Pregnancy Safe Skincare Routine

When you become pregnant you quickly learn that there are many things that now have to go on your “no list”.  Everyone knows about avoiding alcohol and raw sushi, but did you know there are ingredients in skincare products that you should avoid as well? The biggest one to avoid and that you will see consistently on internet searches are retinoids. There are many other ingredients that get mixed reviews from various experts. The reason for this is because there just isn’t a ton of information or studies done on the effects of certain products on pregnant women, because the testing would be unethical. This makes the process all the more overwhelming. You have a lot on your plate right now. You don’t need something else added on. This is why I want to share the products I use in my pregnancy safe skincare routine with you!

DISCLAIMER: I am not in any way an expert in skincare. The information I’m presenting is based off of my own self-education and experience. Please check with your doctor if you have any concerns or questions before using the products that I share in this post.

Before I start, I want to give credit to the guru: https://www.15minutebeauty.com/ Her entire website is dedicated to pregnancy safe products. It has been immensely helpful to me during this pregnancy.

Another source for you is Juice Beauty’s pregnancy safe line. Yes, they have an entire line of pregnancy safe products. This was such a stress reliever for me. I love taking care of my skin, but nothing comes before the baby. It was so nice to have all the pregnancy safe products consolidated into one line. Check out the link here: https://juicebeauty.com/collections/healthy-pregnancy I review their pregnancy safe make-up as well, which I will link here:

Cleanser

CeraVe’s Hydrating Facial Cleanser

Pre-pregnancy I had combination skin. However, my skin became very dry within the first few months. Most days I use CeraVe’s Hydrating Facial Cleanser.  It is formulated with 3 essential ceramides that help hydrate and restore the protective skin barrier as well as hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is pregnancy safe and helps skin retain its natural moisture. This really helped my dry skin. Within a week of using this product I noticed that my skin was less flaky. I highly recommend switching to this cleanser if your skin is dry like mine. This product is fragrance free and non-foaming. Personally, those are not deal breakers, but I do know for some people fragrance and foam are key.

Side note: Fragrances in products can further irritate your skin, so I think this would also be a good option for someone with sensitive skin. Additionally, a product’s ability to foam has nothing to do with its effectiveness.

Pros:
Hydrating
Non-comedogenic (It will not clog your pores.)
Fragrance free
Affordable (You can find this at most drugstores.)

Neutrogena’s Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser

On the days where I feel like my skin is pretty hydrated, I use Neutrogena’s Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser.  For my friends looking for some foam, here it is! I love how gentle and mild this cleanser is while still making my face feel clean.  I don’t recommend this if your skin is very dry. It not very hydrating but it is a nice gentle cleanser to throw in every now and then once you feel like your skin is hydrated.

Pros:
Gentle
Suitable for sensitive skin
Mild scent
Foaming (for those who like that 😉)
Non-comedogenic
Hypoallergenic
Soap free
Dye free
Affordable

Cons:
Not suitable for very dry skin

Toner

Indie Lee’s COQ-10

I love Indie Lee’s COQ-10 toner. It was difficult to find a toner that had pregnancy safe ingredients. I think using a toner is an essential part of skin care, so I was glad I could maintain this step in my routine. This product helps my skin feel balanced, cleaned, and hydrated. It is alcohol-free and essential oil-free. It’s formulated with natural ingredients such as cucumber, chamomile, aloe, papaya, and sage. Indie Lee is known for their commitment to clean products, which makes a future mama feel so much more at ease! It costs about $35 which is a little steeper than a drug-store toner, however, the bottle you receive is a decent size and the peace of mind is worth the cost. I’ve read a few reviews saying that they did not like the smell of this toner. I personally like it.

Pros:
Made with clean products
Alcohol-free
Essential oil-free
Hyaluronic acid
Hydrating

Cons:
Price

Vitamin C Serum

Your skin goes through a lot of changes during pregnancy. Everyone has heard of the pregnancy “glow”, but one of the lesser known and less desirable effects is called the “mask of pregnancy” a.k.a melasma or chloasma. This causes dark spots and increased pigmentation to your face. Ways to prevent this are to use a vitamin c serum as well as SPF (which I will go more into under Moisturizers). Vitamin C serum is known to fade hyperpigmentation, heal blemishes, reduce redness, and hydrate skin.

***I have found mixed information on whether Vitamin C serum makes your skin more sensitive to the sun. I only use it at night about twice a week. I put in on right after I tone my face and let it sit for a minute before I apply my moisturizer. Additionally, there is conflicting information on using products containing niacinamide (CeraVe) in conjunction to vitamin C, so I usually don’t use my CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion on the nights I use my vitamin C serum. ***

Mario Badescu’s Vitamin-C Serum

I’ll keep it simple: I really love this serum. It has a nice scent, is lightweight, and I feel like it absorbs and spreads easily onto my face. I usually notice a positive difference in my face the next morning. It gives my face a nice glow. This product has a great longevity as you only need about 2-3 drops per use.  Check out my other review on Mario Badescu products here: 
https://lifewithbecks.com/review-mario-badescu-seaweed-night-cream/

Pros:
Lightweight
Absorbs well
Nice mild scent

Cons:
Price

Volition Strawberry-C Serum

I’ve read a lot of good reviews on this product. To be honest, when I tried it for myself, I wasn’t too impressed. I feel that it has a sticky consistency and does not spread well onto my face. I like the concept of it using strawberries as the source of vitamin C. The scent of the product is okay. The longevity of the product is great as it is only recommended to use 1 pea sized drop per use. I use 2, because I also like to put the serum under my chin and on my neck. I haven’t been using it long enough to see the effects of the serum yet; that will determine if I repurchase.

