Choosing pregnancy safe makeup is crucial during your pregnancy. Sharing the ultimate guide to pregnancy safe makeup brands, pregnancy safe skincare brands, as well as advice from the experts about what to look out for when choosing these pregnancy safe beauty products during these important nine months.
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How to Actually Choose Pregnancy Safe Makeup
A few years ago, I rounded up a list featuring my absolute favorite, 7 beauty products to use during pregnancy, making them pregnancy safe makeup. Since then, we’ve explored the best pregnancy safe skincare as well as my absolute favorite product to use to help prevent stretch marks during pregnancy. These are all winners in my eyes and things that I felt safe using while I was growing my babies inside me and I wanted to make those recommendations to you all, too. But I realized that everyone has their favorite pregnancy safe makeup brands, so I thought it was really important to take the discussion one step further and share how to choose these pregnancy safe beauty products and hone in on ingredients to look for so that you’re educated to make the best decisions for you. After all, our skin is our biggest organ and everything we use will be absorbed and transferred to baby – it’s a lot to think about!
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Ingredients to look for when choosing pregnancy safe beauty products
Whenever you find out you’re pregnant, you must become the ultimate label reader – for everything, not just food. Knowing which ingredients to look for when choosing pregnancy safe beauty products will leave you will peace of mind whenever choosing products that you’ll most likely be applying every single day.
Fragrance-Free: Choosing pregnancy safe makeup brands starts with making sure your products are fragrance-free. Why? Because typically the chemicals used to make those glorious smells are the bad chemicals that you don’t want seeping into your pores. Try this: SheaMoisture Marula Oil & Shea Butter Body Lotion Fragrance-Free
All Natural: I think of “all natural” products as one step down from organic. At the bare minimum, you want to make sure that the pregnancy safe beauty products you’re choosing are labeled with all natural ingredients. This means that nothing in that specific product have been chemically produced – which is always a win in my book. Try this: Kjaer Weis Cream Foundation
Organic: I know that organic products can be a little bit on the pricier side, but they are completely worth it! Organic means that no harmful chemicals were used to make whatever pregnancy safe makeup brands you’re choosing and I say go for it. Try this: Ilia Multi-Stick
Ingredients to avoid when choosing pregnancy safe makeup
Sadly, the list for ingredients to avoid when choosing pregnancy safe makeup is way longer. I don’t know what it is about chemicals whenever it comes to making beauty products in general, but it could do all us some good to avoid these nasty chemicals year round. I don’t want you to go crazy, stressing yourself out about it, these are the main chemicals to avoid so that you can choose pregnancy safe makeup that you know is safe.
Beta hydroxy acids: these are typically found in products that exfoliate or peel your skin. Instead, try this pregnancy safe skincare brand: Belli Fresh Start Pre-Treatment Scrub
Diethanolamine (DEA): this is a compound typically found in cosmetics to make them creamy. Try this instead: 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Water Foundation
Dihydroxyacetone (DHA): this one is found in all your favorite sunless tanning products. Try this instead: COOLA Organic Sunless Tan Dry Oil Mist
Formaldehyde: this colorless, strong-smelling gas that is typically found in household products is also found in things like soaps, shampoo, nail polish and more – and it’s definitely toxic and shouldn’t be anywhere near your growing belly. Try this instead: Zoya Nail Lacquer
Hydroquinone: another gross chemical often found in creams and soaps. Try this instead: TANGENT GC Burnet Organic Soap
Parabens: these are the most widely used preservatives found in personal care products. They were first introduced in the 1950s and now we know that even thought they do stop things like fungus growth, they are known to cause cancer, so keep them away from yourself and your loved one. Try this instead: Matrix Biolage Advanced Fiberstrong Shampoo for Fragile Hair
Phthalates: known to cause cancer and reproductive toxicity, you want to avoid these. Typically they are found in everyday products like nail polish, hair care and lotions. Try this instead: Josie Maran Argan Lip Sting Plumping Butter
Thioglycolic acid: this one is found in a lot of hair coloring products. Try this instead: Clairol Natural Instincts Crema Keratina Hair Color
Toluene: this harmful chemical is typically found in nail polish, but was removed from most brands because of how harmful it was found to be. Try this instead: TenOverTen Nail Polish
Looking for more pregnancy related articles? I’ve got you covered!
