When you’re pregnant, there are moments when the last thing you’re thinking about is skin care. You feel constantly tired, and unless you’re one of those lucky women who “glows” while pregnant, sometimes you just don’t feel your best.
But consider starting a new pregnancy skin care routine. Caring for your skin will not only help you to feel better, but also to look better. Changing up your skincare routine can help with common skin issues that are related to pregnancy and also reduce the chance of stretch marks on your body.
Here are a few tips for pregnancy skin care.
General Body Skin Care
"Pregnancy glow" is totally a thing, but, alas, pregnancy can also cause skin issues. Let’s be honest; sometimes pregnancy can cause you not to even want to shower. Even the act of taking off your footwear is daunting. Inspire yourself to treat your skin by stocking your shower with a soap like Baby Soap Bar by Olivier. Rich in Cocoa butter, that is naturally absorbed by your skin, and will leave your skin feeling beautifully silky and hydrated. You’ll actually start to look forward to your shower routine!
Prevent Stretch Marks
Yes, there is a genetic link to stretch marks, so if your mama or sister had them, you are more likely to get them too. You're not alone though, mama – over 90% of women will get them towards the later stages of pregnancy. (Because weight gain causes stretch marks too!) However, just as with wrinkles and eye bags, we can do our best to battle our genes. Some women get them and some women don’t. But to decrease your risk of getting stretch marks as your belly grows, follow your shower with a product like Belly Jelly by Matter Co or Zoe Organics Belly Oil. Moisturizing your skin improves its elasticity, and allows it to grow with your baby without causing stretch marks as a result.
Prevent sunburn
Pregnancy is a beautiful time in a woman’s life, but it can be a little rough at times, so why add painful sun damage to your list of ailments.
Natural Sun Care Creme contains antioxidants which will help protect your skin, as well as a sunscreen to prevent UV damage.
Face Value
We suggest to gently exfoliate two to three times a week. This keeps surface debris from building up on the skin and causing breakouts. It also helps alleviate dryness, which can be exacerbated by dead skin not allowing hydrating products to penetrate properly. We recommend using a gentle exfoliant to help remove dead skin cells on the surface as well as a hyaluronic acid serum to combat dryness, like Knours Bubble Burst Serum.
To treat those pregnancy breakouts, we like products with peptides that encourage our natural epidermal growth factors, which promote healing and cell turnover. Our top pick: The Breakout Buster.
Things to Avoid
Keep in mind that pregnancy also has you needing to avoid certain ingredients. The following can be harmful to a developing fetus: salicylic acid, Retin-A, retinol, retinyl palmitate, benzoyl peroxide, hydroquinone, and some prescription acne medications. In addition, you should avoid professional treatments such as chemical peels with salicylic acid, Botox, and laser treatments.
Pregnancy doesn’t have to mean that you can’t take care of your skin. And remember that the ideal pregnancy skincare routine is unique for everyone. Even if you’ve been pregnant before, your skin can react completely differently the next time around! That being said, it's a perfect time to treat your skin with extra TLC, as you might be experiencing changes like acne, extreme dryness, and irritation. But do what you can; a healthy and happy mama will deliver a happy and healthy baby. Establish your skin care routine to make the best of your pregnancy, and enjoy the compliments when you’re told you’re glowing.
