redness Minty Green Smoothie
- Fresh Sea And Salty Sand facial exfoliant
- Detoxifying Exfoliating Charcoal Serum
- Soft Skin Refining Charcoal Clay Booster Mask
These products are also safe to use during breastfeeding.