Pregnancy Safe Skin Care

Last updated: June 2024

When it comes to skin care during pregnancy, I typically live by the motto “when in doubt, go without”. During my pregnancies and nursing, I felt that if the safety of a product or ingredient was debatable or iffy, it was better to simply avoid it.

I’ve especially found that using organic or clean skincare, without preservatives and "dirty" ingredients, is beneficial for many people during this exciting time.

Of course, most women don’t want to stop their skincare routine for nearly a year, so let me guide you on the product types not to skip over that will benefit you most during pregnancy. 

[ For a full list of pregnancy safe skincare products I recommend, check out our Pregnancy Safe collection]

Vitamin C Serum

This is one of the most important parts of any skincare routine! When picking out a C serum (and forking over big-bucks for this antioxidant) you want to choose carefully.

During pregnancy, I have a clear choice winner: Truth Treatment Systems Transdermal C Serum. Why? Well it is simple and clean, containing only 5 ingredients. And, it is the most concentrated vitamin C on the market with 80% tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate. Being a fat-soluble form of Vitamin C, means that it is unanimously considers safe for use during pregnancy.

Another great vitamin C option is the crowd favorite Obagi Professional-C Serum, in the 10%, 15%, or 20% formulations. A comparably simple formula, this is an alternative way to give your skin the antioxidants it needs during your pregnancy.

Retinol Alternatives

As you probably already know, retinoids & retinols are off limits during pregnancy, but luckily there are some good pregnancy safe options now.

iS Clincial makes pregnancy-safe products that can be used in place of traditional retinols. These include their Pro Heal Serum Advance+ which has low, safe concentrations of retinol and their Active Serum which is a retinol alternative with multiple exfoliants. Both have been OBGYN approved for pregnancy and have changed the game for pregnancy skincare.

Pigmentation Products

An inevitable part of most pregnancies is the facial darkening caused by hormones that seem to show up out of nowhere. These darker patches appear on some women during pregnancy or directly following childbirth. Either way, it can be disheartening and make an already stressful situation worse.

There are some great preventative products that can be used to help keep this pigmentation issue at bay. One is Revision Skincare’s blockbuster C+ Correcting Serum Complex 30%, which can stop the melanin channels and prevent them from coming to the surface.

If you're already seeing an uneven skin tone, then you might consider trying is Clincal Brightening Complex. With a high-powered blend of botanicals that can brighten complexions without problematic ingredients like Hydroquinone or parabens, this is a good pigmentation treatment option for your pregnancy.

Sunscreen

Wearing a good sunblock might be the most important skincare step of all: why invest time and money on skincare then skimp on the last step?  Slapping on a bunch of cheap chemicals onto your skin is not the route to go, especially if you are using a full-body sunscreen. Pregnancy is one of those times when I actually don’t recommend putting sunscreen all over, unless you are going to be in direct sunlight. I would only apply sunscreen on the face and areas exposed to the sun. Typically, I recommend sticking with a physical sunscreen, so you aren’t exposing yourself to any unnecessary chemicals. I don’t think that using a chemical sunscreen while pregnant is inherently bad, especially if just on the face, but for those that want to take extra precaution, a physical sunscreen is a safe bet.

For a facial sunscreen, my personal favorite has always been Revision Intellishade, and their TruPhysical SPF 45,is a full physical daily SPF that works double-time as a tinted anti-aging moisturizer.

Another great facial option is the SENTE Even Tone Mineral Sunscreen SPF 40, which comes in two tints: Light-Medium and Medium-Dark. This all mineral broad spectrum UVA/UVB protecting formula is lightweight and feels incredibly smooth and creamy on application. 

For body sunscreen, I like the EltaMD UV Pure SPF 47 which is a water-resistant, physical mineral option containing vitamin C & E.

Conclusion

To be clear, most high quality skincare does not have harmful preservatives, especially in the brands we choose to carry. So, it is most likely safe to use the majority of our skincare products during pregnancy, but we believe in being extra careful in such a special time. As always, every pregnancy is different, and it is a good idea to consult with your doctor about products you use, just to be on the safe side.

 For a full list of pregnancy safe skincare products I recommend, check out our Pregnancy Safe collection.