“Age is just a number… especially when your skincare is on point!” – Unknown.
As soon as I found out that I was expecting, my whole world changed; and that included my skincare routine. Learning that I had to shelve some of my trusted skincare products was a bitter-sweet realisation. But there are good reasons for this; some skincare ingredients can be absorbed into your body, and therefore, your baby’s body, too. That’s why the importance of creating a pregnancy-safe skincare routine can not be overstated.
Before I got pregnant, I heard that pregnancy is associated with glowing skin and thicker hair. Hahaha…not mine. I had no glowing skin or thicker hair. What I had though were a swollen nose and feet, hyperpigmentation all over, and a very sensitive stomach. I was forced to begin to take better care of myself and my body, as well as drastically alter my pregnancy skincare routine and products. Like some women, pregnancy-safe skincare was a major concern for me but I was conscious to advise myself to go slowly and check out for ingredients that might hurt me or my baby.
As we get into the meat of this post, I hope this article helps you to take care of your beautiful skin during your pregnancy. Without further delays, here’s my pregnancy-safe skincare routine:
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My Routine
Both during the day and at nighttime, I start with a light cleanser, then a toner, an eye cream, a moisturizer, and finally a physical sunscreen (I used this only during the day). I was sensitive to smells so I stuck with the Vitamin C range of products from Dr. Rashel which were effective and affordable.
Through research, I found out that some of the alternative pregnancy-safe skincare products are:
- Green Tea,
- Lactic acid,
- Azelaic acid,
- Niacinamide,
- Hyaluronic acid,
- Mineral/Physical sunscreen,
- Vitamin C, and
- Kojic acid.
If you have any serious skin issues, please contact your dermatologist before using any skincare product.
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Caution
During pregnancy, it is best to focus on hydrating, soothing, and moisturizing the skin to help heal all of those stubborn hyperpigmentation and other skin issues that could come up. But you need to be careful to avoid some skincare ingredients that can be harmful to you and your baby both during pregnancy and even during the breastfeeding stage, like:
- Retinoids and retinol derivatives,
- Essential oils (there are some safe oils though),
- Oxybenzone and chemical sunscreen,
- Salicylic Acid and Benzoyl Peroxide, and
- Hydroquinone.
Of course, this is not an expansive list of safe and non-safe products so I’ll advise that you speak to your dermatologist. Remember, at the end of the day, you are going through a beautiful and difficult phase so cut yourself some slack and appreciate the changes of your body and skin while you’re creating another life.
The content provided in this article is provided for information purposes only and is not to be a substitute for professional medical or dermalogical advice and consultation as I am not engaged in the provision or rendering of medical or dermalogical advice or services. You understand and agree that I will not be liable for any claim, loss, or damage arising out of the use of, or reliance upon any content or information in the article.