But first…sign up for our pregnancy newsletter HERE (just check the box for the pregnancy newsletter!) and receive a gorgeous printable birth plan that you will seriously want to frame!
- 7 FAB Beauty Products For Pregnant Women
- How to Prepare For a Baby in a Small Apartment
- Pregnancy Safe Skincare: Belli Skincare Line Review
- How to Prevent Stretch Marks During Pregnancy
- Second Trimester Must-Haves
- What You Don’t Need in Your Hospital Delivery Bag
- How to Build The Ultimate Maternity Capsule Wardrobe
- Lifechanging Products For When You Get Home From The Hospital
- How Being Pregnant is Finally Teaching Me to Love My Body
Pregnancy Safe Skincare
When it comes to pregnancy safe skincare, I swear by the Belli Skincare Line. The whole team here reviewed the lines a few years ago, which has a little bit of everything that is specifically made for pregnant women. They feature scrubs, face wash – and even a pregnancy safe acne treatment. It’s perfect for all skin types and I can’t recommend switching to it at least while your pregnant and nursing. Read all about it here.
I promise – it is possible to choose pregnancy safe beauty products. More and more companies are realizing the importance of making products that are rid of these ingredients in general, because it’s important for us all, pregnant or not, to choose cosmetics that are safe for our skin. With having a little girl who is already at the toddler age, very into my cosmetic bag, I make sure to make these choices every time I shop for makeup. I only want the safest products around our family and it starts with educating yourself. I hope my research helps you all make the best choices when choosing pregnancy safe makeup brands and beyond!
Fashionably Yours,
Allison
I never even thought about that when I was pregnant. That is definitely something to remember. I have a few friends that are pregnant now I’m definitely going to share this post with them.
My niece is expecting and she just loves makeup. I will have to share this with her, I am sure she would love to look into this makeup.
This is some really good information! It is so important to be as healthy as possible when pregnant.
This is so super important! I think even if you’re not pregnant these are great recommendations!
This is not even something that was on my radar when I was having babies. Really good information.
I never thought about being safe with makeup while pregnant before. These are great ideas for any expectant Moms to consider.
first of all you are like the most gorgeous preggo ever- and second of all this needs to be required reading for every woman who is trying to conceive and/or currently pregnant. I will definitely be sharing this comprehensive guide with my friends!
If I had to do it all over again I would have changed so much. I would have ate way better and exercised during my whole pregnancy.
Interesting read. I would never think of make up as not being pregnancy safe. It’s good to know
You did your research and it’s awesome! After years and years of not worrying about what I put in or on my body and not worrying about what I breathed, I now suffer from MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity). MCS is affecting more and more people everyday.
What we do when we’re pregnant is SO important. I’m going to share you’re words on social media!!
Wow! This pregnancy safe makeup sounds like a great option for young women expecting today. Wish something like this had been around when I was pregnant with my triplets!
I have tried many belly creams between this and my last pregnancy;this is definitely a new favorite! It is not greasy like some of the others and still provides lasting moisture! Definitely buying again!
thanks,
Souchester
HI! I’m doing my research as well for pregnancy-safe skincare and came across your site. I was excited to see that Josie Maran’s Argan Lip Sting Plumping Butter was a recommendation, but I wanted to know your thoughts on the ‘fragrance’ listed. On the actual product it is stated as natural, but does that mean that it’s 100% safe?
Would love to hear your thoughts!
Did you worry about the Gallic acid in the Kjaer Weis foundation? I have been using but now am worried it’s not ok for pregnancy?
Hey Shannon! Since I wrote this post I was introduced to Beautycounter (should probably update the article!) and have started selling it. I recommend this foundation for all day and especially during pregnancy: https://www.beautycounter.com/allisoncooper?goto=/product/tint-skin-complexion-coverage Please let me know if you have any questions!