Safe Skincare During Pregnancy: Protecting Your Glow and Your Baby

It’s safe to assume every mom-to-be’s first priority is keeping their baby safe. The second? Trying to maintain a sense of normalcy through a body that’s continually changing; your skin, especially.

With your complexion playing by a new set of rules, your pre-pregnancy skincare routine just isn’t going to cut it anymore.

At MD GLAM, we know what it’s like—stretch marks, acne, discoloration, and skin that just feels, well, different. Now more than ever, you need products that target your skin’s dynamic needs and, more importantly, keep your growing baby safe. 

In this article, we discuss the tides of change that pregnancy brings to our skin and the importance of smart ingredient selection. By the end, you’ll have a tailored pregnancy skincare routine that nourishes your motherly glow and ensures the well-being of your little one.

Understanding Pregnancy Skin Changes

For some women, pregnancy means strong nails, luscious hair, and radiant skin. For others, on the other hand, pregnancy skin changes could be less than ideal. As for which camp you’ll fall into? We’re sorry to say it’s pretty much a toss-up. 

When you’re pregnant, your body undergoes a tsunami of changes—from hormonal fluctuations and higher blood flow to stretching skin and water retention. This can trigger your skin to behave differently from what you’re used to. 

Some common skin concerns expecting moms struggle with are:

Acne

With your hormones (particularly estrogen and progesterone) all out of balance, it could lead your skin to ramp up oil production. This can leave it looking more blemished than normal. Cue the junior high PTSD. 

The irony? Most acne products aren’t pregnancy-safe (but more on that in a minute).

Dryness

While some expecting moms are tackling breakouts and greasiness, others are struggling with dry and dehydrated skin. 

Itchy skin and eczema

Between excessive dryness and stretching skin, it’s normal for some women to develop rashes or eczema (usually within the first two trimesters).

Hyperpigmentation, melasma, or dark spots

All those extra hormones (particularly melanin) can cause discoloration in the skin. Some women develop dark patches in random areas, while others develop a more defined, vertical line (known as “linea negra”) across their stomachs. 

Stretchmarks

As your skin stretches to accommodate your baby, you may notice stretch marks appear in certain spots. These marks can be red, purple, bluish-back, or brown and are a form of scarring.

Varicose veins

With your uterus growing heavier, the added weight and pressure compresses your veins. This decreases blood flow to your lower body, causing some veins to become swollen, sore, and blue.

Sun sensitivity

Expecting mothers are extra sensitive to the sun. Hormonal fluctuations are what make them more susceptible to discoloration, which is triggered by excessive sun exposure. 

Fortunately, with the right products, you’ll be able to enjoy each moment with a bit more confidence and self-love. 

The Importance of Safe Pregnancy Skincare Ingredients

Everything you eat and drink goes into your growing baby—the same goes for your skincare. 

Ingredients that you incorporated into your routine pre-pregnancy may not be safe to use while pregnant. Why? Some of these can put your pregnancy at risk for premature birth, deformities, developmental problems, and a host of other issues. 

We know that’s not a chance you’d ever want to take. So here are a few ingredients you’ll want to nix from your pregnancy skincare routine:

Ingredients to Avoid:

Hydroquinone 

There’s often a temptation to gravitate towards skin-lightening products when creating a hormonal skin care pregnancy, especially when dark spots are cramping your feel-good vibes. However, most bleaching creams (and hair dyes) contain hydroquinone (a depigmenting agent) linked to cancer, DNA damage, and endocrine disruption.

Retinol/Retinoids

We love a good retinol, but expecting moms are advised to stay away from vitamin A products. High doses (even topical) can increase the risk of congenital disabilities, reproductive toxicity, preterm labor, and even miscarriage in some cases. 

Salicylic acid

Oral salicylic acid while pregnant is a no-go. However, the jury is still out when it comes to the effects of topical salicylic acid. Our advice? Since the general consensus is that pregnancy and acne products generally don’t mix, it’s better to err on the side of caution. 

Parabens/BPA

Many products contain parabens to extend their shelf-life—one of those is bisphenol A (BPA). Exposure to this chemical while pregnant can negatively affect an unborn baby’s prostate gland or brain. 

The better option for pregnancy? Organic skincare. 

Chemical Sunscreens

Chemical sunscreens, particularly oxybenzone, are known endocrine system disruptors. During pregnancy, they can interfere with your hormones, harming both you and your baby in the long run. And don’t even get us started on the animal studies. 

With the culprits out of the way, let’s discuss what you can use. 

Safe Pregnancy Skincare To Use Instead

With so many of your tried-and-true ingredients off the roster, finding safe, non-toxic pregnancy skincare can feel a bit daunting. But we promise all it takes is a little sifting through labels and redefining what works for your skin.

If you’re still feeling a tad overwhelmed, don’t sweat it, momma. We did most of the legwork for you:

Cleansers

Nowadays, even cleansers are loaded with active ingredients that could trigger heightened skin sensitivity or, worse, put your pregnancy at risk for complications. 

When choosing safe pregnancy cleansers, reach for formulas like MD GLAM’s Deep Pore Foaming Cleanser. This cleanser gently removes impurities while infusing your skin with ingredients that hydrate and soothe without any potential risk to your growing baby. 

Moisturizers

Retinol and acne products might be off the table during pregnancy, but you can use hyaluronic acid liberally. That’s good news for pregnancy-safe moisturizers! 

This natural humectant provides deep moisture without clogging your pores, preventing blemishes. It also promotes even skin tone, slows aging, and helps repair your moisture barrier (honestly, we could go on about HA forever). 

The catch? Low molecular HA is usually better, which is precisely what we sourced for MD GLAM’s Hyaluronic Acid Night C-Complex. This “Fountain of Youth in a jar” packs a multifaceted punch for mom-to-be’s skin, firming, smoothing, and softening all at once. 

Opt for oxybenzone-free sunscreen

Our go-to pregnancy-safe sunscreen? MD GLAM’s Sunshout Sunscreen SPF 50 is a hybrid of chemical and mineral SPF that contains zero oxybenzone. In addition to UVA/UVB protection, it delivers healthy antioxidants, combats aging, and evens discoloration. 

Who says Moms can’t have baby-smooth skin, too? 

MD GLAM: Skincare You and Your Baby Can Trust

Growing a tiny human is an experience like no other. And it looks like your skin is coming along for the ride. That’s why you need a pregnancy skincare routine that makes you feel beautiful and keeps your little one safe.

At MD GLAM, we formulate every product with moms in mind. That passion comes from our founder’s own experience as a mother. After navigating the maze of skincare ingredients herself, she vowed to create safe, effective products for every life stage. 

So go ahead and pamper yourself. You can trust that both your skin and pregnancy are safe and well-cared for. 

We’ll handle the glowing skin—you handle the diapers.