16 best pregnancy

Jul 12, 2023

Pregnancy brings a slew of changes to your body, lifestyle and routine, including your skin care regimen. Not only can your skin concerns change — oily skin can suddenly become dry, low-maintenance skin becomes newly sensitive — but the ingredients that are safe to use on your face and body also change too. In certain concentrations, our experts say oral retinol and salicylic acid both carry risks of possible birth defects, so you’ll want to discuss the topical use of these ingredients with your doctor. You’ll also want to consider the type of sunscreen you’re using too.

To help you navigate shifting skin concerns during pregnancy and identify the right pregnancy-safe products to treat them, we spoke to dermatologists about what ingredients to avoid and what to know when shopping.

SKIP AHEAD The best skin care products for pregnancy in 2023 | How to shop for pregnancy-safe skin care products | Skin changes during pregnancy | Ingredients to avoid during pregnancy

We asked board-certified dermatologists about common pregnancy skin concerns like dryness and sensitivity and for their recommendations on pregnancy-safe formulas. During pregnancy, they recommend checking product labels for unsafe ingredients, which we explain in detail below, and switching to gentle formulas. Here’s what to keep in mind, according to experts:

When pregnant, you do not have to ditch the entire contents of your medicine cabinet and start fresh, say our experts. Reading labels, discussing the risks with your doctor and adjusting your routine accordingly can go a long way. Below, we compiled the best dermatologist-vetted cleansers, serums, moisturizers and more to address all your pregnancy-related skin concerns safely.

Shah recommends switching to a mineral sunscreen during pregnancy. In addition to concerns about the effects of oxybenzone on fetal development, mineral formulas can be less irritating for sensitive pregnancy skin, she says. Our experts like La Roche-Posay’s Anthelios sunscreen for its sheer texture and blendability. This zinc oxide-based formula has an SPF of 50, and it’s also oil-free.

For a full-body option, our experts like Coola’s mineral sunscreen. The fragrance-free formula has broad-spectrum protection, which means it keeps your skin safe from both UVA and UVB rays. Plus, it has a sheer finish and is water-resistant for up to 80 minutes, according to the brand.

For pregnant patients, Ilyas recommends hyaluronic-acid based serums, which can add an additional layer of hydration to skin before you apply moisturizer. With it, you’re giving yourself a little boost of hydration to help minimize fine lines and wrinkles, without an active ingredient that can harm the baby in any way, says Ilyas.

Another gentle pregnancy-safe option is a niacinamide serum, which our experts recommend for its anti-inflammatory benefits. It works to reduce discoloration, hyperpigmentation and dark spots, plus, according to Ilyas, it nicely hydrates the skin overnight too. After cleansing, you can apply three to four drops every morning and evening on your face, neck and hands, according to the brand.

“Niacinamide is a real powerhouse ingredient, just like vitamin C,” says Shah. It can address fine lines and also has anti-inflammatory benefits. It can also help brighten the skin, which can be particularly useful during pregnancy when hormones stimulate the production of pigment in the skin, says Shah. You can use this 10% niacinamide serum twice a day before applying moisturizer, according to the brand.

This serum will target the hyperpigmentation many people battle during pregnancy, says Shah. Squalane helps lock in moisture, rose petal extract calms the skin and vitamin C helps tackle pregnancy-related pigmentation issues like melasma. “It’s going to help hydrate, protect, and brighten the skin, which is all stuff the skin needs during pregnancy,” she says.

Another pregnancy-safe serum our experts recommend for addressing pigmentation issues is Skinbetter Science’s Even Tone Correction Serum. The formula is free of hydroquinone, an ingredient our experts recommend avoiding during pregnancy and instead brightens the skin with pregnancy-safe kakadu plum extract (a form of vitamin C) as its active ingredient.

For a thicker, extra-hydrating face moisturizer, our experts recommend La Roche-Posay’s Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer. It has three types of hydrators — niacinamide, glycerin, and ceramides — in it to help draw moisture into the skin and strengthen the skin barrier.

For pregnant patients on the oilier side, our experts recommend Neutrogena’s Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Water Gel. Water-based gels like this hydrate your skin without adding oil that can potentially clog pores.. It also has a key hydrator in hyaluronic acid: “Hyaluronic acid is something found naturally in our skin, it’s safe during pregnancy, and it’s well-tolerated by everyone, including those in the hyper-sensitive state of pregnancy,” says Dr. Nazarian.

