11 Best Skincare Products During Pregnancy: My ACTUAL Natural Skin Care Routine

Looking for the best skincare products during pregnancy can feel totally overwhelming. What's safe? What skincare products to avoid when pregnant? Add in wanting organic or natural skin care beauty products for pregnancy, and it can feel nerve wracking spending a premium when you don't know what will work for you.

I get it; I was there! I spent about 3 years perfecting my natural skin care routine during two pregnancies! While I've tried a lot of duds, I'm happy to report I've found some winners that have helps with pregnancy acne, dry itchy skin, and more.

---

Video: My EXACT Natural Pregnancy Skincare Routine

---

Best Natural Face Cream: iYURA Kesaradi Facial Oil

This is the BEST KEPT SECRET in skin care IMO!

iYURA makes 100% natural Ayurvedic beauty and skincare products that I'm obsessed with! I first started using this facial oil postpartum with my first after experiencing dryer skin and some mild acne. My postpartum skincare routine was essentially wake up, rub an ice cube on my face (to get rid of the acne), then use this facial oil.

It has turmeric and saffron which give you that pregnancy glow you've probably been craving! One jar lasts me about 9 months. Because it gives you a dewy glow, you can even skip the highlighter in your makeup routine IMO!

There are no mineral oils, parabens, or chemicals. They offer a 100% satisfaction 30-day money back guarantee too!

Best Pregnancy Safe Moisturizer With SPF: Countersun Daily Sheer Defense For Face – SPF 25

EWG Verified and Cruelty free, Beautycounter's Countersun is a GO TO daily moisturizer with SPF for a reason!

Chicory root extract locks in moisture and vitamin E antioxidants protect the skin from pollution.

Best Facial Cleanser: Aleavia Purifying

Aleavia is a leading organic skin care brand free of artificial fragrances, dyes, GMOs, toxins, chemicals, and parabens.

It works amazing during pregnancy, and even helps to tone the skin. You only need a little bit to go a long way!

Best Skin Cream For Itchy Pregnancy Skin: Tubby Todd All Over Ointment

I first discovered Tubby Todd's All Over Ointment when searching for natural eczema products for my daughter; and it's been one of the biggest helps for that! Seriously, pregnancy skin aside, this is just a must have in the house once baby comes! It rose in popularity because of how quickly it's work for so many moms on their baby's rashes.

I love the thick texture that feels smooth; not greasy. They use a natural alternative to silicone that softens and smoothes the skin. They break down what all the ingredients mean/do on this page, just CTRL+F for “all over ointment” to jump down to the ingredients in there.

This was literally the ONLY cream that helped with my itching during pregnancy.

They also offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee, so if you don't love it, they'll make it right! You can get the bestseller bundle, which includes the all over ointment, body wash (which is what I use year round), and a safe body lotion during pregnancy here too!

Best Body Wash During Pregnancy: Tubby Todd Body Wash

Tubby Todd's Lavender + Rosemary body wash smells AMAZING; but if you prefer they have a fragrance free option too!

TIP: the old version of Tubby Todd had a snap cap, they recently switch to the pump. Personally, I think the tiniest amount of this goes A LONG way and that the pump gives you more than you need. To make it last longer, I'd suggest saving a snap cap from another product in your house and swapping it out so you can control the desired amount a bit easier.

They also offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee, so if you don't love it, they'll make it right! You can get the bestseller bundle, which includes the all over ointment, body wash (which is what I use year round), and a safe body lotion during pregnancy here too!

Best Beauty Product To Add To Your Natural Skin Care Routine To Prevent Stretch Marks: Dry Brush

Dry brushing is fantastic for your health and to do year round, pregnant or not! Many women report that dry brushing helps them prevent stretch marks, though the research on that is inconclusive.

I like to do it before a shower, then do my normal pregnancy skin care routine post shower. It's said to promote detoxification, exfoliate dead skin calls, make skin softer, and redistribut fat to reduce the appearance of cellulite.

Either way, it's worth adding to your pregnancy skin care routine!

Best Products For Pregnancy Stretch Marks: Earth Mama

Earth Mama is one of the best skincare brands for pregnancy. Their products are natural (no petroleum, mineral oil, parabens, artificial fragrances, mostly organic), and cruelty free.

Earth Mama's belly oil and belly butter have been my go-to's for 2 pregnancies now! I use the belly oil immediately after dry brushing or a shower, then top with the belly butter.

Their belly butter is so rich and creamy. It's packed with organic herbs and oils that smell amazing too.

Best Body Oil For Glowing Pregnancy Skin: Ann Marie Herb Infused Coconut Oil

Ann Marie's beauty products are some of the best, safe, natural, and chemical free. They are definitely on my list of must have pregnancy items! It's hard to choose what my favorite is, the palo santo body butter, their facial cleanser, neroli toning mist, ugh the list goes on! You really can't go wrong with ANYTHING from them.

I will say, the pump that came with my body oil was broken though, and I noticed someone else had the same experience. I didn't feel like reaching out to them because I wanted to use it ASAP so I just used a different pump I had from another product in my beauty cabinet

Best Natural Product To Prevent Dry/Chapped Lips: Weleda Lip Butter

Weleda is a beloved brand by many new moms who wish they'd discovered it while pregnant! Seriously, next to Tubby Todd's All Over Ointment, Weleda's Baby Cream is another staple for natural mom's dealing with their baby's sensitive skin.

I've been using Weleda Lip Butter for around 3 years now and it's been THE ONLY product that has helped with my chronic dry/chapped lips I've struggled with my entire life. I put a coat on before bed every night.