**Update 6/26** I’ve started to really like this product. I’m not sure if this had anything to do with it, however, I started to store this in my bathroom instead of bedroom. I’ve noticed that it now spreads easily onto my face. So far, I feel as though my skin has benefited from this product.

Pros:
Use of strawberries
Nice packaging
Longevity

Cons:
Takes awhile to absorb well
Price

Moisturizers

This is the holy grail for me when it comes to skincare. I think it is so important to moisturize your skin! SPF is important for your skin and especially important during pregnancy as you can experience hyperpigmentation. During pregnancy, you should avoid chemical sunscreens. However, you can use mineral sunscreens such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.

Juice Beauty SPF 30 Oil-Free Moisturizer

I use this on the days that I know I will be out and exposed to the sun, even if its just during my drive.  I love that it uses plant ingredients such as aloe vera and pomegranate and feel that it has protected my skin. The moisturizer has a thicker consistency. I would say it absorbs slowly and doesn’t spread easily. It does leave a little bit of a white film on my face. I notice it, but others don’t. They do offer a tinted version of this moisturizer that I might try when I finish this one. Honestly, I do not like the smell of it at all. However, this is a small price to pay knowing that it is safe for me to use. The smell is not noticeable after a minute or so.

Pros:
Mineral SPF
Oil-free
Plant ingredients

Cons:
Does not spread well
Leaves a white film
Smell

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel with Hyaluronic Acid for Dry Skin

I use this moisturizer at night and on days that I stay home. This moisturizer manages to feel so cool and light weight on my skin while being hydrating. It literally feels like my skin took a drink of water. They offer a cream version for extra dry skin. The gel version works well for me. It contains hyaluronic acid which is great for maintaining skins natural moisture. I feel like my skin looks refreshed and plump after using this product.

Pros:
Light-weight
Absorbs well
Hydrating
Hyaluronic Acid
Affordable
Non-comedogenic

Cons:
No SPF- Versions with SPF are chemical sunscreens, which should be avoided during pregnancy.

CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion

Sometimes I switch up my night routine and use this moisturizer. CeraVe products in general have been very good to my skin. This product is light weight and moisturizing. I feel like my face looks plump and fresh the morning after using this product. It is fragrance free and oil free. It contains ingredients that help restore skin’s protective barrier.

Pros:
Lightweight
Non-comedogenic
Oil-free
Hyaluronic Acid
Affordable

Eye Cream

Burt Bee’s Sensitive Eye Cream

Since pregnancy I’ve noticed that the skin under my eyes have gotten drier making them look darker (lack of sleep doesn’t help either! Haha). I really like Burt Bee’s Sensitive Eye Cream. I used this prior to pregnancy too. It doesn’t feel greasy and little bit goes a long way. It also does not irritate my eyes. I have long lashes and I’ve found that in the past my lashes pick up my under-eye creams causing the cream to irritate my eyes.  This product is hypoallergenic and infused with cotton extract and aloe. I’ve noticed the skin under my eyes lightening and being less dry since re-implementing this product into my routine. I’ve used eye creams from more expensive brands that you would normally get from Sephora or Ulta, but I have to say none of them have given me the same results as this one.

Pro:
Non-greasy
Moisturizing
Affordable
Hypoallergenic

Exfoliator

Exfoliation helps cell turnover and promote healthy skin. However, you should NOT do it daily. This strips your skin and causes more break outs. I exfoliate my skin about once a week.  In the past I stuck with chemical exfoliators as bead scrubs can cause rips in your skin. However, there is debate on whether chemical exfoliators such as glycolic acid are safe to use during pregnancy. Therefore, I’ve switch over to using a facial scrub pad for the time being. I use a silicone massager brush coupled with my face wash to exfoliate my skin. These brushes are super soft and feel gentler than bead scrubs or sugar scrubs that I’ve used in the past.  Here is a link to the ones that I use:

Pros:
No worries about chemical exfoliators as you use your own face wash
Super soft
Easy to clean
Fun colors
Affordable

Body Moisturizer

Eucerin Skin Calming Lotion

This body lotion has kept my dry skin moisturized. I’ve notice that it has helped smooth problem areas that I had before pregnancy, so I plan on continuing with this product after my pregnancy. I love that it is non-greasy and that I can find it at most drug stores.

Pros:
Fragrance free
Dye free
Prevents dry and itchy skin
Non-greasy
Affordable

Lip Balm

Aquaphor’s Lip Repair Stick

Last but not least: lips! Yes, I consider taking care of my lips skincare. My lips were no exception to my all of a sudden dry skin. What you put on your lips is really important, because some of it is bound to get ingested. My go-to that has been great at keeping my lips moisturized is Aquaphor’s Lip Repair Stick. This product has been great at soothing and moisturizing my lips making them look healthier and plumper. This a straight to business product. There are no frills such as fragrance or color. I usually use it under a lip tint or lipstick.

Pros:
Nourishing
Good for sensitive lips
Glides on easily
Affordable
Soothes
Relieves dry lips