For a pregnancy-safe moisturizer you can use from head-to-toe, Ilyas likes CeraVe’s Daily Moisturizing lotion, which you can use on the face and body, because it doesn’t feel “slimy and uncomfortable,” she says. Formulated with three types of ceramides, it is particularly helpful in strengthening the skin barrier as it stretches during pregnancy, according to the brand.

Most of our experts say it’s best to err on the side of caution and eliminate retinol from your skin care routine during pregnancy. As a replacement, Shah recommends Tatcha’s silk serum. “It uses a combination of cranberry extract and sea fennel to help support collagen [production],” she says. Like a traditional retinol, it also helps to plump skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, according to the brand.

When it comes to cleansers, our experts say the simpler the better. One of Nazarian’s all-time favorites is Dove’s Sensitive Skin Beauty Bar since it cleanses without being irritating. “It’s just a good solid basic,” she says. There’s also no added synthetic fragrances, according to the brand.

Particularly during pregnancy, “you want to keep that skin barrier super healthy and super moisturized,” says Nazarian. “The last thing you want to do is dry it out and make it irritated.” If you find your skin falling into the irritated, dry or sensitive categories, Shah recommends La Roche-Posay’s Toleriane Dermo Milky Cleanser. It has glycerin, which is a humectant that helps draw water into the skin to keep you hydrated, according to La Roche-Posay.

Like other options on our list, this CeraVe’s Foaming Facial Cleanser has hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and ceramides in it to hydrate your skin. “It’s not as irritating to the skin as some cleansers can be and it doesn’t have any active [ingredients] that are aggravating or irritating your skin further,” says Ilyas. There’s also no added fragrance, according to the brand.

Addressing pregnancy-related acne can be challenging if you’re avoiding salicylic acid — a staple in many acne-fighting formulas. This spot treatment, which has niacinamide in it to help reduce inflammation, is a pregnancy-safe alternative. “It’s a sulfur-based treatment, which is a safe ingredient for acne in pregnancy,” says Shah. A little goes a long way: dispense a drop of product the size of a grain of rice onto the back of your hand and then use your finger to dab onto your blemish before massaging it in, according to the brand.

Azelaic acid is another dermatologist-recommended alternative to salicylic acid during pregnancy. It not only effectively addresses acne, but most azelaic acid formulas are nonirritating to sensitive pregnancy skin, says Ilyas. Azelaic acid is also favored by our experts as a brightening ingredient to help address pregnancy-related pigmentation conditions like melasma.

When shopping for pregnancy-safe skin care, experts say the best approach involves assessing your skin’s changing needs and talking with your doctor about what ingredients you feel comfortable using. Below, we highlight where to begin when evaluating the best products for pregnancy.

Your skin care needs may completely change during pregnancy. Shifting hormones, increased blood flow and blood volume, and the physical stretching of the skin that occurs during pregnancy can trigger acne, dryness, sensitivity and hyperpigmentation. Most skin changes during pregnancy are nothing to worry about, but if you have a rash, especially if it is itchy, you should consult a doctor. “There are some skin diseases that are very specific to pregnancy and we often do like to check those out,” says Shah. Below are some of the most common skin changes to expect during pregnancy.

When approaching skin care ingredients to avoid during pregnancy, our experts say that context is important. Using a topical retinoid on your face a few times a week is very different from taking an oral retinoid like isotretinoin, using a prescription cream with a high concentration of the active ingredient or even using a retinol body cream that you apply to large surface area of skin, says Nazarian. The risk of impacting fetal development with the former practice is present, but very low, she says. “Most people are fine, even if they’re not being super, super, super cautious about what they’re [using].”

That said, our experts all agree it’s best to be cautious when using retinoids and other ingredients, especially when there are so many great alternative ingredients that are safe to use in pregnancy. “I tend to tell my patients it’s probably safer to avoid ingredients that we know are not safe at higher concentrations because we don’t know how much they’re going to absorb at an individual level,” says Ilyas.

Below are the most common skin care ingredients to remove from your routine during pregnancy (or at least discuss with your doctor).

At Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.

Macaela MacKenzie is a journalist and former Glamour editor who has been covering beauty and wellness treatments for over a decade. For this article, MacKenzie spoke to three dermatologists about the best perinatal skincare products, including ingredients to avoid during pregnancy.

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Macaela MacKenzie is a journalist covering women’s equality, wellness, and the gender gap and is the author of “Money, Power, Respect”.