12 Best Skincare Products for Pregnancy and Nursing
The skincare products that are suitable, and most importantly, safe while pregnant or breastfeeding
1 September 2019
Clarice
While preparing for the arrival of your baby is an exciting and joyous occasion...
With pregnancy comes a handful of things a mum should be careful of to ensure a safe pregnancy for both the parent and child. A professional doctor may have informed you about the things that should and shouldn't be going into the body - like giving up foods such as sushi, coffee, and wine, or avoiding certain vitamins and supplements.
A mum-to-be must also be careful about what goes on the body, for skincare products that contain ingredients such as prescription retinoids, salicylic acid, hydroquinone, over-the-counter retinol, and benzoyl peroxide that are not safe during pregnancy.
There are many ingredients in beauty and skincare products that can directly negatively affect the health of the fetus - found in anything from nail polish to antiperspirant sprays. It's a good thing to be aware of the ingredients in your everyday beauty products so you can catch common culprits like parabens, fragrance/parfum, sodium laureth sulfate, DHA, formaldehyde, and more so you can eliminate them from your list.
There are heaps of skincare products that are safe to slather on your skin during pregnancy and while breastfeeding, and we've rounded up the best that you can add to your skincare routine.
1.) Bio-Oil Skincare Oil 125ml
2.) The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
3.) Neutrogena Face Cream Gel Hydro Boost 50ml
4.) Coco Veda Facial Glycerine Soap Acne 120ml
5.) Adult Acnomel Tinted Cream 1.30 oz
6.) Burt's Bees Lemon And Vitamin E Body And Bath Oil, 115ml
7.) Cosrx Acne Pimple Master Patch
8.) The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension 23% HA Spheres 2% 30ml
9.) Cerave Moisturizing Cream for Normal to Dry Skin
10.) EltaMD UV Pure Broad-Spectrum SPF 47
11.) The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5
12.) The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% 30ml
Skincare ingredients to avoid while pregnant
When looking for beauty and skincare products, keep an eagle eye for products that may contain the following ingredients that are harmful to your baby.
- Benzoyl Peroxide
- Fragrance
- BPA
- Hydroquinone
- Formaldehyde
- Parabens
- Phthalates
- Retinoids/Retinol
- Salicylic Acid
- Thioglycolic Acid
- Chemical Sunscreens
- Botulinum Toxin
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
- Diazolidinyl Urea
- Stearic Acid
Commonly found in acne-treatment products, these pose a possible risk to the developing fetus.
Skincare and beauty products with fragrances are usually made with harmful chemicals such as parabens, aldehydes, and benzene derivatives that are linked to nervous system issues. Look out for products that contain some sort of fragrance: perfume, parfum, linalool, eugenol, limonene, citronellol, cinnamal, or geraniol. Fragrance-free products will usually be labeled that they are.
BPA is a highly unstable chemical that's typically found in plastics and it's strong enough to infiltrate into what it's containing. BPA affects the body's endocrine system, which can result in infertility, heart disease, breast/prostate cancer, and diabetes. Fetusus that have been affected by BPA has a strong chance of having behavioural and development problems.
Used in skin brightening and whitening creams, serums, and other similar products, this is an ingredient to avoid. After applying it on the skin, around 45% of the ingredient can be absorbed into the skin, and healthcare professionals strongly advise mothers against using skincare with this ingredient due to the risks.
Formaldehyde is linked to nervous system issues such as respiratory irritations, chest pain, trouble breathing, and even cancer. This ingredient can be found in nail polish, hair-straightening products, and eye mascaras.
Parabens is harmful as it can lead to the development of breast cancer and it also affects fertility. This is commonly used in foundations and hair products like styling gels.
Look for out ingredients ending in "phthalate". This cosmetic ingredient has been linked by healthcare professionals to lung, kidney, liver, and reproductive issues.
Used in prescription medicine in treating acne, it can be listed as: retinoic acid, adapalene, tretinoin, retinyl palmitate, retinaldehyde, tazarotene, and isotretinoin. It's been proven that retinoids pose a serious risk for the fetus, leading to a high chance of birth defects.
Doesn't pose harm when used externally, however, if salicylic acid is taken orally by the pregnant mum, it can result in intracranial bleeding in the fetus.
Found in hair-removal creams and it's sometimes listed as: mercaptoacetic acid, acetyl mercaptan, and thiovanic acid.
Pregnant mums are advised to avoid sunscreens that contain any of the following: avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate, octocrylene, oxybenzone, oxtinoxate, menthyl anthranilate, and oxtocrylene. Healthcare professionals suggest opting for physical blockers containing titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.
Used in injectables like Botox, Xeomin, and Dysport.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is an ingredient typically found in shampoos and soaps. It creates the foam found in many soaps, and with prolonged exposure, it can cause nervous system issues linked to the liver and kidney.
Often used in the formula for mascaras, and it releases formaldehyde.
Here's something scary: This ingredient is often found in mascaras, but according to Engelman, it releases formaldehyde. Cue the internal screams.
Stearic acid is common and safe to use, according to NOW. However, it's best to use in limited quantities as it may irritate sensitive skin, resulting in discomfort.
All products featured in this story are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