Best Pregnancy Toothpaste: Boka Toothpaste

Speaking of your mouth, let's take a break from skincare to talk about one of my #1 must have pregnancy products you probably hadn't thought about: toothpaste. Did you know fluoride is a potential neurotoxin that has been heavily debated?

We made the switch to this toothpaste when my daughter started brushing her teeth a year ago and have never gone back! I have very sensitive teeth and was nervous to switch off Sensodyne, but have had ZERO sensitivity issues since switching! It's 100% nontoxic and tastes GREAT.

N-Ha was actually created by NASA to help astronauts in space to remineralize their teeth. It works best when it sits on the tooth, so some dentists don't even recommend swishing with water after.

Best Pregnancy Safe Hair Products: Puracy

Puracy is a great skincare brand for pregnancy, postpartum, and your babies! Their shampoo is paraben,

The smell is AMAZING! It's been one of the few super clean shampoos that doesn't totally dry out my scalp, but every scalp is different. I love that you can order a refill pack too if it does work for you; which is good for the environment and saves a little money!

How To Choose Pregnancy Safe Skin Care Products:

The easiest suggestion/starting point I can give you when choosing pregnancy safe skin care products is to download the EWG or Think Dirty apps on your phone which allow your to scan or search a variety of products. These will become your best friend anyway most likely once baby arrives and you begin evaluating your cleaners, foods, etc.

From there, I personally started to google each ingredient I didn't know. EWG offers an explanation of some of the ingredients on their website which is helpful.

I essentially came up with a list of “absolute no's” that as soon as I see these on a label, I avoid them.

And then I created a list of ingredients that I personally don't love, but will use the product if it works. For instance, a lot of natural skin care products rely on various seed oils that are polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) which has a lot of contradicting information surrounding them (this article explains it pretty well). For those products, I personally just opt for high quality ones and put them on at night before bed when I know I won't be in the sun or heating up.

Beauty Products To Avoid During Pregnancy

When you’re after a healthy pregnancy, some of the most common beauty and skin care ingredients you should avoid are:

• Retinoids/retinol: Linked up to 60 percent of children exposed in utero showing neurocognitive problems and a 20 to 35 percent increased risk of severe congenital defects (source).
• Salicylic acid: Technically the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) says low doses of over the counter topical products are safe, but I'd personally steer clear. High doses, especially internal use, have some risks (source).
• Phthalates: Are an endocrine disrupting chemical that are only recently being studied more by the FDA in humans, but animal studies have shown reproductive and hormone dysfunction linked to phthalate exposure. It's been said to possibly increase the risk of pregnancy loss and gestational diabetes as well (source). It's typically hidden on beauty labels under “DEP”.
• Formaldehyde: Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen that the CDC says can increase the risk of miscarriage or infertility issues. Some chemicals in beauty products can release formaldehyde, which is why I said it's important to search any ingredient you don't know and always talk to your health care provider.
• Soy: The research on soy is a bit all over the place, and every body will respond different, but it can mimic estrogen in the body and cause issues for some, learn more about it here. Soy based products can make melasma or dark skin patches (source).
• Parabens: Parabens are used as a preservative in beauty products. They can mimic estrogen in the body and have been linked to endocrine disruption, reproductive harm, cancer, skin irritation and more (source). It's best to avoid them pregnant or not, especially in your baby!
• Chemical sunscreens with oxybenzone, octocrylene, octisalate, homosalate, and avobenzone: Oxybenzone is a known endocrine disruptor and according to a 2018 animal study, it caused permanent changes to the mammary glands and lactation. More than that though, it should be avoided in general, especially on children, as it's been linked to fetal damage and possible neurological conditions (source). The others are no longer recommended by the FDA as safe (full list here). Instead opt for a mineral sunscreen that sits on top of your skin, and isn't absorbed into the bloodstream like this one.

Final Thoughts:

Everyone's skin is different and you should always spot test a new beauty product while pregnant or not to make sure you don't have a reaction. During pregnancy, it's also wise to consult with your care provider.

These are the natural skin care products I've personally tested and used through pregnancy and have seen significant improvements with! My absolute favorite pregnancy beauty products are iYURA Kesaradi Facial Oil, Tubby Todd All Over Ointment for itchy skin or in lieu of a belly butter, and of course, Earth Mama's belly oil!

Related reads

Maternity Pajamas | What To Wear After Giving Birth In Hospital | Maternity Tights | Maternity Yoga Pants + Leggings | Best Maternity Bras + Nursing Bras | Maternity Pants  | Pregnancy Supplements |  

Preparing for Labor: First Time Mom Simple Birth Plan: Our Vision | How To Prepare For Labor | Positive Natural Birth Story At Hospital With First Baby | Are Placenta Pills Good For You? Why I Won’t Eat My Placenta Again |  Positive Birth Affirmations

Pregnancy Through The Trimesters: Pregnancy Checklist: 21 Things To Do In The Third Trimester | Pregnancy Checklist: 15 Things To Do In The Second Trimester | How To Deal With The Second Trimester of Pregnancy Symptoms | 8 First Trimester Symptoms [+ How To Work Through Them]

Pregnancy Diet: How To Eat Healthy During Pregnancy [+ What I Eat In A Day While Pregnant] | Trouble Drinking Water During Pregnancy? 5 Tips To Stay Hydrated While Pregnant! | What I Eat In A Day While Pregnant + Chasing A Toddler

17 Old Wives Tales Baby Predictions: Gender Reveal!  | Surprise! Pregnancy Announcement To My Husband | Winter Pregnancy Announcement Photos: Baby Number 2